final benchmark tfc letter

294 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601-4303(800) 414-3382 • Fax: (201) 489-6719 • E-mail: mcole@ffta.org • www.ffta.orgDear Colleague:Please consider the following two questions:1. Does your agency benchmark outcomes with other foster care agencies around the country?2. Do you have the right data to inform key stakeholders about the services that your agencyprovides?The last few years have seen a dramatic shift in the Treatment Foster Care (TFC) arena. Referralsources, government entities, and grant makers are focusing, now more than ever, on outcomes.They want evidence that their funding and trust are being invested in agencies that produce positiveresults. The Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA) has been monitoring this trend andunderstands that it is no longer enough to provide only data on your own agency; funders want tosee that your agency is also using benchmarks as a way to improve services. Benchmarking dataprovides one method of demonstrating positive outcomes.FFTA supports the benchmark process and has piloted a national benchmarking effort to help TFCprograms collect data of interest to funders and program decision-makers. This project, firstestablished in October 2005, currently has over 30 agencies participating, resulting in a database ofnearly 2,000 youth admissions and over 300 youth discharges. At this time, FFTA is extending aninvitation to other agencies to be a part of this national effort by joining the Benchmark TFC ...