Human Services Software Features
Human services software offers a range of features to help nonprofits improve operational efficiency, maintain compliance, and deliver positive client engagement.
Documentation — Agencies can upload and manage documents such as surveys, intake and release forms, case notes, and digital signatures. Human services software enables staff to build form and survey templates directly in the system, allowing staff to capture client details digitally from any location. This information covers a client’s first communication with an agency until their discharge or program completion, and all authorized staff can access these details at any time.
Case management — It’s important for nonprofits to record ongoing communication with clients, assess service enrollments, identify referrals, and monitor client progress towards established goals. For clinical staff, these products capture client involvement with external parties such as law enforcement and the justice system.
Scheduling — Program staff have the ability to schedule and manage client sessions, program cycles, interdepartmental supervision, meetings, and related events. Some human service platforms possess the functionality to send email and SMS reminders to clients about upcoming sessions, further reducing administrative burden.
Billing — Users can create invoices for client payments and record billable hours for Medicaid, insurance claims, and grant funding. Some platforms may help monitor grant allotments as well.
Workflow automation — Nonprofits can enable features such as digital signatures, alerts, and task assignments, to ensure efficiency. Appropriate staff are flagged to complete the next step in a client’s care cycle.
Compliance and security— This software ensures compliance with regulatory policies at the local, state, and federal level, a necessary feature for any nonprofits providing social work services. Human service platforms provide compliance integration for common regulatory legislation such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and others as they pertain to a nonprofit’s service area. HIPAA protects sensitive health information, while FERPA protects educational records. Additionally, nonprofits can configure permissions for viewing specific documents, and ensure no duplicate records are made for preexisting clients. These systems flag users when violations are made, such as trying to approve client documents lacking signatures.
Reporting — Organizations can run reports for a range of data, including client demographics, number of service delivery hours, client outcomes, referrals, and billing. These inform internal reviews and provide funders with all the required information about program progress.
Dashboards — Agencies can gain insight on all program and service deliverables. They can visualize client data to identify areas for achievement and improvement. Program and service staff assess historical client data to identify opportunities for internal and external referrals, and inspire changes in program and service delivery design.
Additional Human Services Software Features
Cloud hosting— Organizations might establish additional security through encryption and constant back-up creation compared to on-premises solutions. When staff travel offsite, they still have access to client data. Behavioral health and crisis intervention therapists benefit from this feature, given the unpredictable nature of client incidents.
Client portal — Social services might engage clients in their program and service enrollment plan through a client portal. This feature is typically only included in robust human services platforms. Client portals allow clients access to their records, and enable communication with their service providers. Clients can create profiles to track progress, receive updates, and check their balance.
Potential Issues with Human Services Software
Cost — Although these solutions are designed with nonprofit budgetary limitations in mind, many agencies still struggle to afford a product that fits all their needs. Instead, agencies often skimp on features and purchase products that add more administrative burden to staff. Additionally, cheaper products often lack all compliance integrations that ensure agencies are administering programs and services in accordance with regulations. Some solutions lack billing integration, creating more administrative work and potential for human error. Incorrect billing submission delays reimbursement or sometimes results in no reimbursement at all.
Interoperability— Unlike some of their health care counterparts, human services software can leave client data siloed, unable to be shared with all ancillary care providers. If clients need referrals to external services, most human services platforms do not have the capability to transmit client data to other agency systems. For social workers, this often requires extra communication to external parties to talk through a client’s history. Interoperabile systems can circumvent tedious communication issues.
