ABOUT TCOM, CANS, & ANSA

Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM)

As summarized by the John Praed Foundation, human services, including health care,  are often complex because of the number of different people involved in the process of care.  In complex systems participants always have different perspectives and often have competing responsibilities and objectives.  Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) is a conceptual framework for managing complex system.  Within this framework there is a philosophy, a strategy, and a set of tactics all designed to facilitate an effective and integrated approach to addressing the needs of people.

The TCOM approach is grounded in the concept that the various perspectives in a complex service system creates conflicts.  The tensions that results from these conflicts are best managed by keeping a focus on common objectives—a shared vision.  In human service enterprises, the shared vision is the person (or people served).  In health care, the shared vision is the patient; in the child serving system, it is the child and family, and so forth.  By creating systems that all return to this shared vision, it is easier to create and manage effective and equitable systems.​
6 Key Characteristics of TCOM Tools
6 Key Characteristics of TCOM Tools (pdf)
For more information on the TCOM approach, including strategy and tactics, click here.  Courtesy of praedfoundation.org
Also see:

Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)  &
​Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment (ANSA)

As explained by the John Praed Foundation, the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) and Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment (ANSA) are multi-purpose tools developed for behavioral health services to support decision making, including level of care and service planning, to facilitate quality improvement initiatives, and to allow for the monitoring of outcomes of services.

Versions of the CANS are currently used in 50 states in child welfare, mental health, juvenile justice, and early intervention applications. A comprehensive, multi-system version exists as well.

The ANSA is currently used in a number of states and Canada in applications hospitals, emergency departments, psychosocial rehabilitation programs, and ACT programs.
​
CANS and ANSA were developed from a communication perspective so as to facilitate the linkage between the assessment process and the design of individualized service plans including the application of evidence-based practices. They are easy to learn and well liked by parents, providers and other partners in the services system because it is easy to understand and does not necessarily require scoring in order to be meaningful to an individual child and family. Both CANS and ANSA work by allowing each item suggest different pathways for service planning. There are four levels of each item with anchored definitions; however, these definitions are designed to translate into the following action levels (separate for needs and strengths):
​FOR NEEDS:
1. No evidence
2. Watchful waiting/prevention
3. Action
4. Immediate/Intensive Action
​FOR STRENGTHS:
1. Centerpiece strength
2. Strength that you can use in planning
3. Identified-strength-must be built
4. No strength identified
For more information on the CANS tool, including model, approach, outcome, and proof, click here.  
For more information on the ANSA tool, including model, approach, outcome, and proof, click here.  
Courtesy of ​praedfoundation.org
Also see: