Helpline Center
Report date
April 2021
What has been most instrumental to your progress?
Flexibility: Due the COVID 19 pandemic, we had to be flexible as everything changed very quickly. Not only did our agency have to change how we operated, but all of the partner agencies had to change. As the system administrator for the overall network, we worked hard to be flexible as their needs changed on how they needed to use the actual software system and the network. Some programs adjusted to all virtual while some programs had to restructure office spaces to accommodate a new socially distanced intake process. We restructured the intake process for the two largest shelters along with developing a software process for the city to house homeless individual in quarantine or isolation. The need for flexibility was paramount in responding to the quickly changing pandemic.
Innovation: With our work with the Network of Care, the Helpline Center is known in the community as an innovator and not afraid of new process and ideas. This past year, the new partners added were specific to our past relationship building. We knew to be relevant we had to be innovative to solve the new challenges with the pandemic. In addition to using the current software of the network, we were able to implement additional software for immediate pandemic related needs. We worked with the City of Sioux Falls to stand up the software at three different recovery centers for individuals who were unable to quarantine or isolate based on their living situations. We also partnered with the community food pantries to launch a centralized food distribution check in process to assist with demand of food. Innovation minded thinking allows us to provide creative solutions to our community in times of developing needs.
Key lessons learned
A key lesson is to embrace the unknown and make decisions based on what we know. If you look at what we had planned for the network in 2020 and compared to what we did, the results would be a failure based on that plan. We did not know the pandemic was in our future when those original plans were developed. We embraced the unknown of the pandemic and succeeded in a different way to remain relevant and effective not only for our partners, but our community.
Another lesson we learned is the software we have used since the network's inception will not meet our needs for future growth. Our current software has not delivered on upgrade and enhancements they have been saying are coming for the last 5 years. The pandemic has reinforced the need for a flexible software that allows us to import/export data and connect with our software. Software transition is difficult, but this transition is needed. We have developed a timeline and have the partner agencies on board to launch a more flexible solution by January 2022.
Reflections on inclusive, collaborative or resourceful problem-solving
The most important element in making progress for us is the collaborative element. Collaborative work is easy to say, but hard to accomplish. However, collaboration is the key to a community network. We continually work to ensure that each partner agency's voice is heard along with balancing the work of all and how every piece fits together. During the pandemic, some partner agencies were significantly impacted from reduction of client access while others were overwhelmed with an influx of clients needing services. Working as a collaborative group we were able to assist in balancing how to meet the current needs while supporting the changes that needed to happen at the partner agencies that had to adjust processes to start back up client interaction. Every single partner agency had to pivot in someway. Our role was to assist and provide innovative ways to help them accomplish the needed pivot. Long term the changes that were made for the pandemic will provide stronger services post pandemic. The pandemic's silver lining is that barriers on how we thought services had to be delivered were overcome because we had to find solutions and find new ways to deliver services.
Other key elements of Community Innovation
Trust is a key element. As the leader of a community collaborative, you must prioritize building trust. Partners must trust us - trust that when new ideas/solutions are proposed that we have vetted the idea, trust that we have their backs when they need assistance with something, and trust that we are going to do what we say we are going to do.
Understanding the problem
The pandemic has been a difficult time in numerous ways; however, we must find the silver lining in what the pandemic has taught us. From the start of this project, our goal was to create a coordinated social service system that is built upon partner collaboration and innovation. We were certainly making progress and growing. There were still silos in place for true cross agency and sector work but we were working to overcome them. Then, the pandemic came upon us that allowed us an opportunity to rethink and rework what we are doing and how. As our communities start to see the light at the end of pandemic, conversations of sharing and working together have dramatically sped up. What previously may have been viewed as a challenge or not achievable, the pandemic has taught us is absolutely possible. Agencies have realized that we not only must, but indeed we can find common ground and ways to share data with respecting client confidentiality. We are have been grateful for our previous experience in this space that has allowed us to provide clarity and direction as we are approached weekly by possible new partners including additional communities and state government.
If you could do it all over again...
Embrace the entire journey from the highs to the lows. The best thought out plans may need to change quickly and that is okay. It is okay to pivot. It is okay to say let us rethink what we are doing. The past year we came to the realization that the software selected 5 years ago would not meet our future needs. Was it meeting our current needs? Yes. Is the software capable of our future needs? No. We had to make a choice of do we stay where we are with the software and the status quo, or do we embrace the low of going through software transition to reach new future highs in the journey? The answer is yes. Our software plan is changing, but our journey is staying the course of creating an inclusive community network to better service agencies and clients in our community.
One last thought
We believe the future lies in a shared software system (not a specific software) that will allow social service partners. government partners and healthcare partners to share information to better help meet the needs of clients and to incorporate a social determinants of health survey at regular intervals that will better connect clients to needed services.