National Core Indicators Project: FAQs

If you have questions for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, call the NCI help line at 608-471-3901.

For adult NCI surveys, call Zach Cable with Knowledge Services at 866-228-5859 (toll-free) or email surveys@knowledgeservices.com. They can help you set up an interview, update your contact information, or ask for an interpreter.

NCI surveys help the Wisconsin Department of Health Services measure and track how well we are delivering long-term care services.

Wisconsin uses the following NCI surveys:

• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) In-Person Survey
• NCI Child Family Survey (CFS)
• NCI Aging and Disabilities (AD) Survey

In 2023-24, Wisconsin was part of the NCI State of the Workforce Survey, formerly the NCI Staff Stability Survey.

People who get long-term care services are randomly picked to take the survey. They will share their opinions about the services they get. Trained interviewers will call to set up a meeting with the person selected. Many of the interviewers are from Wisconsin. The person can choose to do the interview at a time and place that is best for them (in-person or remotely).

All parents or guardians of children with an intellectual or developmental disability who get services through the Children’s Long-Term Support Program can take the survey online. This is through a secure online platform.

• The purpose of the NCI survey is to gather the opinions and experiences of people who get long-term care and support services from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
• The survey helps us to better understand people’s needs and improve services.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services funds the NCI surveys.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services randomly picks people who get long-term care services to take the NCI surveys. For adults, this includes those in the Family Care, Family Care Partnership, or IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) program. You'll be contacted by someone from Knowledge Services. Knowledge Services is an independent survey company that DHS is working with to conduct the NCI surveys.

All parents or guardians of children with an intellectual or developmental disability in the Children's Long-Term Support Program will get a letter with the NCI survey. You can take the survey securely online.

All names and answers are kept safe and private. Materials for your NCI survey will be mailed to you from Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

• No. It is your choice, or the choice of your guardian or power of attorney, to take the survey.
• Your choice to take the survey or not, will not impact your services and supports now or in the future.

• The surveys are about quality of life and will ask about health, safety, transportation, supports and services, people paid to help the participant, where the participant lives, and things to do in the community.
• For adults, the survey can take place in-person or remotely on a secure platform based on the participant’s preference. Knowledge Service’s interviewers are trained in survey best practices, disability etiquette, and cultural competence. The survey will be completed using the person’s preferred communication style. Please share these details with the interviewer during the scheduling call.
• For children, the parent or guardian can take the survey securely online.

• Only the person selected or their legal guardian or power of attorney may refuse to take the survey.
• Staff members can't refuse to take the survey for someone else due to a conflict of interest.

• It is important to talk directly with the people who are getting long-term care services in Wisconsin. A participant or their guardian can choose to include other people in the survey.
• Some questions can be answered by a proxy, like a family member or staff person who knows the participant well, but some questions can only be answered by the participant. If the participant cannot answer a question, it will be skipped.
• Family and staff can help with setting up the appointment.

• You can directly call the interviewer you set up the survey with.
• You can also call Zach Cable at Knowledge Services at 866-228-5859 (toll free).

• Yes. Your name and survey answers are kept private.
• The answers you give will not be shared with any people who are paid to help you unless you or your guardian want them at the interview.
• Your answers will be combined with other answers in the state and national reports.
• You and your guardian may choose to not answer a question.

The interview takes about 30-45 minutes.

• The interviewers will ask how you feel about your quality of life and the services you get. For example, there will be questions about your case manager or case worker, living arrangement, direct care staff, activities or employment, and your health and safety.
• If any questions do not apply, they will be skipped.

Please feel free to tell your comments to your interviewer.

If you have questions for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, call the NCI help line at 608-471-3901.

• No. The goal of the survey is to learn about your experiences.
• Your responses are private. They will not affect the services you get.
• NCI surveys help the Wisconsin Department of Health Services measure and track how well it delivers long-term care services.