COUNTY News:
The Social Services Division of Los Alamos County has launched a new software referral system to assist the Division in better meeting client needs.
The Social Services Division will use Unite Us to quickly connect people to many more resources, through Unite Us’ closed network of local and regional resources. Unite Us is a national cross-sector collaboration platform that aims to address the unmet social services and healthcare needs throughout the community.
County Social Services Manager Jessica Strong highlights the platform’s ability to facilitate a smoother, integrated approach to sending and receiving referrals.
“Imagine an individual comes to us for help with their utility bills, and we find they also require rental and food assistance,” she explains. “With this new software, we can immediately connect individuals and families to the right organizations without the client needing to repeat their story – which can cause additional distress and stigma.”
No additional applications are needed from the client. The first step, according to Strong, is to make an appointment with Social Services by calling 505.662.8068 or using the online form at https://losalamosnm.us/SocialSvcs-ScheduleAppt.
Unite Us significantly improves how the Social Services division, local health, and other social service providers, including notable community partners like JJAB and Self Help, Inc., communicate and coordinate care. By enabling the seamless exchange of electronic referrals, the Unite Us suite of software and services ensures that individuals and families in need can more efficiently access necessary resources.
Another feature of the platform is its adherence to the highest data security and privacy standards. Being HITRUST-certified and HIPAA-compliant ensures that all referrals are handled with the utmost care, respecting the privacy and security of the individual’s information.
Moreover, the Unite Us platform serves as a central hub for health and social service providers to track referrals, monitor progress and evaluate the outcomes of the services provided. This enhances the overall effectiveness of services provided to the individual and offers the longer-term ability to track data and outcomes for program development.
The initiative is funded through a combination of funds received from the New Mexico Department of Health, American Rescue Plan Act funding and Junior Bill funds. This initiative also supports the Los Alamos County Council adopted goal to improve the community’s quality of life, and the County Health Council’s key deliverable to improve community health. Specifically, the goal establishes a priority for the County to improve access to behavioral, mental and physical health and social services and amenities to address identified issues and promote well-being in the region.
Social Services staff can help community members with issues related to getting or renewing Medicaid and other state and federal benefit programs; homelessness; food insecurity; assistance with utility payments; and finding behavioral health services. Many of the available benefits and services offered in the community are summarized at https://lacnm.com/needhelp.
“Please don’t hesitate to contact us,” Strong said, “and if you know of someone who may need help, please encourage them to reach out to us.”
Social Services can be reached by calling 505.662.8068 to schedule an appointment, or schedule an appointment online at https://losalamosnm.us/SocialSvcs-ScheduleAppt.
To learn more about the Los Alamos County Social Services Department, visit https://www.losalamosnm.us/SocialServices.