See below for I&R/A news and updates.
ADvancing States Releases Issue Brief on Information and Referral/Assistance Quality Assurance and Training
ADvancing States is pleased to publish findings from the Aging and Disability 2023 Information and Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) National Survey. ADvancing States’ National Information and Referral Support Center, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), conducted this comprehensive survey to assess the current landscape of I&R/A programs serving older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers. Findings from the survey highlight trends and developments in the provision of I&R/A services. Survey findings will be published in a series of issue briefs focusing on service delivery, quality assurance, technology, and partnerships reflecting the perspectives of I&R/A professionals and administrators in state agencies on aging and disability, Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, No Wrong Door systems, 211 services, and other non-profit human service organizations. The first issue brief, Service Delivery in the Aftermath of a Pandemic: Findings from the Information and Referral/Assistance National Survey, explored several dimensions of service delivery and service needs.
The second issue brief in the series, Did You Receive the Help You Needed? Quality Assurance and Training Drive Practice: Findings from the National Survey of Aging and Disability I&R/A Agencies, explores several dimensions of quality assurance and training, including I&R/A standards, quality assurance and improvement, outcome measures, staff training, and staff certification. The survey results demonstrate that agencies use a variety of means to ensure the quality of services provided. Quality assurance and training strengthen I&R/A service delivery and support effective services and outcomes.
ADvancing States Releases Resource on Challenging Client Contacts
ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of a new issue brief “Responding to Challenging Client Contacts: Practices from the Information and Referral/Assistance Field”. Developed with support from the State Health Insurance and Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance Center, this brief includes information on policies, procedures, and other resources and support provided by Information and Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) agencies to assist specialists with challenging call situations. The brief captures responses to survey questions from the 2023 I&R/A National Survey that reflect I&R/A specialists' job responsibilities, demand for services, and agency or organization training on challenging client contacts, as well as information collected from interviews with select survey respondents. It draws on the experiences of I&R/A programs to offer approaches and practices for responding to challenging client contacts and supporting staff.
Click here to access the issue brief.
Support Center Publishes Issue Brief on I&R/A Service Delivery
ADvancing States has published findings from the Aging and Disability 2023 Information and Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) National Survey. ADvancing States’ National Information and Referral Support Center, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), conducted this comprehensive survey to assess the current landscape of I&R/A programs serving older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers. Findings from the survey highlight trends and developments in the provision of I&R/A services. Survey findings will be published in a series of issue briefs focusing on service delivery, quality assurance, technology, and partnerships.
The first issue brief in the series, Service Delivery in the Aftermath of a Pandemic: Findings from the Information and Referral/Assistance National Survey, shares survey findings on job responsibilities, work settings, and workforce issues; community needs including service requests and unmet needs; and the collection and use of demographic information. This look at I&R/A service delivery provides a window into community needs and the valuable role of I&R/A professionals in helping individuals access community resource information.
Click here to access the issue brief.
Updated Training Course Available on Adult Protective Services
ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of an updated training course on An Introduction to Adult Protective Services. This training course can be found on ADvancing States IQ, our online learning center. As identified in our recent national survey of I&R/A programs, training on APS is prioritized by many programs.
This course highlights the core pillars of the APS program. Participants will gain an understanding of APS, the history of these services, and the standard APS practice model. States have played a key role in shaping APS programs. This course will help participants identify state structures for APS programs as well as understand the federal role in supporting the programs. Participants will also learn about training, technical assistance, and other resources for APS programs. Through the course, participants will gain insight into the importance of public awareness of adult maltreatment and the value of person-centeredness in supporting individuals at-risk of and experiencing abuse.
To access the training course, see the Preventing Abuse and Exploitation course category on ADvancing States IQ. This course is offered at no cost. New users to IQ simply need to create an account for themselves.
Training Course Available on the Needs of People Living with Alzheimer's
ADvancing States’ I&R Support Center is pleased to announce the release of a new training course on ADvancing States IQ, our online learning center. This course, Identifying and Understanding the Needs of People Living with Dementia and Their Caregivers, was developed in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association.
This course will further participants’ understanding of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and what differentiates these conditions from typical aging. Participants will learn communication strategies to provide phone support to someone living with early-stage dementia. The course describes the impact that dementia can have on caregivers in order to prepare community resource professionals for empathetic phone interactions. Participants will strengthen their knowledge of resources to assist individuals and caregivers through learning about the role of the Alzheimer’s Association® and the support that it offers to those affected by Alzheimer's and other dementia.
To access the training course at no cost, see the Consumer Access to Services course category on ADvancing States IQ. If you are new to IQ, you simply need to create an account for yourself.
Issue Brief Examines Key I&R/A Technology Developments
The National Information & Referral Support Center is pleased to share the release of the issue brief A New Standard of Innovation: Findings from the I&R/A Technology Survey. This issue brief summarizes and shares quantitative and qualitative findings from the Aging and Disability Information and Referral/Assistance Technology Short Survey to inform understanding of key technology developments and highlight approaches that may be useful in the current situation or in future disaster situations. This survey, administered by ADvancing States’ I&R Support Center in 2021, gathered data in several key areas including service modality and call volume; social media; the resource database; Information Technology systems; remote work; and new technologies for staff and client engagement.
Monthly Technical Assistance Webinars
Click here to view recent I&R technical assistance webinars coordinated by the National I&R Support Center.