A Shift in Human Services: Empowering What’s Right, Not What’s Required

Those who work in government know all too well: There are always rules. Federal laws, state code, county requirements, agency-specific policies, and local standard operating procedures…the list goes on and on. In human services organizations, social workers are challenged every day to meet their job requirements, which can be overwhelming considering paperwork expectations and deadlines, all while still providing meaningful direct service to the people in need. Administrators and decision-makers are also familiar with layers of rules and regulations, which can dominate one’s focus, whether intentionally or not. 

But government work is about much more than following rules and completing requirements. In human services, it’s about helping people, which is both an art and a science. What caseworkers, social workers, and administrators all bring to the table is their ability to make their work meaningful and impactful, which goes above and beyond policy compliance. Human services superheroes focus on their mission and work tirelessly to further it each day. 

“Rules and regulations do not make a person correct. They only make them consistent.”
            — Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States

This blog post explores shifting the focus from meeting minimum requirements to identifying what’s best and right for the population and taking action accordingly. Here are some recent examples within the human services sector that prioritize what’s right over what’s required. 

CHILD WELFARE
Prioritizing Kinship Care in Child Welfare

Situation: Child in state or county custody needs placement
What’s required: Safe and stable placement
What’s right: Prioritizing kinship placement

If you caught our blog post on kinship care resources a few weeks ago, or if you’ve been paying attention to recent trends in child welfare, then you’re likely familiar with kinship care being the preferred option for placement to help maintain family connections. Think of Us, a nationwide research and design lab that is transforming child welfare, effectively summarizes the benefits of kinship care: 

In recent years, there’s been a growing recognition of the vital role that family and trusted adults play in a child’s life, especially during challenging times. This understanding has led to a shift in child welfare practices, with agencies increasingly prioritizing kinship care.  

‍Adding to this momentum, the federal government introduced new rules in 2023 allowing states to create kin-specific licensing standards. This change opens up exciting possibilities for states to better support kinship families and improve outcomes for children in care. 

Think of Us’ full report issued this month entitled, “Kin, First and Foremost,“  highlights what’s possible when people with lived experience, along with advocates, national experts, funders, and field practitioners, make recommendations and implement policies that are shaping the way child welfare practice is evolving. This is a great example of how grassroots efforts have brought to light what’s right for kids. Backed by research and touted by advocates who managed to get the attention of legislators, this movement has prompted new policies and practices around the country.

There has also been a shift toward paying kinship caregivers in similar fashion as foster care placements. This too demonstrates empowering what’s right. Arizona, North Carolina, and Ohio are some of the states that have stepped up to make this a priority.

ADULT & AGING
Developing A National Plan on Aging: Getting Community Input 

Situation: Creating a national strategy for serving older adults
What’s required: Strategy with goals, objectives, timelines, and responsibilities
What’s right: Gathering input from older adults to inform the strategy

In May 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL) released a report outlining their framework for developing a national plan on aging. The report covers a comprehensive range of topics including housing, long-term services and supports, healthcare, and other critical issues.

Notably, like the earlier kinship example, the report recognizes the importance of lived experience and  emphasizes community engagement as a crucial part of developing the national plan. As Generations, American Society on Aging states:

Policymakers do not inherently know, and should not assume, what people across the country want or need in their aging experience. That’s why the ICC is committed to ensuring that the perspectives of community members, including older adults with the greatest economic and social needs and their caregivers, are at the heart of the National Plan on Aging. Listening sessions held in diverse geographic areas, including people from a variety of backgrounds, can reveal new insights or validate what’s common across different communities.

In addition, the ACL is collaborating with three philanthropic groups—The John A. Hartford Foundation, The SCAN Foundation, and West Health—to establish the National Plan on Aging Community Engagement Collaborative. 

Their approach is another example of making the extra effort to achieve a better overall outcome. It would certainly be quicker and more efficient to get input from a few key individuals  to shape the report, but by including stakeholders and those most affected by the outcomes, the collaborative is doing it right. 

   “The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens.”
            — Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States 

ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Application Process: Removing Barriers to Enrollment

Situation: Federal benefits are available to U.S. citizens
What’s required: Provide benefits based on eligibility
What’s right: Application process that’s accessible and doable 

Another prime example of going beyond what’s required is the way benefit applications and access to benefits (SNAP, WIC, TANF, Medicaid, LIHEAP, etc.) have been transforming all over the country. State governments, which are responsible for administering benefits, have started evaluating how easily their systems are to navigate. More specifically, Code for America has been working with several states to improve their systems and experiences. They are raising awareness nationally in their Benefits Enrollment Field Guide by assessing a variety of enrollment factors in all 50 states, such as: 

• • Can you apply online? 
  • Can you apply from a mobile device? 
  • Is there a registration account? 
  • How long does the application take to complete? 
  • What is the reading level for the application? Is there support in other languages? 
  • What is the webpage speed performance and web interface like? 
  • Is it easy to find applications using a search engine?

By bringing these issues to the forefront, governments are using human-centered technology to modernize what Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, describes as “complicated outdated systems that weren’t designed to see the people they served.” Watch her TED Talk to hear more about her vision to improve systems, and these proactive efforts to unlock unclaimed social services benefits.

 ”The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is enough.” 
            — Dr. Wess Stafford, president emeritus of Compassion International (source)

PUBLIC SERVICES
No Wrong Door: Navigating Social Services

Situation: State and local benefits, services, and programs are available
What’s required: Provide services and programs
What’s right: Making services easy to find and navigate 

 While the No Wrong Door concept was defined in the Affordable Care Act in 2010 as a philosophy to streamline benefits applications into single applications for multiple programs, it has evolved to take on a broader meaning within the context of human services. Because benefits programs and social services are complex and difficult to navigate, it’s easy for those seeking services to get frustrated and give up. Recognizing this, human services heroes all over the country have worked to make it easier for people to find and access services, no matter their entry point into the system. 

 This is yet another instance of government being proactive and doing more than what’s required. Beyond offering programs, public officials are doing right by their citizens and helping people find the programs, rather than just maintaining the status quo. By prioritizing inter-program collaboration, government workers are coordinating behind the scenes to make it simpler for people to find and access social services. Here are some examples of where this is happening:   

• • Ohio: The No Wrong Door concept is being championed in several ways. On a statewide basis, the Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention in partnership with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, implemented a No Wrong Door Marketplace for accessing mental health resources across Ohio. Locally, Van Wert County held a “No Wrong Door” event on October 16, 2024 to showcase results of their networking and collaboration. The Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities uses a No Wrong Door approach to help people in crisis. The Washington County Family and Children First Council implemented a No Wrong Door system in 2023 to help with cross-system navigation.
    
    
  • North Carolina: In October 2017, A No Wrong Door Vision for North Carolina was published for citizens needing long-term services and for supports to have easy access to information and services that maximize independence, choice, and dignity in aging and disability populations. Then Nc211.org was implemented as a free information and referral system designed to connect North Carolinians in all 100 counties with health, human, and social services organizations to meet housing, food, utility, and physical and mental health care needs. In May 2023, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Data Sharing Guidebook was published to establish clear pathways for data sharing and integration for requestors and data owners, and to establish a common legal framework for data sharing and integration across NCDHHS.
    
    
  • California: Within the context of the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency and Unwinding, California anticipated millions of Medi-Cal beneficiaries may lose their coverage. To promote continuity of care, the Department of Health Care Services held stakeholder workgroups and developed a policy to ensure beneficiaries have streamlined access to services and treatment (per their No Wrong Door for Mental Health Services Policy presentation in April 2022). California continued this initiative past the Public Health Emergency and the No Wrong Door policy for mental health services ensured coordinated care (see the September 2023 California Health and Wellness news).
    
    
  • Colorado: Colorado had a No Wrong Door program that concluded in 2019. The project represented a statewide collaboration between the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Labor and Employment. The overarching goal of the project was to streamline access to long-term services and supports for all people in need regardless of age, disability, or pay source.
    
    
  • Minnesota: Designed with Code for America, MNBenefits.org was created as an easy-to-use, all-in-one application for safety net benefits like SNAP, child care assistance, housing support, and flexible cash. Now in use as MNBenefits.mn.gov, the integrated benefits application is available statewide across 80+ counties and Tribal Nations. Minnesota residents can now apply for nine different benefits programs through the site. The site reduces the time it takes to apply for benefits from 110 minutes to less than 20 minutes, with positive outcomes for clients and caseworkers.
    
    
  • Wisconsin: In 2023, the Department of Health Services started to use ARPA funding to implement a No Wrong Door program to help families navigate and access programs and services. These efforts will include a web-based approach to exploring benefits and services, and a branding and marketing effort for public awareness. In addition, the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services has been working on a No Wrong Door model of customer service since 2020, with a goal to create easier access to person-centered care.
    
    
  • Maryland: Maryland’s No Wrong Door Aging and Disability Resource Center is set up through Maryland Access Point (MAP), which includes a phone number, website, and 20 local sites that offer person-centered counseling to help consumers navigate the complex system of services. MAP is led by Area Agencies on Aging, overseen by the Department of Aging, and is in partnership with the Departments of Health, Human Services, and Disabilities.
    
    
  • Connecticut: The Department of Aging and Disability Services State Unit on Aging, the Connecticut Department of Social Services, and other state agencies are working together to improve the way older adults, persons with disabilities, and caregivers get connected and receive help. They created MyPlaceCT.org, a free, web-based resource designed to help older adults and people with disabilities live at home or in the community with optimal independence, health, and well-being.
    
    
  • Michigan: Michigan’s Aging and Disability Resource Centers Program/No Wrong Door System is the place for family, friends, caregivers, and providers to get information about long-term supports and services for older adults and persons with disabilities. Also, Michigan Medicaid established the MI Choice Waiver Program to help eligible adults receive basic services.
    
    
  • Illinois: Illinois kicked off a three-year project from 2016–2019 with this vision: llinois’ No Wrong Door (NWD) System will be an integrated, person-centered access service delivery system for consumers who are looking for and need long-term services and supports (LTSS) as well as quality, affordable and accessible independent living options.

SOCIAL WORK AND CASEWORK
Using Modern Technology to Improve Efficiency  

Situation: Social workers manage cases and work with clients toward goals
What’s required: Case documentation and deadlines imposed by legislation and local policy
What’s right: Balancing paperwork while providing direct service and focus on client  

 No matter the vertical (child welfare, adult protection, disability services, behavioral health), social workers and caseworkers always have a mountain of policies and requirements shaping their role and dictating their routine. 

While these mandatory processes serve important purposes and must be respected, they are also time-consuming and can be overwhelming. Documentation encompasses case notes, dates, people, photos, correspondence, medical records, and court records, just to name a few. At Northwoods, we are empowering what’s right by trying to make the social worker’s job more efficient, and free up their time to focus on their clients. 

Our Case Aide Services provides administrative help to social workers, so they can focus more on the peoplework, not the paperwork.  Similarly, our Traverse software fully replaces paper, and uses artificial intelligence to summarize all case content, including documents, photos, forms, and transcribed audio and video files. Workers can uncover case and document insights, plus quickly identify extended family supports to promote kinship care and permanency. 

These features and more enable social workers to work smarter, not harder, so they can better serve their communities. The emergence of these types of products and services in the private sector, for use in the public sector or by non–profits, is another example of empowering what’s right. 

INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Human Services Sector Shares Best Practices

If you’ve read this far, you’ve seen lots of examples of human services superheroes going above and beyond in their provision of services and programs. Fulfilling daily tasks is part of a social worker’s role, but advancing services and programs requires more than just following rules. 

When a worker stays heads-down and focused on standard operating procedures, they could miss looking up to see the bigger picture and the potential for new ideas and systems. But in all these examples, there is a focus on forward-thinking strategies that empower foster kids to stay with family, plan for meaningful aging services and programs, improve access to benefits, and simplify the navigation of social services.  

With so many innovations, best practices, and promising approaches in the human services industry, the need has emerged to curate a library of resources. This is not a comprehensive list, but a few key examples of current research:   

• • The Digital Government Hub is a dynamic, open-source reference library for anyone using design, data, and technology to improve and enhance government service delivery.
    
    
  • The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides publications, research, and learning tools selected by experts. Here you’ll find databases covering a wide range of topics, including prevention, child abuse and neglect, adoption, search and reunion, and equity.
    
    
  • The Caregiver Services and Supports Innovations Hub is an online clearinghouse that facilitates the exchange of impactful programs that aim to foster the development of innovative caregiver services and supports in the aging network.
    
    
  • Administered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center provides communities, clinicians, policy-makers, and others with the information and tools to incorporate evidence-based practices into their communities or clinical settings. Information here is focused on improving prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for mental and substance use disorders.
    
    
  • The Economic Mobility Catalog helps local leaders identify and implement evidence-based strategies to improve upward economic mobility for their residents.
    
    
  • National Resource Centers is a comprehensive list of ACL-funded resource centers providing information on a range of topics such as youth, disability services, eldercare, independent living, adult protective services, Medicare, consumer protection, and many other topics.

WRAP UP ON DOING WHAT’S RIGHT

In this post, we’ve seen how the human services sector moves the needle by transitioning strategies from meeting minimum requirements to identifying and implementing best practices. 

 There are several common themes throughout these examples, such as: 

• • Getting input from those impacted by programs to help shape programs  
  • Seeking help finding, accessing, and navigating services and programs
  • Pursuing public-private partnerships, such as Code for America working with governments
  • Providing a knowledge-share of best practices (not out of obligation, but from a commitment to what is just, inspiring a ripple of positive change)
  • Using technology and digital tools to facilitate better systems and processes

Human services work is more than just rules and regulations; it’s about making a real impact. When social workers, administrators, organizations, and individuals strive to go beyond compliance to deliver impactful service, our community thrives in remarkable ways.

Amy Drapcho is Northwoods’ fiscal advocate. She leverages nearly two decades of state government and juvenile justice budgeting, grants, and administrative experience to help states and counties navigate funding complexities related to technology. 

Connect with Amy on LinkedIn or schedule time to talk with Amy.