Call Handling Using Quality Assessment and Referral Standards

1. Call Handling Using Quality Assessment and Referral Standards Service Delivery Basics

2. Who’s In the Room? • Management • Front Line Contact Center Worker • AIRS Certified

3. Objectives • Understanding the elements of quality call management • Gain basic tools for implementing quality standards • Best Practices sharing

4. Hello… • https://youtu.be/rVYiWnzHORo

5. AIRS Standards • First published in 1973 and now in its 8th edition (8.0 was officially released on April 12th, 2016), the AIRS Standards underpin and bind together every aspect of I&R and define the direction of all the products and services provided by AIRS. The Standards are the foundation of I&R service delivery and the prime benchmark of quality I&R. • There are 27 Standards, covering every facet of an I&R operation.

6. SERVICE DELIVERY • Standard 1: Information, Assessment and Referral Provision • Standard 2: Client Advocacy • Standard 3: Crisis Intervention • Standard 4: Follow-Up • Standard 5: Independent Access to Resource Information • Standard 6: Service Delivery Data Collection, Analysis and Reporting

7. Standard 1: Information, Assessment and Referral Provision • Quality Indicators

8. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 1. The I&R service ensures through training, monitoring and coaching… • Answer call with name & agency • Establish rapport • Respond professionally, nonjudgmentally and culturally appropriately • 16 additional points • https://www.airs.org/files/public/AIRS_Standards_8_0.pdf

9. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 2. The I&R service provides barrier-free access to its services for individuals and groups who have special needs, e.g., access via applicable technology and/or communication methods for people with hearing or speech impairments; language access for inquirers who speak languages other than English; and access for people with disabilities if the I&R service assists inquirers at its facility.

10. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 3. The I&R service ensures that an appropriate number of I&R specialists are scheduled to meet the needs of callers, i.e., that the optimum number of staff are available at the times most inquiries occur.

11. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 4. The I&R service makes every effort to ensure that its service is accessible from all telecommunications devices and mechanisms within its coverage area.

12. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 5. The I&R service provides, or ensures through coordination with I&R and other human services providers, that information and referral through live answer is available to the community 24 hours per day, year round.

13. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 6. I&R services that have a formal, written agreement with another organization to provide after-hours or overflow coverage ensure that the organization meets all AIRS Service Delivery and Resource Database standards and quality indicators.

14. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 7. The organization works collaboratively with the I&R staff to develop overall quality and productivity goals for the I&R service. The main priority is to provide a high quality experience for inquirers through effective information, assessment and referral. The time invested to provide quality I&R leads to better outcomes throughout the human services system.

15. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 8. I&R specialists balance the inquirer’s needs with the overall productivity goals of the organization regardless of the channel through which the inquirer contacted the I&R service. When providing multi-channel services (telephone, email, live chat, SMS/text or social media) simultaneously, I&R specialists divide their attention, as appropriate to the situation, without compromising customer service.

16. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 9. When the I&R service provides multi-channel access in-person or via telephone, email, instant messaging (IM), text/SMS messaging, online chat, video relay service, social media or other alternative access methods, it has defined guidelines regarding the timeliness for response.

17. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 10. The I&R service provides multi-channel services as well as its core telephone service at no cost to the inquirer. Inquirers are responsible for cell phone minutes, landline fees, pay phone charges and text charges. Toll-free access is provided to people living within the area served by the I&R.

18. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 11. The I&R service has implemented a policy to ensure the privacy, confidentiality and security of personal inquirer information; and has agreement forms that staff, visitors and others with access to confidential information sign to document their compliance. Identifying information about inquirers, their requests and the information given to them are not communicated to others unless: • Release of information is required by law or court order; • Careful consideration indicates the presence or risk of serious harm to the inquirer or another person, and then communication may be only to those who must be informed in order to reduce harm or risk; or • The inquirer has given explicit permission for the information to be disclosed to another person or agency. The inquirer specifies what information may be given and to whom.

19. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 12. The I&R service has procedures for managing challenging inquirers that recognize the right of inquirers to access, respect, privacy, confidentiality and treatment that is professional, nonjudgmental and culturally appropriate while protecting the I&R service from an unreasonable level of offensive behavior. The procedures define inquirer behaviors that are potentially offensive; describe acceptable options for managing contacts that are disruptive; and mandate reviews of actions taken regarding specific individuals on a regular basis to determine if a change is required.

20. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 13. The I&R service may have a contract to engage in more detailed eligibility assessments and/or determination as an enhancement to the initial I&R transaction. Included may be prompting inquirers regarding their interest in additional resources given their situation, and conducting initial case coordination

21. Quality Indicators of Standard 1 • 14. The I&R service has a process to resolve complaints from inquirers and community service agencies, including those related to potential breaches of privacy and confidentiality.

22. Breaking It Down What Are We Talking About

23. Information, Referral & Advocacy • Information…. I need the number to the ABC Food Pantry. • Referral …. We are out of food at our house can you help me? • Advocacy … My daughter, who always did my grocery shopping, just left town and I don’t know what to do. I live on my social security check, but with all my medicines I just can’t make ends meet. Is there any one who can help me?

24. Empathy VS. Enabling • 1. Cognitive Empathy When you hear the phrase “try to walk a mile in the other person’s shoes,” you’re discussing cognitive empathy, Goleman says. It’s awareness — understanding someone else’s perspective — which is a crucial part of maintaining a good connection and communication. “Technically, it means, ‘I know what mental models you have, I know what language to use so you’ll understand me,” he explains. “That’s one complete set.” • 2. Social Empathy Another set is the social side of empathy. “That’s sensing in yourself immediately what the other person is feeling,” Goleman says. This is how you create rapport with another person, he adds, and you must be in tune with what’s happening in order to do so. “You’re only going to have rapport if you pay full attention to the other person,” Goleman says. “You’re going to have chemistry.” • 3. Empathic Concern The third type of empathy is extremely important and equally underrated, Goleman says. It’s called empathic concern. “If I have someone in my life who’s in distress, I’m not just going to feel it. I’m going to want to help them,” he explains. “It draws on a third part of the brain... We call it the ‘ancient mammalian system for parenting.’ It’s like a parent’s love for a child. If you have that love for someone, you’re going to be there for them.” • https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/types-of-empathy_us_56f171cde4b03a640a6bcc17

25. Empowering VS. Enabling • What’s Your Plan? • Empowerment in Action • By not just giving callers a list, you’re “facilitating” or assisting them to think critically, which in itself is very empowering. Empowerment focuses on: • Participating • Partnering • Educating • Reflecting (critical consciousness) • Transforming perspectives • Building competence

26. Confidentiality VS. Anonymity • It is the policy of A Call for Help that staff and volunteers keep all client information (electronic, verbal, and paper) confidential. Confidentiality is defined as not disclosing information about the personal identity of individual clients without the expressed authorization of the client or the client’s agent. This policy and the Staff Confidentiality Form are reviewed and signed annually.

27. Tools for the Front Line Spelling It All Out

28. Call Monitoring • Monitoring is completed a minimum of 3 times per month. • Additional entities occasionally mystery shops A Call for Help. Our Monitoring Form takes into account the various scoring methods utilized by AIRS, Advisory Council Members, Texas Information and Referral Network. • We are constantly aiming for improved service excellence.

29. Follow-Ups • It is the policy of A Call for Help to perform 10% follow-up on all West Central calls receiving a referral and 100% follow-up on all crisis calls. • Procedure • See I&R Staff Handbook (Tab 3, Unit 6) for follow-up protocols and procedures.

30. Lethality Assessment • Elements of a Suicide Risk Assessment • Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary situation. People considering suicide in response to an unhappy life situation need assistance with living, not with dying. • Assess any immediate danger, take action to ensure that no one hurts themselves or others, work with the individual to defuse/calm the situation, and then transfer them to a specialized service. • Has the person already taken the first steps towards committing suicide? • Does the person have a specific plan? • Does the person have the means to carry out that plan?

31. Advocacy • Tough Case Advocacy Scenario Protocols • Ask caller’s permission to get their name and phone number to call them back after you’ve done some more research/communicated with your team • Email Call Center Manager for Support Services • Speak with Call Specialist to discuss further/additional options • Call the inquirer back with referrals (or to say there are no resources) • If you were able to provide additional referrals, ask permission to follow-up with the caller again to see if they were able to receive assistance.

32. Mandatory Reporting • Some situations require mandatory reportingsuch as instances of child abuse or elder abuse. In these cases, the Community Resource Specialist has a legal responsibility to report suspicions of abuse to the relevant authority. • A Call for Help reports to Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services. • Contact your supervisor for reporting protocols.

33. Benefits of Adopting AIRS Standards What’s in It for You

34. Puts Everyone on the Same Page • Common Terminology and Expectations makes things run better • Processes are defined in concrete terms • When this happens, we do this • When new situations emerge—active shooter—policy and procedure is created

35. Common Language • Information & Referral is at its best when community silos are dissolved. • Specialized I&Rs make communities more responsive to specific groups. • Comprehensive I&Rs know a little bit about a lot.

36. Continuous Improvement Methodology • AIRS Standards keeps operations ever improving • Ladder to I&R Success • Learning • Training • Instruction • Practice

37. Questions? If You are Wondering.. So is Someone Else.. Speak

38. Thanks for your kind attention! • Mary Cooksey • mary@unitedwayabilene.org • Lynn Jackson • lynn@unitedwayabilene.org