Take one client’s story for example, according to Ryan Parker, HOPE for the Homeless Outreach Worker and Addictions Counselor, “the Outreach team met a female who was panhandling by the interstate and not familiar with the Shreveport area. We used the iPad to input all of her information into ServicePoint, got her assessed for Salvation Army, and into a shelter within an hour.”  Wow, talk about using technology for good - way to go, HOPE for the Homeless!

Although HOPE for the Homeless had been in operation as a homeless organization for several years, it was established as Northwest Louisiana’s official “Homeless Coalition” in 2001. Hope for the Homeless's goal is to help those who are homeless move into transitional or permanent housing. They provide supplies such as food, medical services, laundry services, clean showers, referral sources, toiletries, counseling services, and other essentials. This organization credits its success to building relationships and establishing trust with their clients.

Kristi Bierbaum, Program Outreach Coordinator for HOPE for the Homeless, and Parker are out in the field daily. Their rounds include visiting five homeless encampments per day.  Entering information into ServicePoint with the iPad provides Bierbaum and Parker the ability to assist the homeless in a more efficient way and, in turn, provides them with more time to spend getting to know their clients. The better relationship they have with the clients, the more open the clients will be to receive services and move toward self-sufficiency.
Hope for the Homeless coordinates their efforts with the local police department and are very appreciative of the departments’ willingness to work with their Outreach Team.  This coordination is extremely important since homeless camps are often hard to locate and usually found by word-of-mouth. With help from the local police and sheriff’s office, HOPE for the Homeless can outreach to new clients and find new camps daily. They can also help verify a client’s most needed services on the spot.

Another advantage to using ServicePoint on the iPad for data input, according to Parker, is the accessibility to ServicePoint. “It’s easy to see what services have been provided to a client by other agencies and to make sure we are not duplicating services.” For someone like Bierbaum who loves working with data and helping people, this is a dream come true. Instead of the traditional 400-page binder she would carry with her to record vital information, she can electronically record all her clients’ information.   This is literally a load off her back and helps her better serve her clients, “I love working with data, and am really into reports and using referral sources.”

Switching from paper to digital data entry with ServicePoint and the iPad has been seamless. According to Parker, “We didn’t have to convert anything, ServicePoint works great on the iPad.” In addition, with the iPad mobile device’s 10-hour battery, caseworkers are able to extend their hours in the field. Since most outreach sessions occur during the evening, having to record data in the dark was a difficult task.   Because the iPad has a lighted screen, little to no additional light is required and they can work in the evening hours without problems.

ServicePoint and the iPad have also helped HOPE for the Homeless cut back on monthly costs. “We have been able to use the iPad to cut way back on our use of paper and office supplies.” Before this device, Parker said, “We were having to carry binders of paperwork and supplies into the field to do case management and now everything is digital!”

HOPE for the Homeless is currently using ServicePoint 4.06.  They record the HUD 40118 assessment information in conjunction with services that capture the outreach encounters or activities. Bierbaum says she is looking forward to the profile photo feature in ServicePoint 5.0 along with the newer streamlined look that should further aid their data entry efforts.

Helping those in need can be difficult when it comes to funding, staffing, etc. but with data at their fingertips, Outreach Workers can check availability, get necessary supplies to the client, and help the homeless gain a better quality of life. ServicePoint and the iPad are a great aid in connecting the homeless to services and shelter they need, quickly and efficiently.

To download this story, click here.