Database Inclusion / Exclusion Criteria for Information and Referral/211
Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
It is the function of Info Line to provide
information about and referrals to a broad range of human service
agencies throughout the County of Summit. It is the intent of the
program that specialists will provide as much information as possible to
individuals who call to enable them to make an informed decision about
which of the available resources may best meet their needs. While Info
Line specialists will strive to give the most accurate and appropriate
information and/or referrals possible, Info Line is not responsible for
the quality of service delivered by any agency to which a caller is
referred. Specialists are to refer to available agencies, not to
recommend one over another.
It shall be Info Line's practice to maintain as comprehensive a file as
possible of agencies and programs whose services are directed toward the
solution of human problems.
I. Included in the resource file are the following:
A. Non-profit agencies providing a community service.
B. Organizations (such as churches, social clubs) which offer a
service to the community at large, not just their own members.
C. Proprietary organizations which offer services in the areas of
health, mental health, recreation, education, financial, legal, home
maintenance, arts and culture, to the general public.
• Proprietary organizations offering services not
met by public or non-profit agencies.
• Proprietary organizations offering low-cost goods that are not
readily available through community non-profit agencies.
• Proprietary organizations that offer free or low cost services
to the community.
D. Self-help/support groups.
E. Elected representatives (federal, state, local)
F. Hospitals, health clinics, intermediate care homes.
G. Organizations outside Summit County which provide a service not
available locally.
H. Professional organizations (especially those organizations in the
social services field). These would include:
1. Counseling/Psychiatry
2. Medical
3. Dental
4. Legal
I. Advocacy groups.
II. Excluded from the Resource File will be:
A. Services available only to members of a certain group or club
(i.e. counseling available to a church's parishioners only).
B. Illegal services; including agencies which deny service on the
basis of
color, race, sexual orientation, etc.
III. Where licensing standards for a given field of
service are known to exist, only those agencies which meet these
standards may be included in the file. Agencies will be requested to
send copies of their licensing with their application for inclusion in
the resource listing.
IV. Where licensing standards are not known to exist, Info Line will use
the following guidelines to establish the validity of any agency's
service.
A. evidence of an established service site
B. demonstrated provision of service for a period of at least six
months (thereby excluding agencies of a temporary nature, i.e.
support groups for Desert Storm, natural disaster support groups,
etc. These would be included in a temporary file).
V. Info Line will use one or more of the following means
in the validation process:
A. site visit and face-to-face interview.
B. references from clients or affiliated professionals.
C. consultation with other agencies in the same field of service or
geographic
proximity.
D. check with local law enforcement and/or consumer complaints
agencies.
VI. If an agency does not meet the criteria for inclusion
in the resource file, the Resource coordinator should inform the agency
by phone. If there is a challenge to the decision of exclusion, a
meeting with the Program Supervisor can be arranged to explain the
reasons for the exclusion. If still not satisfied, a meeting with the
Executive Director would be the next step, followed by a review by the
Board of Directors.
Reviewed:
January 2000 by AIRS Accreditation Committee
June 2003 by Jim Martin
January 2005 by Jim Martin, Mary Raitano, Amy McLaughlin, Linda Higgins,
Mary Lynne Zahler. Criteria for Proprietary organizations specified in
more detail.
|
