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Meeting Human Services Challenges with Technology

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Meeting Human Services Challenges with Technology
Gina Sharra
BSHS-351
January, 24th, 2011
Nate Hooper

Meeting Human Services Challenges with Technology
Technology has grown so much in the last decade that it is something that really should be used in the human services organizations today. It can help any of the organizations to not only grow with the demands that need to be met in human services, but it can also help the many services that are already being used or help to implement new technology uses that are not being used at this time for instance updating their systems. Technology can be used in many ways to benefit human services businesses, organizations as well as the non-profit services. There are so many different software’s that can be used to upgrade systems, add in systems that are old-school in which it will not only benefit these places in time management, privacy, HIPPA laws and in many other areas.
One challenge for human services non-profit organization is it needs the proper tools to be able to provide its community with the services that are needed. But if they do not have the tools to get the information out into the community on what services they do provide than the community not only has no idea about this organization and what they provide, but the organization actually looses too because they themselves have no clientele.
The different types of strategies that can help in this particular situation would be to add different ways for clients to get the information they need to access the organizations information. One of the ways to do this would be to “create a website (or use existing website) to publicize services, location and hours; potential clients may not”, have access to “the internet to look for assistance that they need”, but the organization can look to other non-profit’s that are looking for resources to add to their organization, which almost all of them do (Davis, ND)”.
Also making sure that this organization makes sure that their website is “indexed so that search engines can easily find it (Davis, ND)”. This organization could also “create a newsletter”, or some other type of “marketing materials to spread the word about their agency”, the Mission of the organization, their programs, hours of operation and the resources they may have (Davis, ND) “.
The possible tools that the organization could use to “create a website using web editing tools (Davis, ND)”, such as such as Pico Search which is nice and easy to use and understand. There is also “Google Custom Search Engine which is which gives you multiple sites to add to the organization and it has a community invitations to contribute sites to your agency’s search engine (Microsoft, ND)”.
“Fluid Dynamics search Engine which costs about $40, but it has a fully automated Wizard online which helps you install the search engine. Another one is Java Script Searches which allows searcher capability quickly, the only problems is you are limited to browsers that support Java Scripts searches which allows searchers capability quickly, only problem is you are limited to browsers that support Java Script (Microsoft, ND)”.
You can also go to Web Development tools which are on the web under “rzero”, which has a lot of different tools for your organizations website (Rzero, 2008)”. Took get a good variety of templates to use for your website there is a website that lists all of the different companies that can help you in many ways to build your website if you do not have one, shows the different templates, and all the tools you can use to help you get your organization started and the different ways to keep it going as well as spread the word that your organization is out there and what is provides, just search Web Templates which has a source center with FrontPage. Just look under Rzero on the web (Web Templates, 2011)”.
Another challenge in the human services or non-profit field having an organization (especially the non-profit organization) the agency wants to be sure that all of their clients, not just some of them, get all the resources they need. Some of the clients for many reasons do not want to give out certain private information about themselves (sometimes embarrassment going to a food bank for instance) which could include the fact that they are not working which that would be their finances as well private information about themselves. Besides finances it could be certain medical information and conditions they may have, as well as any other type of information the client feels is very sensitive to them (Davis, ND).
A strategy that could be used to help in this type of situation you may need to use a third party and take the client to a private room where they feel more comfortable and at ease and know that this will be a private conversation with just the two of them. This could make a big difference.
Sometimes if the third party could be someone of their own race or can speak their language fluently and knows how to talk to their client about all the sensitive and private information. The speech barrier can make a huge difference (Davis, ND).
Also if it is an elderly person they are extremely private about anything personal for many reasons. They could be afraid of being exploited and that any information given about their income , some are afraid that if they do have some money that the people who know about it or have access to that information will find away to get ahold of it and then their life savings will be gone. They are also very private about their medical issues especially if they have no spouse or family, one of their biggest fears is being put in a nursing home against their will.
Some tools that could be used in this situation is for the organization could be sure to explain the HIPPA laws and also have the agency or organization have a document of their own that they will keep all their information private with the other clients and they will have no idea what the clients information is and that the files are kept private, safe and secure were others have no access to it. The only people that would have access to this clients information is only certain staff members that need access when dealing with the client so they can help him/her.
Another tool for the elderly is “The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is there to help as many older people as possible with needs like; help in paying for many needs because a lot of the elderly are on a very limited income. They are eligible for many benefits that they don’t even know they are eligible for ((NCOA), 2011)”. Many or most of the elderly do not use computers so they do not know how to look programs up that will benefit them.
“The organization or agency can help the elderly in finding these benefits from Federal, State and local programs from the NCOA. Benefits Checkup includes more than 2,000 public and private benefits some of the programs are: Prescription drugs, Nutrition (including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP or EBT-which is food stamps), energy assistance, financial, legal, healthcare, social security, housing, in-home services, tax relief, transportation, educational assistance, employment, volunteer services, and benefits for rent, heating and utilities, and many other needs ((NCOA), 2011)”. Depending on what health and human services agency or non-profit organization that these clients are going to would depend on the approach they would take in any situation. The challenges, strategies and tools can be helpful in many of these organizations and it would be a good idea to keep this information even if they are not using that particular area of a challenge, but there is the possibility that the information would come handy in the future for all of the organizations, especially if they are an organization that is trying to help all ages, races, and income bracket.

References
(NCOA), T. N. (2011, January). Benefits Check-Up. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from Benefits Check-Up-National Council on Aging: https://www.benefitscheckup.org/about.CFM?CFID=3768445&CFTOKEN-80565650
Davis, J. F. (ND). NPowers Technology Guide for NonProfit Leader:A Mission Support Tool for Health and Human Services. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from Npower Technology Guide for Nonprofit Leaders: Health and Human Services: http:www.npower.org/files/page/techgudes-health.pdf
Microsoft. (ND). About.Com Web Design/HTML. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from About.Com Web Design/HTML: http://webdesign.about.com/od/Frontpage/Microsoft_Frontpage.htm
Rzero. (2008). Alternatives: Rzero. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from Rzero: http://alternatives.rzero.com/author.html
Web Templates. (2011). i3D Themes-The WebTemplate Experts. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from Web Template Experts: http://i3dthems.com/adcenter/.php?source=adcenter-Frontpage1

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