The Resource DepartmentThe Resource Department

Your Agency’s Silver Lining:Your Agency’s Silver Lining:

Cathleen Dwyer Kelly, CRS, CIRSPrincipal, CDK ConsultingCat@CDKConsulting.comwww.CDKConsulting.com

Resource Departments are often overlooked, but without them, I&Rs could not do their jobs.

OverviewOverview

What is a Resource Department?What does a Resource Department

do?Why do you need one?

What is a Resource Department?What does a Resource Department

do?Why do you need one?

Resource Department Responsibilities

Resource Department Responsibilities

keeping the resource database up-to-date;

producing printed and/or electronic directories or any other database products (such as mailing labels or database on the web);

supporting the community’s need for information by disseminating call center statistics (the number and types of services requested, unmet needs in the community, etc.)

keeping the resource database up-to-date;

producing printed and/or electronic directories or any other database products (such as mailing labels or database on the web);

supporting the community’s need for information by disseminating call center statistics (the number and types of services requested, unmet needs in the community, etc.)

AIRS Standards and the Resource Department

AIRS Standards and the Resource Department

Standard 5: development of inclusion/exclusion criteria for the database;

Standard 6: development of a standardized profile for each organization listed in the resource database includes 17 required, six recommended and

seven optional data elements; Standard 7: indexing the database in a meaningful

manner to allow retrieval of the information therein;

Standard 8: adherence to a classification system or taxonomy

Standard 9: regular maintenance of the database.

Standard 5: development of inclusion/exclusion criteria for the database;

Standard 6: development of a standardized profile for each organization listed in the resource database includes 17 required, six recommended and

seven optional data elements; Standard 7: indexing the database in a meaningful

manner to allow retrieval of the information therein;

Standard 8: adherence to a classification system or taxonomy

Standard 9: regular maintenance of the database.

Development of Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria (Standard 5)

Development of Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria (Standard 5)

The Resource Department must develop, maintain, and publish guidelines regarding the scope of its resource database. must be reviewed, at minimum, once every three years.

The Resource Department must develop, maintain, and publish guidelines regarding the scope of its resource database. must be reviewed, at minimum, once every three years.

A Resource Specialist must be able to understand the criteria established and have the ability to apply them consistently.

A Resource Specialist must be able to understand the criteria established and have the ability to apply them consistently.

Standard Competency

Development of a Standardized Profile (Standard 6)

Development of a Standardized Profile (Standard 6)

The information within the resource database must be collected using a standard survey document (often called a “profile”) to ensure consistency within the resource database.

The information within the resource database must be collected using a standard survey document (often called a “profile”) to ensure consistency within the resource database.

Determining how to structure an agency—how to organize an agency’s information into these components—requires research skill and analytical ability

Determining how to structure an agency—how to organize an agency’s information into these components—requires research skill and analytical ability

Standard Competency

Required FieldsRequired Fields fax number; URL (Uniform Resource

Locator—their Web site address);

e-mail address; legal status; days and hours of

operation; name and title of the

director; documents required; languages other than

English

fax number; URL (Uniform Resource

Locator—their Web site address);

e-mail address; legal status; days and hours of

operation; name and title of the

director; documents required; languages other than

English

how one applies for the service;

eligibility; target populations

served; fee structure and

methods of payment; geographic area

served.

how one applies for the service;

eligibility; target populations

served; fee structure and

methods of payment; geographic area

served.

Why Your Organization Needs A Resource Department

Why Your Organization Needs A Resource Department

Gathering, understanding and structuring this detailed information required by AIRS necessitates trained professional staff who are inclined toward detailed, analytical work. This is a different skill set than that required of I&R Specialists who respond to phone or in-person inquiries

Gathering, understanding and structuring this detailed information required by AIRS necessitates trained professional staff who are inclined toward detailed, analytical work. This is a different skill set than that required of I&R Specialists who respond to phone or in-person inquiries

Indexing the Resource Database (Standard 7)

Indexing the Resource Database (Standard 7)

Ensure the database is indexed properly using the AIRS Taxonomy.

Ensure the database is indexed properly using the AIRS Taxonomy.

Ensure indexing is consistent (every agency that offers a particular service should be indexed using the same term)

Accurate (the correct term is chosen for the service)

Ensure indexing is consistent (every agency that offers a particular service should be indexed using the same term)

Accurate (the correct term is chosen for the service)

Standard Competency

Indexing CompetenciesIndexing Competencies

indexing is a labor-intensive process that requires staff who are

familiar with health and human service concepts,

have high reading comprehension and an excellent vocabulary.

For this reason, indexing the resource database should be the responsibility of a trained professional and is generally considered a Resource Specialist’s primary job responsibility.

indexing is a labor-intensive process that requires staff who are

familiar with health and human service concepts,

have high reading comprehension and an excellent vocabulary.

For this reason, indexing the resource database should be the responsibility of a trained professional and is generally considered a Resource Specialist’s primary job responsibility.

Adherence to a Classification System (Standard 8)

Adherence to a Classification System (Standard 8)

Resource Department must keep its version of the Taxonomy current by adding and changing terms and references as the Taxonomy evolves.

AIRS Standards dictate that new taxonomy upgrades must be integrated within six months of issuance.

Resource Department must keep its version of the Taxonomy current by adding and changing terms and references as the Taxonomy evolves.

AIRS Standards dictate that new taxonomy upgrades must be integrated within six months of issuance.

Adding new terms to the Taxonomy or changing definitions often involves re-indexing the resource file to take advantage of the new terms and to ensure accurate indexing.

Adding new terms to the Taxonomy or changing definitions often involves re-indexing the resource file to take advantage of the new terms and to ensure accurate indexing.

Standard Competency

Database Maintenance (Standard 9)Database Maintenance (Standard 9)

The Resource Department needs to periodically contact all of the agencies contained in the database.

Resource database must be “totally updated” at least annually, regardless of the number of agencies listed, and a mechanism must be in place to ensure interim updates or ad-hoc updates as needed.

The Resource Department needs to periodically contact all of the agencies contained in the database.

Resource database must be “totally updated” at least annually, regardless of the number of agencies listed, and a mechanism must be in place to ensure interim updates or ad-hoc updates as needed.

The difficult aspect of database maintenance is ensuring that the Resource Department is adequately staffed to update the entire database once per year and to process ad-hoc changes within an acceptable period of time

The difficult aspect of database maintenance is ensuring that the Resource Department is adequately staffed to update the entire database once per year and to process ad-hoc changes within an acceptable period of time

Standard Competency

Database Maintenance (Standard 9)Database Maintenance (Standard 9)

investigating and correcting database information which has been reported to be erroneous;

restructuring agencies in the event of a merger or reorganization;

adding new agencies, sites, or services/programs; deleting discontinued agencies, sites, or

services/programs; reindexing entries to reflect Taxonomy changes;

and reindexing entries to reflect changes in services

offered by an agency

investigating and correcting database information which has been reported to be erroneous;

restructuring agencies in the event of a merger or reorganization;

adding new agencies, sites, or services/programs; deleting discontinued agencies, sites, or

services/programs; reindexing entries to reflect Taxonomy changes;

and reindexing entries to reflect changes in services

offered by an agency

Core Competencies for Resource Specialists

Core Competencies for Resource Specialists

Analytical skills Interviewing skillsWriting skillsUnderstanding of and interest in

the human service delivery systemTechnical skills

Analytical skills Interviewing skillsWriting skillsUnderstanding of and interest in

the human service delivery systemTechnical skills

The Work Environment—Behavioral Competencies for Resource

Specialists

The Work Environment—Behavioral Competencies for Resource

Specialists Independence:

manage a workload with little supervision be self-motivated

Teamwork: interact with other Resource Specialists to

ensure consistency discuss informational needs with I&R

Specialists Flexibility:

work on different types of projects and agencies

complete repetitive, detailed tasks as well as complicated analysis of programs

Independence: manage a workload with little supervision be self-motivated

Teamwork: interact with other Resource Specialists to

ensure consistency discuss informational needs with I&R

Specialists Flexibility:

work on different types of projects and agencies

complete repetitive, detailed tasks as well as complicated analysis of programs

Behavioral Competencies for Resource Specialists

Behavioral Competencies for Resource Specialists

Organization: juggle multiple projects at one timeconcentrate on each project with

great respect for detail adhere to a structure and rules for

consistencyResilience:

withstand criticism work with agency staff who may be

negative or disinterested

Organization: juggle multiple projects at one timeconcentrate on each project with

great respect for detail adhere to a structure and rules for

consistencyResilience:

withstand criticism work with agency staff who may be

negative or disinterested

Concepts to be Included in a Training Program

Concepts to be Included in a Training Program

an overview of information and referral (including listening to I&R Specialists take calls)

an overview of major health and human service programs (if needed)

an overview of information and referral (including listening to I&R Specialists take calls)

an overview of major health and human service programs (if needed)

using the software understanding the

data structure employed by the software

a review of the inclusion/exclusion criteria used for the resource database

understanding the tax classifications of organizations—non-profit, for-profit, etc.

using the software understanding the

data structure employed by the software

a review of the inclusion/exclusion criteria used for the resource database

understanding the tax classifications of organizations—non-profit, for-profit, etc.

Resource Specialist Tasks and SkillsResource Specialist Tasks and Skills

profile / data collection form review

Taxonomy overview and indexing training (one of the most difficult skills to learn)

style manual review (conventions for entry)

interviewing skills (procedure for agency phone contact)

research skills (finding information, utilizing search engines, common sources for information, fact-checking)

profile / data collection form review

Taxonomy overview and indexing training (one of the most difficult skills to learn)

style manual review (conventions for entry)

interviewing skills (procedure for agency phone contact)

research skills (finding information, utilizing search engines, common sources for information, fact-checking)

organization skills (prioritizing, handling paperwork, etc.)

data collection procedures;

structuring resource database entries—what constitutes an agency, a site, and a service;

determining legal names for agencies and organizations; and

indexing.

organization skills (prioritizing, handling paperwork, etc.)

data collection procedures;

structuring resource database entries—what constitutes an agency, a site, and a service;

determining legal names for agencies and organizations; and

indexing.

Concepts to be Included in a Training Program

Concepts to be Included in a Training Program

overview of information and referral (including listening to I&R Specialists take calls)

an overview of major health and human service programs (if needed)

overview of information and referral (including listening to I&R Specialists take calls)

an overview of major health and human service programs (if needed)

using the software understanding the

data structure employed by the software

a review of the inclusion/exclusion criteria used for the resource database

understanding the tax classifications of organizations—non-profit, for-profit, etc.

using the software understanding the

data structure employed by the software

a review of the inclusion/exclusion criteria used for the resource database

understanding the tax classifications of organizations—non-profit, for-profit, etc.

Evaluation CheckpointsEvaluation Checkpoints

number of updates completed;difficulty level of the updates;the total workload managed;quality of updates (accurate

indexing, proper grammar, accurate assessment of services); and

interaction with agency staff.

number of updates completed;difficulty level of the updates;the total workload managed;quality of updates (accurate

indexing, proper grammar, accurate assessment of services); and

interaction with agency staff.

Benefits of Having a Resource Department

Benefits of Having a Resource Department

Resource Departments save timesave workmake your organization look

professionalhelps you adhere to AIRS Standards

Resource Departments save timesave workmake your organization look

professionalhelps you adhere to AIRS Standards

Further Reading and Resources

Further Reading and Resources

www.airs.org - look in the library for helpful articles download a copy of the AIRS standards – free from AIRS website.

www.211taxonomy.org - library has great articles

join the AIRS Networker and Taxonomy Listservs (links from AIRS.org)

Cat@CDKconsulting.com

www.airs.org - look in the library for helpful articles download a copy of the AIRS standards – free from AIRS website.

www.211taxonomy.org - library has great articles

join the AIRS Networker and Taxonomy Listservs (links from AIRS.org)

Cat@CDKconsulting.com