King County Department of Community and Human Services, Developmental Disabilities Division
One program of the Developmental Disabilities Division creates partnerships with employment support agencies to help adults with developmental disabilities find meaningful work. Unemployment among adults with disabilities is roughly 10 times the overall state unemployment rate. Most businesses have little or no experience identifying, hiring, and supporting adults with disabilities. Relevant Strategies supported a business leadership advisory group charged with identifying ways in which the private and public sectors could work more closely to provide employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Participants included leaders from Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Nordstrom, the Gates Foundation, and REI.
In other work for the division, we provided business analysis and facilitation services to support a comprehensive review of several major business processes, as part of a broader effort to effort to address a budget that hasn’t kept up with inflation or the growth of needed client services. We identified and analyzed stakeholder interests and positions; worked with division groups to document current processes and identify potential future states; and sought feedback on each option, using an interest-based bargaining approach to reach consensus on a preferred approach in each of 10 major business functions.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Office of the Superintendent periodically reviews curricula to determine how well they meet established grade-level expectations. Relevant Strategies developed a project plan and approach, and analyzed data from 50 reviewers who evaluated more than 200 mathematics textbooks on hundreds of criteria. The challenge was to collect, synthesize and present the data in a way that was meaningful, valuable to school districts, and statistically sound. We took special care to design an approach that would result in statistically valid outcomes and be flexible enough for use in future curriculum evaluation projects. The final report gave school districts a comprehensive review of available mathematics curricula, and identified how well they aligned with state standards.
Other projects for OSPI:
• We developed a survey tool for school districts to gather information about the current state of appropriateness of their facilities for full-day kindergarten, and their future options, plans, and cost estimates for full-day kindergartens. The survey accommodates the needs of both small and large districts. Results will be used to estimate statewide facility costs.
• After adopting new science standards, the legislature directed the Office of the Superintendent to recommend no more than three products at each grade range that most closely aligned with the new standards. The project was under intense scrutiny from the public and stakeholder groups. Relevant Strategies developed a project plan and approach, conducted a major statewide curriculum analysis involving more than 70 reviewers and hundreds of textbooks, analyzed the data, and reported it in a way that was unbiased, meaningful, valuable to school districts, and statistically sound. The final report showed how available science curricula align with state standards, giving decision makers a valuable tool with which to evaluate their purchasing options.
• We planned and analyzed data from 20 reviewers of sex education curricula and how they compared with state guidelines. Relevant Strategies managed the team’s work; ensured that the project was completed on time and on budget; and that the statistical data and report findings were presented in a way that was clear and easy to understand by people without a statistical background.
State of Washington Legislature
The Washington Legislature was concerned that residents needed greater personal financial literacy to be successful workers and protect their own financial interests.
Accordingly, it created a public-private partnership, administered through the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Relevant Strategies coordinated the efforts of the diverse partnership, facilitated the group, and researched financial literacy education standards, reviewed curricula, and provided professional development.
The result was a collection of standards and resources that educators could easily use to teach financial literacy in their classrooms. It also resulted in a broad coalition of private sector companies and public agencies, working together to create a comprehensive network of financial literacy tools.
Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services, Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program
One-third of Kentucky sixth graders are addicted to tobacco—highest in the nation—and tobacco use is reinforced by family and community members whose livelihoods depend on tobacco. The state spends large sums of money providing health care to people with tobacco-related diseases. We developed a system that allows tobacco use prevention specialists to collaborate effectively, sharing information about best practices and proven programs to improve cessation and prevention outcomes. We helped identify the scope of needed customization, and coordinated the acquisition, training, and implementation of the system, on schedule and on budget.
Lake Washington School District
The Lake Washington School District is one of Washington’s largest, serving more than 23,000 students in Seattle’s eastern suburbs, including Redmond, home of Microsoft. The district’s intention to adopt a new elementary math curriculum brought intense scrutiny. Relevant Strategies advised the district in creating a robust and inclusive process for curriculum review. We assessed and improved data collection tools, taking special care to design an approach that would result in statistically valid outcomes. We described the results of a statewide instructional materials review; identified key steps and potential pitfalls for the district’s review; and advised on statistical analysis protocols. In short, we helped the district create an objective, comprehensive, and statistically sound process that resulted in a decision that the larger community could support.
Pierce County Human Services, Developmental Disabilities Division
The Developmental Disabilities Division serves thousands of families and people with disabilities, providing more than 25 distinct services with a $15 million budget. The division receives funding from several sources, all with different constraints, fiscal years, and reporting requirements. Although the division needed a new client management system, its staff didn’t have the needed background in information technology to properly identify and assess potential solutions, estimate the costs, develop high-level requirements, or fully manage an information systems project. Relevant Strategies provided project management and acquisition planning coaching to division staff, guiding them through defining high-level requirements, reviewing available systems, estimating costs, studying feasibility, and preparing an RFP. She focused on building expertise and confidence within the division to manage the project.
In another project for the division, Relevant Strategies helped staff perform a comprehensive review of existing business processes, working with three stakeholder groups to identify existing processes, identify process bottlenecks, and develop new approaches to doing business to take advantage of a pending information systems change.
We also provided quality assurance services for a division project intended to improve client management, budgeting, and service authorizations.
Washington Department of Social & Health Services, Aging and Disabilities Services Administration
Relevant Strategies evaluated why some clients of the Developmental Disabilities Division received a rich set of support services, while other clients with similar needs received little or no services.
To address the issue, we worked with division leaders, subject matter experts, fiscal analysts, and field staff to develop an intake and eligibility tool and a comprehensive assessment. We also led the business analysis for a new standardized rate structure for residential clients, based on assessed need. To achieve the outcome—an objective, consistent, fair, and reliable system to determine eligibility and provides resources based on assessed needs— we used industry best practices to identify the scope of work, stakeholders, stakeholder perspectives and expertise, current-practice documentation, and creation of an ideal work-flow prototype.
A statewide advocacy group for people with developmental disabilities—a diverse group that include parents, attorneys, government leaders, and self-advocates—was charged with providing crucial input on this project. To build trust and help the diverse group members find common ground, Porsche led several all-day sessions that helped people listen to each other, understand each other’s core needs, and collectively develop an assessment system that was fair, equitable, reliable and respectful.
State of Washington Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
The Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program needed to replace its nearly decade-old data management system. As a first step, ITEIP needed to document modeling and mapping of current and future business processes, analyze data for future migration activities, and document business rules and requirements.
Porsche elicited, analyzed, validated, documented, and verified new system requirements using Uniform Modeling Language tools. Working with multiple stakeholders from both within and outside the agency, she managed the project, providing oversight, business analysis, process improvement, facilitation, and management consulting services.
The end product was the Program’s first comprehensive map of its business functions, including a comprehensive set of business requirements and more than 700 pages of documentation.
Partnership 2020
Partnership 2000 is nonprofit association that works throughout Washington state to promote employment for people with developmental disabilities. Its executive committee asked Relevant Strategies to facilitate its annual retreat, with the purpose of developing a unified vision for the organization, speaking with one voice, and developing a culture of shared responsibility. We worked with its board and members to identify a comprehensive, prioritized legislative agenda. We further helped the group explore the causes and effects produced by the lack of cohesiveness and commitment, then facilitated an agreement toward a more effective and disciplined organization.
Group Health Cooperative
Group Health is the Northwest’s largest integrated health care system. It serves more than 600,000 people in two states with nearly 10,000 staff. Group Health’s trustees are stewards of more than $2.7 billion in annual revenue. As a trustee, Porsche Everson shares responsibility for ensuring a quality approach to service delivery in its medical centers, hospital, contracted services, and administrative procedures.
BECU
The nation’s fourth largest credit union, BECU provides comprehensive financial services to more than 600,000 members and has nearly $9 billion in assets. One of the Board’s major challenges in recent years is transitioning from a credit union solely for Boeing Company employees to a community-based organization available to anyone who works or lives in Washington state. Porsche serves on the Asset Policy and Governance Committees, where she and the other directors oversee BECU’s financial status and strategic direction.
