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I&R Best Practices: Profiles of Three NYC Services As part of its ongoing effort to improve Information and Referral (I&R) data services in the city, United Way of New York City (UWNYC) contracted with MSK Consulting to determine how nonprofit agencies and their clients currently use the United Way CARES (Community Access to RESources) database. One component of the consulting firm's review was an analysis of I&R services in order to elicit best practices in referral systems. MSK identified several major I&R providers in the New York City area that are highly regarded for providing incisive and effective I&R. Following are excerpts from MSK's report to UWNYC outlining three of the most effective programs. Childcare, Inc. Childcare, Inc., in conjunction with four other agencies - Committee for Hispanic Children & Families, Day Care Council of New York, Chinese-American Planning Council, and Child Development Support Group - coordinates I&R for childcare services through funding from the New York State Office of Family & Children's Services. The agencies share a computerized database for all calls and referral sources, as well as one telephone number that can accommodate Spanish and Creole clients. In total, the partnership handles about 18,000 calls per year. Childcare Inc. handles about 5,000 of these calls and employs three, full-time referral specialists as well as a parent counselor, and follows up on every call received, tracking the profiles of the callers. In keeping with this, Childcare, Inc. maintains a parent database to supplement its case management efforts. Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) GMHC Hotline receives over 38,000 calls per year and responds predominantly to callers' concerns about AIDS. It is staffed by 65 active volunteers who are supervised by three full-time staffers responsible for coordinating the Hotline's services. About 70% of the Hotline's funding comes through state and city agencies and the remainder is realized through private sources. The Hotline has devised a program of counseling training for its volunteers to support the enormous number of calls requiring emotional support. Because the Hotline's core premise is that callers retain their anonymity, no follow-up is performed after calls and no system of call categorization is utilized by the Hotline. Nevertheless, the GMHC operates a case management system and draws on a complex range of I&R services to assist those callers who request such help. Safe Horizons Safe Horizons (formerly Victim Services, Inc.) operates a high volume I&R Hotline which processes about 140,000 calls per year across several categories of abuse including domestic violence, crime victims, and elder abuse. The Hotline operates on an annual budget of $1.5 million, which is used to support a staff of 70 full and part-time workers who receive 20 hours of extensive training before manning the phones. They are shadowed by an experienced partner for their first several days on the Hotline in order to assure quality control at all points in the call process. The agency credits the CINPHONY Automated Call Distribution System with facilitating the Hotline's effectiveness. CINPHONY manages all call data including call routing, tracking abandoned and unanswered calls, call intake priority queuing, emergency routing of calls, an automated attendant feature, generating real time statistics, call monitoring, alerting supervisors, and providing a "click-on-box" information entering system on-screen for staff. It is a complex system that requires a high power supply and necessitates thorough training on the part of the staff in order to operate efficiently. Smaller agencies may turn to several off-the-shelf systems that provide many of these functions as cost-effective and more manageable alternatives.
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Planning & Management.... An Agency Profile: Transitional Services for New York, Inc. (August, 2003) Software for Nonprofit Accounting (March, 2003) How to Accurately Plan Your Agency's IT Budget: A Workshop Synopsis (October, 2002) Would You Like To Improve Agency Communications? Develop an Intranet! (October, 2002) "Something from Nothing" - How Housing Works built a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure on a shoestring budget. (August, 2002) Making the Build-or-Buy Decision: A Thorough Analysis Before You Decide (February, 2002) Online Facilitation (December, 2001) The ABCs of ASPs (November, 2001) The Pros and Cons of ASPs (November, 2001) Using an Application Service Provider To Transform Your Agency (November, 2001) The Nonprofit Web Site: Tips for Attracting and Retaining Visitors (April, 2001) A Case Management System Case Study: Providence House (January, 2001) Covering Web Site Costs and Online Fund Development (January, 2001) I&R Best Practices: Profiles of Three NYC I&R Services (November, 2000) One To One Marketing for Nonprofits (May, 2000) Planning for Success: A Practical Approach to Technology (March, 2000) Networking for the Small Nonprofit: The Asian American Federation of New York (December, 1999) Developing a Technology Plan: Key to Getting Needed Funds (October, 1999) Should Your Organization be an E-Commerce Provider? (October, 1999) Stretch Your Technology Budget - Take Advantage of Product Donations (June, 1999) Contact Tracking That Works (April, 1999) How We're Using Information Technology to Further Our Mission (February, 1999) PeopleKnowledge: One Solution to Data Management (December, 1998) Softward Licensing: Protecting Your Organization From Lawsuits (October, 1998) Other Articles of Interest.... GuideStar: Getting Form 990 Online (October, 2001) Nonprofits Benefit from ePayments Technology (April, 2001) Paving the Way to the Future: DYCD's Comprehensive Contract Management System (January, 2001) Creating the Paperless Office (November, 2000) Globix Technology Grants Help Nonprofits Realize Operating Efficiencies (November, 2000) TECH-U-NET: Providing Technology Guidance to Nonprofits (November, 2000) Technology Technical Assistance: Why Use it, How to Manage it (May, 2000) New Web Site Facilitates Quality Program and Evaluation Planning (March, 2000) Lessons From the Life of a Learning and Access Center (December, 1999) Distance Learning and Training can be Low-Key, Low-Tech, and Low-Budget (October, 1999) If Your Computer is Looking a Little Green Around the Ears, it Might be a Virus (June, 1999) Program Donates Technology to Nonprofits (April, 1999) New York Today Offers Free Web Services for Nonprofits (February, 1999) Register Your Internet Domain Name Now (February, 1999) Diffusion Fund Enables Advanced Telecommunications for Disadvantaged. . .(December, 1998) BrookynX - A Guide to Getting Your Communities on the Net (October, 1998) Learning the FAQs: Free Education and Training for Nonprofits (October, 1998) |
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