QI Network

The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (NRCOI) is a part of the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, at the University of Southern Maine, funded by the Children’s Bureau (CB), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NRCOI supports organizations committed to the welfare of children, youth and families through training, technical assistance, research and evaluation.  One of the key areas in which the NRCOI helps agencies build capacity is through the implementation, development, and use of quality improvement (QI) systems.

Overview of QI Peer Network

Public child welfare agencies across the country vary in the implementation, development, and use of QI systems.  The NRCOI is excited to organize and facilitate a national QI Peer Network. The primary objective of this Network is to focus on key issues QI staff are facing and enable QI staff to share (and shamelessly steal from!) the experiences and successes of others. The Network is a loosely organized group of interested staff from child welfare agencies across the country. All staff interested in becoming part of this Network are welcome to join. The only requirements to participate are a commitment to QI in child welfare and a willingness to share with peers. The NRCOI will facilitate the Network and sponsor periodic conference calls among participants.

How the Network Works

Interested participants will continue to identify and prioritize the key issues they would like the Network to discuss and address. The NRCOI will use this information to create an agenda for the calls. Each conference call will be open to all members of the Network.  Each call will highlight state and county successes in a specific topic area and then include a facilitated discussion among all participants focused on barriers, challenges, and strategies. The ultimate goal is for Network participants to lead the agenda development such that critical QI issues are the focus of the periodic conference calls.