ADvancing States’s National Information and Referral Support Center is pleased to announce the award winners for the Technology in Practice: Contest to Identify Promising Practices in the Use of Technology in Aging and Disability I&R/A Programs. The I&R Center launched this contest in February recognizing that technology is both transforming how individuals seek information and playing an evolving role in the delivery and administration of information and referral/assistance (I&R/A) services. The contest was designed to identify promising practices in the use of technology in I&R/A programs serving older adults, people with disabilities, and family and friend caregivers.
- Resources for Seniors (http://www.resourcesforseniors.com), an Aging and Disability Resource Center serving older adults and people with disabilities in Wake County, North Carolina, was selected for the first place award. Resources for Seniors’ innovative partnership with the North Carolina State University Department of Computer Engineering enabled the organization to cost-effectively design a mobile responsive website and provide better access to resource information in its database, including through a consumer-friendly personal cart system.
- The University of Massachusetts Medical School, serving the state of Massachusetts, was selected for the second place award for the MassOptions program (https://www.massoptions.org/massoptions/) – an online and helpline service to provide simplified access to long-term services and supports. Strong partnerships and investment in technology solutions have produced an innovative technological resource and state-of-the-art website.
- The Eldercare Locator (http://www.eldercare.acl.gov), a national call center administered by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), was selected for the third place award for its commitment to information technology and analytics. The Eldercare Locator created a staff position dedicated to IT solutions, support, data analytics, and the coordination of resource information.
- The Northern Kentucky Area Development District (http://www.nkadd.org/) was selected for a special honorable mention for its longstanding commitment to maximizing the use of technology solutions to achieve streamlined, integrated and automated ADRC processes that improve customer service and community access to information and resources.
ADvancing States and the I&R Center congratulate all of the award winners! We look forward to highlighting and sharing their innovative practices, partnerships and approaches with I&R/A programs nationwide.