This case study relates to the VPS value of accountability.
Background
Over the past 4 years, the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) has rolled out the Early Intervention Investment Framework (EIIF).
The EIIF aims to help vulnerable Victorians before they require crisis support and reduce the practical and cost pressures on acute social services.
It modifies the traditional budget process bringing departments together to collaborate on a shared proposal to address complex social services issues.
For the workforce, the EIIF promotes evidence-based, data-driven policy making, underpinned by measurement and evaluation.
Challenge
Recent budget constraints changed the way the social services sector seeks government funding.
Using the EIIF, DTF focused on advising government on where early investment can result in longer-term savings.
DTF had to redesign the usual department-led budget process for bids qualifying as EIIF initiatives, requiring greater cross-departmental and social services sector collaboration.
There was a need to break down traditional silos between different policy areas to:
- share data, evidence and evaluations
- provide technical advice and support.
Departments are rewarded for the savings they deliver to government. With any costs they avoid, 50 per cent are set aside for departments to use as a funding source for new EIIF proposals.
Put simply, cost savings are supporting budget capacity and improving services for Victorians.
Result
The EIIF has changed the way government works.
It demonstrates a stronger commitment to accountability in the sector by seeking to achieve the best and most effective use of government resources.
Over time it will contribute to better outcomes for Victorians with the potential for:
- reduced justice interactions
- hospital admissions
- people experiencing homelessness
- incidents of family violence.
In the 5 years before EIIF, funding for early interventions was around 1.5 per cent of total output funding each budget.
Since EIIF’s introduction, that number was close to 4.5 per cent in the 2023-24 Budget.
Overall, the Government has invested over $1.5 billion through the EIIF with anticipated economic and financial benefits of at least $1.8 billion.