Moving forward without looking back: Performance management systems as real-time evidence-based practice tools

Performance management systems provide child welfare agencies with tools to monitor program components, make real-time changes, and build an empirical base for the intervention. The two primary components of the performance management system discussed in this paper are balanced scorecards and dashboards. The goal is to provide an overview of the process, to describe how a performance management system was developed and the rationale behind it, and to provide examples of how the process was implemented at a national and site level. The paper provides an overview of performance management systems and an example of how performance management tools can be applied to child welfare agencies. These tools can assist in planning and quality improvement and can be used to support the ongoing development of an empirical base for service programs.