Software for Human Service Organizations
Disadvantaged Family Community Based Organization
Brenda Scott
BSHS/375
July 8, 2015
George De Rosa

Software for Human Service Organizations

Nonprofit organizations that provide services to disadvantaged families are community based service organizations that are meeting human needs, especially in the time of crisis. The clients that are served consist of families, individual men or women, children of all ages, various races, and sexual orientation, young and old. This type of organization will require sophisticated software with many integrated modules that can track clients across various organizations and care providers. Community based organizations involved in human service delivery activities need effective software with a centralized database to track client demographics, services received, client progress, and outcomes. Software should be easy to use and require minimal staff training to implement the use of the software. There are two software applications that are being compared and discussed that are used to track client services as they meet the needs of underprivileged population(s).
Efforts to Outcomes Efforts to Outcomes (ETO®) is a cloud based program that provide a complete performance management solution that supports the needs of nonprofits.’ Nonprofits can spend less time on compliance and funder reporting and more time on ensuring the effectiveness of their services for the people who rely on them (Social Solutions Global, 2015). The benefits of ETO for nonprofit agencies/organizations as stated by Social Solutions Global (2015) are as follows; * Track demographics, service delivery, and progress toward client outcomes for all of an organizations programs in one system * Increase efficiency by sharing information across staff and programs as appropriate * Give frontline staff access to real-time data so they can adjust their approach as needed with individual clients * Maintain reliability to program models by using real-time data to ensure that services are delivered as designed across staff, locations, and over time * Aggregate data and assess the effectiveness of your staff, programs, and your organization as a whole * Meet multi-funder reporting obligations with dynamic reporting capabilities * Reduce implementation cost and risk by starting with Social Solutions’ performance models. * Modify your system internally - without having to rely on Social Solutions – as needs evolve * Make external evaluations less costly by giving researchers access to administrative data from your performance management system
This software is a complete management intake solution that tracks client activity from intake to the planed outcome, or the lack thereof. ETO is used by over 2300 organizations across the United States and Canada. Integration with other systems appears to not be an issue with this software. ETO has the ability to generate reports and/or graphs that provide a view of client progress across programs and providers.
FAMCare
FAMCare is a cloud based system that allows an organization to document case information and automates workflow. This software has the ability to measure client successes throughout the course of planned services (Global Vision Technologies, Inc., 1998-2015). This software provides features or benefits as follows; * Manage unlimited list of agencies, allow real-time access to necessary personnel * Track specific services provided by agency * Report on number of clients served based on service and agency * Run utilization reports for each service, evaluate needs for staffing and funding * Analyze referral sources by service referred to and agency * Assign access levels to key agency staff for collaboration on case notes, services rendered and referrals * Central location for shared client data to ensure that all necessary personnel have access to the most up to date and accurate information
FAMCare software is powerful management software that allows collaboration between agencies. Utilization of multi-dimensional security that can be set at various user levels to protect privacy and access as needed or allowed. Both software’s (FAMCare and ETO) are customizable, integrate with other agencies, and consist of similar features and benefits. Nonetheless, FAMCare appears to outshine with important and needed features that were not mentioned with ETO software. FAMCare provide cost tracking, event management and the very important multidimensional security feature. These features would mandate that FAMCare software would be the more completely functional software and better choice for any size community based organization. In determining the preferred cloud or internet based software in relation to the size of an organization, size was irrelevant. Both software’s, FAMCare and ETO provide substantive software modules that can be used by smaller organizations. Organizations can increase the usage of either software package as needed. However, there is a need for specialized software’s that allow for the tracking of volunteers or fundraising campaigns. Volunteer coordinators are faced with many challenges and found software that had the ability to match volunteers to projects that needed them (Anonymous, 1995).
Implementation Challenges With every advancement or growth in an organization there will be challenges arriving from the implementation of new technology, programs, and collaborative partners. Challenges with technology could be an issue when initiating the use of new automation software. The software that is discussed, ETO and FAMCare, are both internet or cloud based software’s. Therefore, storage memory or disk space is not an issue, but the issue of connectivity can be a challenge. The speed of your network or internet provider can prevent or slow down the loading and availability of multiple simultaneous users. . It is now commonplace for the use of cable based internet service which is faster than the standard telephone line based internet service. A cable modem is an acceptable internet access solution and is more cost effective that the standard or regular telephone line with a modem connected (Tilley, 1999).
Economic strains often associated with nonprofit community based organizations makes it challenging to purchase, train, and implement new software’s regardless of the benefit that could arise from the use of such software’s. Overly complicated software is difficult to implement and carry much cost (time, staff, and service) that will cause an economic strain. To alleviate economic strain, utilization of the support of partner organizations, fundraising campaigns, and the use of volunteers to cover staff needs.
Effective implementation of data management software will improve case management and client outcomes. Also, provide an avenue to becoming an organization that functions at a level that is responsive to collaboration across agencies and programs. Programs implemented that are designed to increase effective case management that facilitate client success by allowing more client-staff interaction. FAMCare is effective data management that improves workflow, increases the morale of staff and is economically feasible for organizations of every size.