Fostering Collaboration
CQT’s process fosters empowerment and builds strong partnerships across Maryland’s public behavioral health system.
Consumer Empowerment
CQT is staffed by consumers and family members in recovery; staff members strive to partner with those they serve and give back to the community. CQT interviewers’ personal knowledge and shared experience of behavioral health issues helps create a welcoming space where open dialogue can occur. Consumers’ opinions, concerns, and suggestions are valued; the CQT process ensures individual requests and general feedback are promptly delivered to the right people in the system.
What do consumers say about CQT?
“CQT was very friendly, very professional, good listeners, and caring.”
“I felt comfortable.”
“They listened to me.”
“Things change because CQT comes.”
“I usually have a hard time talking to people, but I was able to talk to CQT.”
“CQT are the first people to sit down and listen to my story.”
“CQT’s work is so cool. It’s nice. It’s nice to help us.”
What do CQT staff say about this unique process?
“CQT allows consumers to talk in an open way about their experience. There is no hierarchy; no one is judging them or analyzing them. It is this neutral ground that encourages consumers to talk about their experiences. My favorite part of [being a CQT Interviewer] is the true exchange that occurs between interviewer and interviewee.”
“After being interviewed, many consumers express interest in getting involved with mental health advocacy, or even joining the CQT team! CQT encourages everyone involved in the behavioral health system to connect with local resources and opportunities.”
Working in Partnership
CQT values providers and administrators as partners in finding the best ways to meet the needs of individual consumers and improve the quality of services provided.
CQT values open-mindedness, neutrality, accuracy, and objectivity. They are not clinicians, special advocates, or investigators. CQT team members don’t evaluate. They are consumers and family members who are dedicated to listening carefully to individuals, developing good working relationships within the behavioral health system, recognizing and supporting recovery-oriented services, and quickly reporting important information accurately to the people who can solve problems and improve quality.
What do providers say about the CQT process?
“CQT’s process gives us immediate feedback.”
“CQT is not intimidating. This is collaboration with everyone.”
“With CQT, we can always count on them to follow up.”
“CQT is the missing link in quality assurance monitoring.”
“CQT generates ideas about how to improve our services and sometimes helps us to explain to our administration why we may need to do more in some areas.”
Collaboration & Community
Consumers, providers, administrators, and CQT staff, provided many of the quotes on this site during the University of Maryland’s System Evaluation Center’s evaluation of the CQT program. CQT is committed to the vision of consumers and family members as full participants in the design, delivery, and evaluation of services, including CQT itself. CQT will continue to be evaluated, as feedback has proved invaluable in helping CQT improve the quality of its own services.
CQT’s Advisory Committee is comprised of consumers, family members, providers, researchers, advocates and administrators from across Maryland. Many AC members served on the working group that started CQT, and their insight, effort, and dedication have made the CQT program a success.