Applied Survey Research uses Results Accountability in our evaluation, strategic planning, and assessment work. Results Accountability (RA) is a method of making change that begins with the outcomes that communities want to achieve, such as "Children Are Ready for School" and "Neighborhoods Are Safe" and then works backwards to determine the best means to achieve these goals.

Results Accountability: The How-to Guide

Mark Friedman is the creator of Results Accountability and published an easy, "how-to book" that guides readers through the process of working with communities and programs to make change. The book is called "Trying Hard is Not Good Enough: How to Produce Measurable Improvements for Customers and Communities."

ASR has been working with Friedman's methods for many years and ASR's work with the Santa Cruz County Community Assessment Project (CAP) is featured as an example in his book.

ASR's Success with Results Accountability in Santa Cruz County

ASR has been partnering with dozens of agencies and organizations including the United Way of Santa Cruz County and Dominican Hospital to produce the Santa Cruz County CAP over the last 14 years. The first CAP report in 1995 showed alarming rates of youth who reported using marijuana and alcohol in the last thirty days. Data revealed that in 1994, 51% of Santa Cruz County 9th graders and 55% of 11th graders reported using alcohol in the last 30 days. The data on teen alcohol and drug use was very high, much higher than the state of California.

The data helped to catalyze a group of over 110 organizations to put seven new strategies in place to decrease substance use among youth. The strategies included: new alcohol laws, public education programs, a grand jury report, youth leadership training, home visiting programs, and policy recommendations for schools, law enforcement, land-use/zoning, and businesses.

Just two years later, CAP data showed a decline in youth substance use. The most recent data from 2006 showed that 33% of 9th graders and 44% of 11th graders had used alcohol in the last month. The community efforts, using Results Accountability, contributed to a decline in the use of substances for youth.

Contact ASR about Using Results Accountability with your Community or your Organization

Please contact Susan Brutschy at 831-728-1356, President of ASR, for how we can partner together to "turn the curve" in your community or in your organization! Stay tuned to this page for the inauguration of our discussion forum on Results Accountability.

The Seven Basic Steps of Results Accountability

• Step 1: What are the quality of life conditions we want for the children, adults and families who live in our community?
• Step 2: What would these conditions look like if we could see or experience them?
• Step 3: How can we measure these conditions?
• Step 4: How are we doing on the most important measures?
• Step 5: Who are the partners that have a role to play in doing better?
• Step 6: What works to do better, including no-cost and low-cost ideas?
• Step 7: What do we propose to do?

Order the Results Accountability Book

Mark Friedman's book has received wide praise from experts in the field including Lisbeth Schorr, author of "Within Our Reach" who says that:

"The book fills an urgent and unmet need. The more readers this book reaches, the greater the chance that community groups, service providers, and governmental and nonprofit organizations at every level will actually be able to change lives."

The book can be ordered on-line at www.trafford.com, www.amazon.com or from your local bookseller. Information can also be found at Friedman's two websites: http://www.raguide.org/ and http://www.resultsaccountability.com/.