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• Interviewers throughout the country reported to their FS at least once each week to
discuss production, problems encountered and possible resolutions, feedback on past
work, plans for the next week, and any administrative issues.
• FS each reported to their regional supervisor (RS) weekly, discussing production,
costs, goals, staffing, and other administrative issues.
• Each regional director (RD) held a weekly meeting with his/her staff of RSs to share
project news and goals while addressing any problems within the region.
• All RDs met each week with the national field director and the project director.
• All directors and other key management staff met weekly with SAMHSA
representatives.
Although the more formal meetings were held weekly, staff communicated almost constantly
through the widespread use of e-mail. This management tool increased awareness of project
issues by effectively passing information through the various management levels. The capability
to send messages to interviewers using a one-way electronic messaging system on their project
laptop computer allowed for timely sharing of information with all field staff.
With the Web-based project Case Management System (CMS), all management staff had
access to a tremendous amount of information on the status of events in the field. Additional
details on the CMS are provided in Section 8.2.
Another helpful management tool was the quarterly Performance Improvement Plan. At
the end of each quarter of data collection, FSs developed specific plans in an effort to target
particularly troublesome areas for improvement during the next quarter. Plans included the
following information:
• A statement of the problem/situation to be addressed.
• A diagnosis of the problem in the past.
• Projected or desired outcomes.
• Specific efforts designed to accomplish these outcomes.
RSs assisted in the plan development and monitored the results of the plan's implementation.
6.6 Controlled Access Procedures
At times during the data collection process, interviewers had difficulty gaining access to
particular SDUs. Interviewers with challenging circumstances were instructed to be observant,
resourceful, and keep their supervisors informed of the situation. Additional suggestions taken
from FS experience or from RTI's "Guide to Controlled Access Situations" were discussed. Talks
with managers/owners generally centered on the importance of the study, SAMHSA and RTI's
emphasis on confidentiality, and the right of the individuals to make a personal decision about
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