Evaluation of EIP services in New Zealand: what works?

Abstract

With the proliferation of EIP services in New Zealand (NZ) a concerted effort has been made to establish national guidelines for their evaluation. A review of the available literature and consultation with a range of providers led to the identification of the core elements of EI services in the NZ context. Further consultation lead to the development of a minimum number of outcome measures that have been recommended for use in NZ EI services. During the development of these guidelines a critical aspect to be considered was the need for cultural issues to be considered in treatment, and evaluation, for Maori and Pacific Peoples. A brief summary of current research in EI in NZ will be presented, followed by the identified core elements of service and the proposed routine outcome assessment strategy that may practically be used by NZ services.