Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 255.7 - Research and evaluation(a) General requirements shall be as follows:(1) This section is intended to protect the confidentiality of client oriented data.(2) External evaluations and research shall be implemented in such a manner as to protect client confidentiality.(3) Prior to the initiation of all external evaluations and research, a proposal shall be submitted to the Executive Director in which the procedures for protecting client confidentiality shall be fully explained. Initiation of external evaluations and research shall be contingent upon written approval from the Executive Director.(b) Research shall be as follows: (1) Basic research has been viewed as the prerogative of the Federal Government. While the Council supports that policy, it has determined that it, too, will play a role in research efforts that are directed toward expanding the body of theoretical and empirical knowledge concerning drug and alcohol use, abuse, and dependence. To this end, the Council will engage in the following activities: (i) The Council will engage in the direct funding of certain research efforts. The Executive Director or his designee is authorized to review all proposals in this area and to make evaluations and recommendations to the Council.(ii) The Council will also coordinate and review all drug and alcohol research projects operating within this Commonwealth. In order to undertake such activity, all researchers shall be requested to submit to the Council annual reports concerning their drug and alcohol research activities.(iii) Research may also be conducted by projects and SCA's. An independent contractor may be hired by any of these levels of organization. In each case, all research proposals must be submitted to the Executive Director or his designee for final approval. A copy of all final reports shall be submitted to the Executive Director or his designee for review and approval. If a project desires to carry out a study, it should contact its SCA. The SCA, in turn, shall either arrange for the project to deal directly with an independent contractor, or it shall direct the project to the Council. The assistance given by the Council will be a function, in part, of the level of expertise possessed by the project or SCA staffs.(iv) The Council will conduct its own program of research. This program will use data collected from UDCS, Statewide incidence and prevalence studies, and special studies. The objective of these investigations will be to define the parameters of drug and alcohol use, abuse, and dependence in this Commonwealth, to test hypotheses derived from theories about substance use and abuse, and to expand existing theory. The research efforts will also be directed toward determining the types of clients who are most effectively served by various treatment approaches supported by the Council.(c) Evaluation shall be as follows: (1) There are two major ways in which evaluations shall be conducted: uniform and unique. The uniform evaluation shall consist of the appraisal of all prevention, intervention and treatment projects in accordance with a set of objectives designated by the Council. This system shall be implemented Statewide, and all prevention, intervention, and treatment projects operated in this Commonwealth shall be subject to uniform evaluation.(2) The objectives of uniform evaluation for prevention, intervention, and treatment projects will be determined by the Council and issued as guidelines.(3) Unique evaluation shall consist of a self-appraisal of a project relative to treatment objectives derived from its particular goals. Unique evaluations shall apply to prevention, intervention, and treatment projects. The criteria of success to be used in conducting unique evaluations should reflect a unique orientation and circumstances of a project. All unique evaluations must be in accordance with guidelines issued by the Council.(4) SCAs are responsible to conduct at least one unique evaluation of each SCA funded project per year. A copy of the completed report shall be filed with the Office of Research and Evaluation no later than 30 days after the completion of the report.(5) An evaluation system provides a useful data base to projects in order to assist them in the realization of their goals. The ultimate goal of evaluation efforts in this Commonwealth is the improvement of treatment, intervention, and prevention services.The provisions of this § 255.7 amended June 15, 1979, effective 6/16/1979, 9 Pa.B. 1862.