As the school year begins, children and parents prepare for new classes, fresh school supplies, and the rhythm of daily education. However, the start of a new academic year also serves as a crucial touchpoint for connecting families with essential social services. Schools are more than just institutions for academic learning; they are community hubs that play a pivotal role in providing access to social support, resources, and services that go far beyond the classroom.
Identifying the Need in Schools: Schools are central in identifying the needs of students facing challenges like hunger, housing instability, or lack of medical care. They provide services such as free meals, health care, and housing assistance through partnerships with local organizations and government programs.
Role of Social Service Providers: Information and Referral (I&R) Service Providers also play a key role in connecting students and families with social services including counseling, crisis intervention, and other agencies, addressing issues like abuse, mental health, and educational accommodations. DGI Associates can help ensure the records for these agencies are up to accurate, comprehensive, and up to date.
Parental Engagement: Engaging parents is crucial for connecting families with social services. Schools provide workshops, information sessions, and employ parent liaisons to ensure that parents are aware of available resources.
Community Impact: When schools effectively link families to social services, the benefits ripple through the community, creating stronger, more resilient neighborhoods. This support helps students succeed academically, breaking the cycle of poverty.
Expanding the Role of Schools: Looking ahead, schools have the potential to play an even greater role in delivering social services. Expanding partnerships, funding, and innovative approaches can ensure more students have access to the resources they need to thrive.
Schools play a vital role in the social safety net, ensuring that children and their families have access to the resources they need to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. By recognizing and enhancing this role, we can create stronger, healthier communities where every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The 2024 Inform Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan certainly was grand. With attendees hailing from all 50 US states and 5 different countries, this year’s event marked a historic milestone as the highest-rated Inform (formerly AIRs) conference to date.
Less than a year has passed since the rebranding to Inform USA, a bold step forward after 50 years as AIRs. This pivotal conference provided a platform to reflect on our rich legacy of fostering community connections while charting a course that continues to elevate the credibility of organizations providing vital community services.
Let’s delve into the key takeaways from this year’s conference:
1. Empowering Impactful Service: Striking the Balance Between Personalization and Scale, and partnership/collaboration
In the Information and Referral (I&R) space, the landscape of service organizations is evolving rapidly to meet the changing demographics and societal challenges. While standard taxonomies help navigate the myriad offerings of each agency, there exists a nuanced network of focus areas within I&R service providers. Some call centers cater to a broad spectrum of agencies, while others specialize in targeted segments like Aging & Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) or Suicide & Crisis hotlines. Understanding these intricacies is paramount as we collectively strive to enhance industry practices and foster continuous improvement within the I&R community.
Thinking of the The 211 Ecosystem in I&R session at the conference, this isn’t entirely new. It’s just an important acknowledgement to consider in the context of Inform and the conference where we all get together to share best practices and continuously work on improving the I&R industry. Not to mention, it’s particularly important for how we organize and maintain agency data, which is something we, at DGI Associates, do for numerous organizations every day.
2. Navigating New Technologies: Harnessing the Opportunities and Tackling the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as a focal point during several sessions, underscoring its transformative potential and the accompanying challenges. With AI poised to revolutionize various industries globally, it’s imperative for the I&R sector to embrace this technological wave. Attendees gained insights into cutting-edge AI developments, ranging from speech-to-speech engagement to innovative visual tools that streamline everyday tasks, such as locating misplaced items like sunglasses.
Specifically to the I&R sector, use cases may include automating client support and data maintenance. Parallels were drawn with past experiences, particularly with Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems which prompts us to navigate the delicate balance between administrative efficiency and personalized client solutions, ensuring that AI enhances rather than hinders the delivery of exceptional services. Meanwhile, data curation and maintenance tools, like Yanzio do not have the similar public facing interface.
Overall, DGI Associates anticipate promising opportunities from AI and are actively supporting its evolution through human-led review and validation to ensure accurate delivery of AI outputs, especially in database maintenance.
3. Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Outstanding Individuals and Organizations
Amidst the technological advancements shaping our industry, it’s essential to recognize the unwavering dedication and innovation demonstrated by individuals and organizations. Many conference attendees boasted decades of experience, embodying a legacy of impact and excellence. Ahead of the conference, Inform USA solicited nominations for influential figures and organizations deserving of acknowledgment. Among the recipients were esteemed individuals like Georgia Sales of LA 211, honored with the Lifetime Achievement award, and Carlos Davila of USAging, recognized as the Community Resource Specialist – Aging/Disability (CRS-AD) of the Year. Additionally, various organizations were commended for their innovative contributions, ranging from cooperative relationships to operational effectiveness.
We at DGI Associates are delighted to acknowledge the nomination of our team member, Polly McDaniel, for CRS-AD of the Year, which underscores her steadfast dedication to the industry.
As we bid adieu to Inform USA’s 2024 Grand Gathering, our collective journey towards excellence and innovation in the I&R sector continues. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate reconvening at the 2025 Inform USA conference in California, where we’ll undoubtedly forge new connections, share insights, and chart a course towards a brighter future for community services across the nation.
DGI Associates 