State Aging Information Systems Management Study Final Report Prepared for the: National Association of State Units on Aging.

摘要

Under the provisions of the Older Americans Act (OAA), the Administration on Aging (AoA), State Units on Aging (SUAs), and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), with their service providers, operate a network of programs for senior citizens, including transportation, nutrition, information and assistance, case management, in-home services, and family caregiver support, among other services. Increasingly, these agencies need timely and accurate information about their clients and services, given the advent of federal accountability initiatives, such as the Government Performance and Results Act, and similar requirements at the state and local level. An agency's internal management needs for information are equally important, including quality-assurance efforts, assessing needs and linking clients with services, fiscal control, planning, and research. The availability of technology innovations, such as computer software applications, has given SUAs and AAAs valuable tools for addressing their information needs. AoA allows SUAs considerable flexibility to develop programs and services that address local needs and concerns. While an important strength of the OAA network, this flexibility has also led to various, sometimes fragmented, approaches to the development and management of data and information reporting systems. For this reason, NASUA sponsored a study of information management practices in state programs on aging to identify ways for AoA, SUAs, and AAAs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of reporting and to reduce the burden of information collection across the OAA network.