Section 8: Monitoring

PATH is monitored at the state and federal levels. Both levels of monitoring are designed to improve program performance.

State monitoring

Monitoring the performance of PATH providers is an important component of effective program management. The PATH monitoring process includes:

Assessing providers’ performance in delivering services outlined in their approved intended use plans.
Analyzing performance on targeted outcomes.
Identifying strengths and weaknesses in providers’ performance.
Discussing any program deficiencies and needed improvement.
Ensuring funding is used in accordance with providers’ approved budgets.

Monitoring strategies include conducting a desk review of quarterly and annual reports; holding meetings and conversations with PATH providers, clients, partners, and agency leaders; reviewing client records and satisfaction surveys; shadowing outreach workers; and conducting on-site visits.

Client records

PATH-funded providers must maintain client files that include the intake form, service plan, and progress notes for enrolled individuals served with PATH funds. The intake form includes information needed to determine PATH eligibility and other data needed for quarterly and annual progress reports. In many communities, the Homeless Management Information System contains a suitable substitute for a paper intake form and can record the required elements of a client file. Provider staff may also use an electronic health records system for this purpose.

A service plan is a requirement for all PATH-enrolled clients and includes:

Goals to obtain community mental health services, which includes reviewing the treatment plan not less than once every three months.
Goals for other services related to shelter, activities of daily living, personal and benefits planning, transportation, habilitation and rehabilitation services, prevocational and employment services, and permanent housing.
Goals for obtaining income and income support services, including housing assistance, SNAP benefits, and SSI/SSDI.
Goals for referral to other appropriate services.

Provider site visits

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommends annual site visits to monitor providers, converse with staff at all levels, and speak with people who are receiving services. In addition to the state PATH contact, the site visit team may include a fiscal contact; state quality assurance staff; clients; a PATH provider(s); and other team members, including mental health liaison staff, regional or county representatives, and consumer advocates.

Federal monitoring

SAMHSA provides oversight of the PATH program and conducts monitoring visits with states and territories.

The purpose of the site visit is for the government project officer to:

Gather timely, comprehensive information about what the grantee is doing well.
Learn how the grantee is implementing effective practices.
Identify promising practices that can be shared.
Identify and address known or emerging practice issues, grant implementation issues, and technical assistance needs.
Provide opportunity for grantees to interact with the government project officer and technical assistance experts conducting the site visit.

The SAMHSA site visit team may include the assigned government project officer, Office of Financial Resources staff, and other reviewers as needed.

The state PATH contact will receive notification of a site visit well in advance and is responsible for coordinating access to state officials, providers, and documentation.

Site visits may be in person or virtual and typically last for two days, after which the state or territory will receive a report of the findings.

Step one: webinar overview

Approximately two weeks before the monitoring visit, the state will prepare and deliver a webinar that will provide key information about the program.

Step two: day one of the site visit

Introductory meeting between SAMHSA staff and the state PATH contact
Formal entrance interview with state officials
Meeting between the state PATH coordinator and SAMHSA staff
Review of Homeless Management Information System/PATH Data Exchange data with the state PATH contact, Homeless Management Information System administrator, and SAMHSA staff
Interview with the SOAR coordinator, conducted by the state PATH contact and SAMHSA staff
Interview with intermediary organization (PATH partner)
Interview with PATH provider
Wrap-up and questions

Step three: day two of the site visit

Interview with a second intermediary organization for PATH provider
Interview with a second PATH provider
Interview with small group of PATH consumers
Interview with a third intermediary organization for PATH provider
Interview with third PATH provider
Exit interview, questions, and wrap-up

Step four: report and recommendations follow-up

Following the site visit, SAMHSA staff will send a report detailing the events of the visit with any recommendations for training or technical assistance and notations of what is going well.

The goal of a site visit is to gather information in a collegial and collaborative way, with the hope that the experience will be valuable for both the grantee and the government project officer. The purpose of the site visit is for the government project officer to:

Gather timely, comprehensive information about what the grantee is doing well.
Learn how the grantee is implementing effective practices.
Identify promising practices that can be shared.
Identify and address known or emerging practice issues, grant implementation issues, and technical assistance needs.
Provide opportunity for grantees to interact with the government project officer and technical assistance experts conducting the site visit.

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