“CommunityPoint provides us with a strong foundation to grow and expand as a network.” 
- Edward Perry,  Resource Manager for 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares

Bowman Systems’ CommunityPoint 5.0 is being put to use in Florida to create a statewide resource database for the new Florida BrAIve program!

In 2008, Dade Community Foundation, the Community Foundation in Jacksonville, and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice in Southwest Florida were each awarded $5 million grants to establish an initiative addressing the urgent needs of military personnel and their families impacted by deployment to Afghanistan and/or Iraq.  The foundations jointly established the Florida BrAIve Fund, with each foundation managing grants in their respective regions of Florida.

Florida is home to 11 active military bases, a host of other military installations and more than 1.8 million military veterans, which is the second highest total in the nation.  The grants to create the Florida BrAIve Fund were awarded by the Iraq Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund (IADIF) of the California Community Foundation (CCF).  IADIF was created to respond to growing unmet needs arising among those deployed and their families.  Nationwide, CCF reports that more than 1.6 million American troops have served in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and thousands have been deployed multiple times.

Though each community foundation administers its own funds, establishes its own funding priorities, and makes its own grant decisions, the foundations are coordinating efforts to create a statewide Florida BrAIve Helpline, maintain a common website, share information, leverage resources, and strengthen the network of those organizations that serve the military throughout the state. The Florida BrAIve Helpline project began operation on October 1, 2009.

Bowman Systems’ CommunityPoint 5.0 is being put to use in Florida to create a statewide resource database for the program.  Edward Perry, Resource Manager for 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, reported that all of the 2-1-1 centers’ resource staff across Florida have been trained on CommunityPoint 5.0, and they are in the process of inputting their veteran-related service provider information into CommunityPoint. The database has already been populated with Florida BrAIve resources that represent “core” veteran services.  Next, veteran-related service providers would be added.  To ensure resources remain updated with current information, an automated process will be developed to move changed records to the Florida BrAIve resource database from each of the statewide 2-1-1 call centers. This effort is testament to the involvement and support of Florida Alliance of Information and Referral Services (FLAIRS).

While the project has just gotten underway, Perry commented that he believes users will find the mapping tool, the ‘my account’ feature, and the ability to send data to cell phones particularly useful features of the new CommunityPoint 5.0 software.

“As a centralized tool, CommunityPoint positions FLAIRS to unite the 2-1-1's in Florida around a centralized on-line database, for veterans,” said Perry.  “CommunityPoint also provides us with a strong foundation to grow and expand as a network.”

Keith Thomas, IT Manager for Switchboard of Miami, agrees.  “There has been a huge groundswell of those who want to help veterans,” said Thomas.  “For instance, there are agencies that are particularly interested in hiring veterans.  A centralized statewide database allows us to easily connect veterans in need with those who want to provide them with services and jobs.”

There are three methods for veterans to access the Florida BrAIve resource database.  First, it’s available to veterans on the Internet.  Veterans can access it anytime from anywhere an Internet connection is available.  Second, veterans get assistance from case managers at the core veteran service providers funded by the Florida BrAIve Foundations who will use the database to provide further help to veterans.  Finally, the database will be used by four regional 2-1-1 call centers to make referrals to veteran callers from across the state.

Perry noted that he has been impressed with CommunityPoint’s technological improvement between the former 4.0 version and the new 5.0 software.  “The new version has a cleaner look that will hopefully entice people to spend time using the database and have such a great experience using some of the advanced features that they will return,” said Perry. “With the new My Account feature, users can sign on and save their favorite or most used resources. I think this tool will be a time-saver for our health and human service agency case workers.”Perry also highlighted the new ability to take the brand imagery used on the organization’s web site and carry that through to the CommunityPoint website.

Florida BrAIve Helpline is an innovative program focusing on the specific needs of a special population for veterans.  Bowman Systems is pleased to participate in this initiative that sets a new standard for special population of related services.  Keith Thomas iterated that, “Florida BrAIve is fortunate to have benefited from the synergy created between an exciting new tool in CommunityPoint 5.0 and an experienced Project Coordinator pulling it all together for us in Edward Perry.”

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