How 2-1-1 Collects Data
Our team of five Information Coordinators works year round on updating our
database of health and human services. Each person is responsible for a defined
piece of the database. The team works closely together to maintain consistency
in service term indexing, agency inclusion, and writing style.
For more information contact Carol Davis, Director Information Services, at 860-571-7526 or carol.davis@ctunitedway.org.
How We Maintain the Database
Our database is updated every day as we learn about changes. Information
Coordinators continually check resources and contacts to verify changes to
ensure that our data is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. We encourage
you to contact us immediately if you see any information in printed or
electronic directories that you believe is inaccurate.
How We Collect Information
2-1-1
makes a serious commitment to maintaining an accurate database. Our
most dynamic resource for information is our callers themselves. Since our
own call specialists are accessing the data every single day and giving
information to thousands of callers, we often hear about new information or
inaccurate records when changes are fresh. We also subscribe to newsletters
and newspapers, looking for new or changed information. 2-1-1's four
Regional Directors are also Community Liaisons who attend meetings, serve on
community boards and committees, attend community events, and read all local
newspapers. All information collected during the course of their day is
passed along to the Information Coordinators, who then process the
information for the database. We also rely on agencies to let us know when
they are getting inappropriate referrals or when they have new programs. We
send annual printouts to each agency in our database, showing them the
details we have about their services and sites. Agencies can then review
their information, and send us back their corrections or verify that their
information is still accurate.
Database Inclusion/Exclusion
Criteria
A. INCLUDED AND CLASSIFIED AS "PUBLISHED:"
("Published" agency listings are included in publicly shared databases and directories.)
- Private nonprofits offering health and human services in Connecticut
- Licensed nursing homes, residential care homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health facilities, continuing care facilities, hospitals, home health providers
- Home care providers that are registered with the CT Dept. of Consumer Protection
- Connecticut's municipal and state agencies and commissions, as well as selected federal government agencies and commissions
- Quasi-public/private agencies
- Public and private housing providers that offer subsidized or below market rent apartments
- Hotlines, help lines, information lines and information and referral lines that are administered by a nonprofit or government entity
- Organizations, such as churches and civic groups, that offer a service for the community-at-large which is not restricted to their members
- Professional associations for health and human service providers
- Self help support groups offered by nonprofit agencies or individuals for which there is no fee or for which the fee is nominal and is meant to cover incidental costs, such as refreshments
- Out-of-state agencies near Connecticut's border that offer essential services and that otherwise meet the inclusion criteria are included when their services are more accessible to Connecticut residents living near the border than equivalent services offered in-state.
- For profit businesses offering health and human services in Connecticut that offer a unique service not widely offered by the nonprofit community, provided that they meet other inclusion criteria. For profit businesses must be registered as a business with the State of Connecticut, or, if incorporated in another state, registered as a business in that state.
- Web-only entities that offer health and human service information and assistance through a web site, and not by phone or in-person, provided that they meet other inclusion criteria
B. INCLUDED AND CLASSIFIED AS "UNPUBLISHED:"
("Unpublished" agency listings are not included in publicly shared databases or directories.)
- Agencies in any of the above categories that do not wish to be published
- Professional associations for non-health and human service providers if they investigate complaints and provide information to the public, for example the Remodeling Contractors Assn.
- National organizations that refer individuals to essential services in states other than Connecticut, such as a national domestic violence hotline, a national child abuse hotline, etc.
C. NOT INCLUDED:
- Private practitioners, such as lawyers, doctors, therapists, group practices, and other individuals or businesses offering services, unless incorporated as a nonprofit entity
- Hotlines, help lines, information lines or information and referral lines not administered by nonprofit corporations
- “Support groups” offered by therapists or social workers for which there is a fee to pay the leader for his/her time and which may be classified as “group therapy” or a “psycho educational group”
- Local service groups, unless they offer services for the community, such as a Rotary Club’s coat drive or a Jaycee’s holiday food distribution program
- Out-of-state agencies that provide information or services that are also offered by an in-state resource
Inclusion/Exclusion Policy Last Reviewed: June 2007
Style Rules
2-1-1's database managers enter agency information according to
internal style rules. In general agency descriptions must state the
agency type, and provide a general description of services and programs.
We do not use agency mission statements or evaluative adjectives such as
"comprehensive," "successful," etc. Another style rule is to abbreviate
"Connecticut" with "Conn.," unless the agency's legal name uses CT. We
also do not use "Inc." after an agency's name, unless the "Inc." is a real
part of the name and not just showing that the agency is incorporated. We
have many other style rules that establish standards for when we must use
complete sentences in descriptions; how to write addresses, hours, and
administrator titles; when we add sites to agencies; when we add programs.
Any questions about our style manual should be directed to the Director of
Information Services.
Indexing an Agency's Services
2-1-1
uses the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (www.airs.org)
approved Taxonomy of Human Services, a standard indexing system used by
human service information and referral systems throughout the United
States. This national taxonomy contains thousands of service terms,
organized into ten general categories and many subcategories. 2-1-1
uses about 1200 of these, chosen according to our own general information
and referral needs. Agencies cannot re-name specific service terms since
the terms are part of a national indexing system. However, we invite your
comments and suggestions about the service terms we use and we do add
terms or make changes to terms when community needs or standards in
acceptable terminology advise a change.
Primary vs.
Secondary Services
Agencies are indexed for "primary
services" only, and not for "secondary services." Primary services are
entry-point services; secondary services are services that a consumer
receives once they become agency clients. For example, a substance abuse
treatment provider's primary services may be Outpatient Substance Abuse
Detoxification and Substance Abuse Counseling, and a secondary service may
be the support groups that clients attend. Another agency may offer
Substance Abuse Support Groups as a primary service, because that is the
service that is available to the community.
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