Uses of a Fidelity Scale

Provides standards for

• funding agencies
• center directors
• program leaders
• practitioners
• consumers

Transcript

Fidelity scales can be used by many different groups, including
(1) agencies responsible for financing programs, such as the state vocational rehabilitation agency, the state Medicaid office, and the state mental health agency;
(2) center directors for mental health centers;
(3) program leaders responsible for the supervision and management of a program,
(4) practitioners responsible for implementing a practice, and
(5) consumers and family members, who are recipients of services.

There are many different uses for fidelity scales, which can be illustrated by noting what happens in the absence of fidelity scales or their equivalent. In the case of funding agencies, when administrators lack clear standards or criteria for what constitutes an high fidelity program, the funding agencies don’t have a systematic way to gauge program adequacy. A fidelity scale can help define the standards.

Similarly, when service agencies lack clear criteria for program implementation, they may think they are implementing a practice when they aren’t. This is in fact a very common phenomenon. Research has shown that without rigorous training, staff tend to “fall back” on traditional practices. They provide services that resemble what they have always done. In newly established programs, staff are usually interested in doing the right thing. But without clear guidelines and supervision, they often are confused about what they are supposed to do. Use of a fidelity scale can provide guidelines about program structure and practitioner performance.

Although at present fidelity scales rarely have been used by consumer or family members, they could be used by them as well. Fidelity scales could provide a framework for consumers in deciding which programs are most likely to provide services that will assist the consumer in achieving a competitive employment outcome.