• Provides quality improvement services including project management, process improvement and reengineering.
• Leads Department-wide strategic planning
• Provides support for and advances strategic Department initiatives.
• Provides facilitation for the identification, development, and implementation of program initiatives.
• Conducts program evaluation studies including legislatively-mandated evaluations, federal waiver evaluations and evaluations selected by Department administrators and managers.
• Conducts policy research and analysis.
• Encourages and coordinates performance measurement to determine program outcomes.

Quality Improvement
The Policy and Research Section provides Department leadership in quality improvement.  The Section leads efforts to identify the top priority quality improvement needs and undertakes work in these areas to improve the effectiveness of Department programs and operations and the design and implementation of new initiatives.  Project improvement activities include project management, process improvement, management improvement and reengineering.

Department-wide Strategic Planning
The Policy and Research Section provides strategic planning leadership and coordination, including the definition of the Department's vision, mission and goals.  The Section provides consultation and assistance to Divisions in the development of divisional strategic plans.  Facilitation assistance is also provided to assist with strategic planning activities.

Strategic Initiatives or Special Projects
The Policy and Research Section is called upon by the Secretary's Office to develop, coordinate and provide support for strategic projects and initiatives that involve department-wide changes or that span multiple divisions.  Facilitation services are also available to identify, develop and implement strategic initiatives or special projects.

Program Evaluation Studies
Policy and Research Section staff conduct evaluations mandated by the state legislature or the federal government as well as programs selected by Department administrators and managers.  Program evaluations include impact and outcome evaluations and process evaluations.  Individual studies often represent a combination of these approaches.  Impact and outcome evaluations, including cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit studies, determine if programs are achieving the goals identified for them and if program outcomes are due to program services rather than other factors.  Process evaluations describe how programs are being implemented, determine if programs are being implemented as planned, and assess the extent to which progress is being made toward achieving program objectives.  This information is needed for program improvement, to replicate successful programs in other settings, and also to interpret findings regarding program outcomes and impacts.

Policy Research and Analysis
Policy and Research Section staff conduct policy research and analysis to inform decisions about Department programs.  Examples of policy analyses include analyzing trends in the Medical Assistance Program, and estimating Wisconsin's total health care expenditures for selected years.

Performance Measurement
The Policy and Research Section coordinates the development of program performance indicators.  Performance indicators are developed for and used by department program managers to monitor the performance of specific programs.  Indicators primarily focus on program outcomes (such as improvements in client functioning) rather than process measures such as the number of cases closed.  Policy and Research Section staff work closely with program staff to develop performance indicators by identifying goals and expectations that are most important to the department, identifying options for measuring achievement of these goals, and developing effective means (e.g. charts, tables, and narratives) of communicating indicators.