Continuous Quality and Improvement
CQI
The Division of Continuous Quality and Improvement is housed within the Operations Section of the Department of Health and Human Services. This division was created during the consolidation of the Departments of Health and Human Services and contains the Office of Service Review and the Office of Innovation.
We ensure DHHS operational units and their contracted providers have evidence-based tools, recommendations, and information to promote iterative, high-quality practices and to improve outcomes for Utahns.
Office of Service Review
The Office of Service Review coordinates and monitors the department's efforts to comply with state and federal regulations, court rulings, and policies by performing both internal and external reviews of programs. The office completes qualitative internal program reviews for other divisions within the department as directed by the department director. It also performs fatality reviews regarding the deaths of individuals who had received services from agencies within the department. The office also includes the Related Parties Investigation (RPI) team, which conducts investigations when there are allegations of abuse or neglect of children that are in foster care or the child may be receiving services from a DHHS-contracted program. Additionally, the Quality Management arm monitors contract performance, provides technical assistance to contractors, executes action on contract noncompliance, evaluates the quality of services by contractors, and establishes standards for the use of contracted services.
The intended result is that DHHS operational units and their contracted providers are continually improving the quality of their services as a result of OSR oversight and recommendations.
Office of Innovation
The Office of Innovation is responsible for promoting a mindset and providing the frameworks for continuous quality improvement throughout DHHS. This is done through supporting strategic planning and performance management activities, ensuring accountability to critical measures of outcomes and performance, and progress toward strategic and improvement objectives. The Office of Innovation also supports various department-wide improvement projects as consultants and facilitators and takes the lead on ensuring adherence to Public Health Accreditation Board requirements for national accreditation.
The intended result of the Office of Innovation is that DHHS has a culture of continuous quality improvement and innovation through strategic planning, performance management, and collaboration.