	Administration and Management

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

PA-AM 2: Agency Leadership

The agency head assures the development and deployment of a functional service delivery system in cooperation with agency staff, volunteers, community providers and partners, and other stakeholders.

Interpretation: The terms "director," "chief administrator," "commissioner," "deputy minister," or other similar terms may be substituted for “agency head” throughout COA's public agency standards. Public agencies are generally accountable, by law or regulation, to another agency, of which it is a part, to the legislature, a citizen's review board, and/or the community. The public agency undergoing accreditation should describe how, and to whom, the agency’s leadership is accountable.

PA-AM 2.01

The agency head promotes a clear understanding and implementation of agency values, including expectations for quality service delivery and effectiveness, expressed through:

service delivery practices;
human resources practices; and
staff training and supervision.

PA-AM 2.02

The agency head effectively manages and oversees the agency’s operations in cooperation with cabinet level personnel, appointees, and personnel from other government entities that bear fiduciary responsibility.

PA-AM 2.03

The agency head works collaboratively with team members representing related government service sectors to ensure mutual service recipient needs, service delivery issues, and outcomes are identified and solutions are found in a timely manner.

PA-AM 2.04

The agency head’s primary responsibilities are:

agency management
to oversee planning and coordination of policy development for the agency’s program of services;
to oversee fiscal operations and the budget development process with the agency’s financial personnel and relevant state/county fiscal officer;
to attend cabinet level meetings with all public agency directors;
to work with the legislature, legislative committees, and other public entities to ensure adequate and timely flow of resources; and
to provide regular, timely reports to the legislature, oversight entities, and the public at large, as appropriate, on operations, finances, and implementation of the long term plan.

Interpretation: The agency head involves, consults with, and gives leadership to oversight entities and/or community advisory groups in planning, policy, and decision-making processes. The agency head, oversight entities, and advisory bodies work collaboratively, with information, coordination, staffing, and assistance provided by the agency head, to support joint policy and decision making functions.

PA-AM 2.05

The agency head oversees and delegates, as appropriate, inter-agency integrative functions including:

a process that ensures ease of entry into a system of highly accessible services;
agreed upon quality improvement expectations for the agency as a system;
uniform utilization and management protocols; and
a system for managing information that integrates agency operations and agency participants’ information, including key costs, performance data, outcome indicators, and member or consumer satisfaction data.

PA-AM 2.06

Agency leadership establishes expectations for clear communication throughout the agency and with service providers, service recipients, and payors, as applicable, through a system that:

provides all parties with timely information needed to operate effectively; and
spells out mutual expectations for all parties.

PA-AM 2.07

The agency head is qualified by:

an advanced degree from an accredited college or university in a field related to the agency’s mission and services;
five years of related experience at minimum;
competence in administering and providing services to individuals, families, and/or children;
management skills in addressing human resources and financial matters; and
the ability to coordinate the agency's services with other community resources.

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	PURPOSE: The agency achieves its vision, mission and strategic goals to assure appropriate use of public resources for the public good through sound administration and effective management.

RELATED FILES


	ADMINISTRATION The personnel responsible for management functions of the organization, including fiscal management, human resources, and service delivery. Such personnel determine organizational goals, acquire and allocate resources to carry out a program, coordinate activities toward goal achievement, and monitor, evaluate, and make needed changes in processes and procedures to improve the likelihood of goal achievement. The term is synonymously used with MANAGEMENT.


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	VOLUNTEER An individual who performs services for an organization for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons, without promise, expectation, or receipt of compensation for services rendered. Such service must be offered freely and without pressure or coercion, direct or implied, from an employer. If the individual is otherwise employed by the same employer for which s/he volunteers, the individual cannot volunteer to perform the same type of services that s/he is paid to perform as an employee.


	COMMUNITY A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.


	STAKEHOLDER Any person, group, or organization that has a vested interest in the services provided by the organization. Examples: clients, consumers, personnel, funding organizations, referral organizations, vendors, and governmental bodies.


	PUBLIC AGENCY An agency under government auspices. A public agency is typically governed and operated by a public entity (e.g., a state, a county, or a department of the federal government. Public agencies seeking accreditation will utilize the Public version of COA's 8th Edition Standards, found at http://www.coastandards.org/standards.php?navView=public.


	ACCREDITATION The formal evaluation of an organization against accepted criteria or standards. A professional society, non-governmental organization, or a governmental agency may conduct accreditation activities. A COA-accredited organization has undergone a period of rigorous self-study and is capable of providing programs and services that meet or exceed COA standards.


	LEADERSHIP A nonprofit organization's leadership consists of its governing body, chief executive officer, and may also include its senior management. In a public agency the term refers to the agency head and administration team. The term "leadership" is not generally applied to for-profit organizations. With respect to COA standards, in for-profit organizations the term leadership applies to the owner and board of directors if one exists.


	QUALITY In this context, the extent to which contemporary and generally recognized standards for professional practice are met and exceeded, and desirable service outcomes achieved.


	PRACTICE Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.


	MANAGEMENT See ADMINISTRATION


	AGENCY HEAD See CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


	DEPLOYMENT The planned, strategic use of personnel.


	TRAINING Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.


	HUMAN RESOURCES A department or service that is responsible for recruiting, hiring, and retaining personnel and monitoring the regulations and services applicable to a particular organization.


	SUPERVISION Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.


	PERSONNEL The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organization's tasks under the organization's administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards


	SERVICE RECIPIENT The individuals, groups, organizations, or communities that use, receive, or benefit from programs and services. Service recipients can include consumers, patients, family members, legal guardians, advocates, public/private organizations, employers, and purchasers. All are regarded as significant stakeholders served in a variety of agencies and practice settings.


	PLANNING The process of specifying objectives, evaluating the means for their achievement, and exercising deliberate decision making about appropriate courses of action.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	ADVISORY GROUP A group of individuals selected by an organization's governing body or management who possess unique skills and/or knowledge and whose role is to make recommendations, provide information, and/or share input from stakeholders. Advisory groups do not have formal governance authority or responsibilities. Advisory groups can be ongoing or ad hoc.


	PROTOCOLS Instruments and procedures used to accomplish a particular goal, activity, or purpose.


	PERFORMANCE A measure of how well an organizational system provides services to consumers. Performance is often based on key indicators, such as rates of service, cost per consumer, degree of satisfaction with services, and extent of consumer access to services.


	INDICATOR A described activity, event, outcome, or benchmark used for measurement in monitoring the quality and outcome(s) of service.


	CONSUMER The individual, family, group, or community that seeks or receives services.


	ADVANCED DEGREE A degree at the Master's level or beyond from an institution of higher education. An advanced degree does not include a Bachelor's degree, an associate's degree, or an educational certificate.