Aligning Federal Performance Indicators Across Programs Promoting Self-Sufficiency: Actionable Steps for Program Design and Practice

Part of the EMPOWERED study, this brief provides steps to help build a performance measurement framework to support program administrators and staff in using information to manage, improve, and coordinate programs and services. Key steps include: (1) develop common indicators within and across programs that supplement high-level federal performance measures; (2) build or improve a data infrastructure that can provide information to guide program management, coordinated service delivery, and aligned-performance measurement; (3) leverage shared administrative structures or shared locations to coordinate services and align performance measurement; (4) increase connections with programs that share federal performance measures to build upon specific program strengths; and (5) engage different levels of staff within and across programs in the process of identifying and using indicators and data that will guide services and continuous improvement.

About the EMPOWERED Study: Conducted on behalf of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), this study examines the use of performance measures, work requirements, and child support cooperation requirements across human services programs.