Rational resourcing and productivity: relationships among staff input, resident characteristics, and group home quality.

Relationships among staff input per resident, resident characteristics, setting characteristics, and service quality were investigated. Data were obtained from 51 group homes in Wales on (a) resident numbers, ages, gender, adaptive behavior, challenging behavior, and additional disabilities; (b) allocated staff hours and actual staff costs; (c) provider agency, date of provision, and internal operational arrangements; and (d) resident receipt of staff attention and resident activity. Variation in staff input was related to resident challenging behavior, smaller residence size, and provider agency or date of provision. Staffing input was associated with resident receipt of attention, as were operational arrangements. Resident activity was related to resident adaptive behavior and receipt of attention but not resource input. Cost-effectiveness implications are discussed.