OMS Documents

OMS Brochure: We heard from CACs that you want a quick and easy way to describe the OMS program to new staff, MDT members, boards, funders, and the public. To address this need, we have developed a two-page brochure that can be printed or shared electronically. Page one provides an overview of “What is OMS and how does it work?” Page two takes it a step further and answers the question “How can CACs use OMS results?”

Cheat Sheet of Buttons in Qualtrics Reporting Dashboards: This resource shows screenshots with color-coded labels to help you navigate reporting dashboards in Qualtrics.  The login page is https://nca.az1.qualtrics.com/vocalize/login and if your email address is already set as the username, you can use the Forgot Password? button to receive a password reset email.  If you are not sure which email address is set as the login username or you need to make changes, please contact omscoordinator@nca-online.org for assistance.  Please do not attempt to set up a new account independently.

The Role of Advocates in OMS is a resource for victim advocates/family advocates at CACs to introduce them to the program and describe best practices for incorporating feedback into their daily work.  It serves as a general brochure for the program, as well as answering the most frequently asked question about OMS: How to collect surveys in a sensitive way.  Special thanks to the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in Joliet, IL for helping to create this resource!

The OMS Quick Start Guide goes over the basic start-up process for centers to being implementing OMS at their programs.

The OMS Administrative Guide provides information about policies and procedures for participation in OMS.  The guide contains best practices for survey collection, as well as a brief overview of the online system.  Copies of all guides mentioned below are also included in the Guide as an appendix.  The current guide was last updated in July 2017, with appendix documents updated as new resources become available.

Special-topic guides (included in the appendix of the Admin Guide above) provide a closer look at select topics and features:

 

Before reading through all these materials, we recommend viewing the OMS training webinars to learn about the most important features and then you can refer to the written guides on an as-needed basis.  Training webinars can be found on the NCA Engage Learning Center.  Search keyword OMS for the most recent trainings, repeated live every summer and winter.

 

Participation Agreements (Terms of the OMS Program)

Centers – OMS Participation Agreement (Effective through December 2020)

Chapters – OMS Participation Agreement (Effective through December 2021)

Participation agreements are collected electronically through Qualtrics. The documents above are samples only.  The designated point-of-contact for the OMS program will receive a request to submit the agreement every other year (center agreements run through the even years, chapter agreements run through the odd years). Terms of the program are effective for all participants at all times, regardless of electronic submission status – by participating in the program, the organization is subject to these terms.  The agreements are for informational purposes, to ensure all participants are aware of expectations for participation. Since the OMS program is a voluntary membership benefit, free of charge for all NCA members, the Agreement should not be viewed as a contract, but rather as a summary of best practices from the materials above.

 

Need paper copies of the surveys?  We encourage your center to use electronic methods to collect surveys whenever possible.  Electronic methods like a computer/tablet on-site at the center or sending email invitations take less time for participants to complete because they automatically skip some questions based on previous responses.  Similarly, the paper surveys may appear longer, as instructions for skipping items must be included and read by participants, which would be automatic in the online system.  They are also easier for centers, because results are instantly available in your online account as soon as a participant presses “Submit” at the end of the survey.  Compare this to the extra time and risk of data entry errors when staff members enter must responses from paper surveys into the system manually.  Please feel free to check out our special-topic guide above to help you decide which electronic device is best for your center.

However, we recognize that some centers may need paper copies in special circumstances, such as when participants do not feel comfortable using computers or your center does not have access to the time-saving electronic options mentioned above.  In this case, please contact  OMScoordinator@nca-online.org for paper copies of the surveys – we do NOT recommend printing directly from the online surveys due to formatting/spacing.  Instead, we can provide you with specially formatted Word Doc copies that take up less space and include appropriate instructions that guide the participant through completing the survey on paper.  Your State Chapter or individual CAC may have also added items to your surveys, so we will verify that you have the correct copies when you contact us directly.

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