Quality Assurance & Technical Assistance
ACT's Quality Assurance & Technical Assistance program provides the following services to agencies throughout Connecticut in order to ensure their success in serving people living with HIV/AIDS.
Quality Assurance Review Program (QARP)
The Quality Assurance Review Program (QARP) is the flagship quality improvement program for ACT, monitoring and evaluating the housing needs—placements, case management and services—for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Connecticut. It is a successor to the housing resources initiative of the Connecticut AIDS Resources Coalition (CARC), prior to the merger of that organization with AIDS Project Hartford (APH) in 2013. At least annually, the program begins with a desk audit of selected programmatic materials and culminates into a site review, jointly administered by an independent auditor and representatives from different government departments (DOH and HOPWA).
Through its Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Committee, ACT developed a set of minimum quality requirements for all the HIV/AIDS supportive housing programs in the state. The Standards of Care were adapted from the 7 Dimensions of Quality created by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and the case management evaluation procedures of the Ryan White program.
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Committee
The CQI committee is a group comprised of representatives from supportive housing programs. The committee focuses on maintaining quality standards of HIV/AIDS housing across the state of Connecticut, and includes representation from all CT regions. The material is often rigorous, and includes technical examination of AIDS housing quality standards; close working relationships with DOH and HOPWA representatives; collaborative work to share best practices; and ongoing work to improve services to people living with HIV who are consumers of AIDS supportive housing programs.
Technical Assistance Program (TAP)
TA is provided to agencies who seek to improve their audit score or new programs in preparation for the quality assurance review process (audit). When the audit season ends, the Manager of QA & TA will follow up with agencies to solicit requests for TA.
- Most seek TA if findings are identified during the audit.
- As recommended by the independent auditor.
- If agency has experienced staff turn over and wish to have new staff apprised of the process.
- If standards are changed and agency wants to ensure audit box has been appropriately labeled.
- If program has failed the audit.
- Desire a mock audit in preparation for audit season.
- TA is also provided on monthly basis as agencies submit their HMIS statistical reports. If there are minor errors, detailed notes are returned to the agency and they are connected to Nutmeg for further assistance with the report. These reports also show us if the agency is maintaining occupancy for the audit process. Agencies must maintain at least 80% occupancy to pass the audit.