Building
a social services website
Community Resources Information,
Inc. (CRI) is currently constructing social services
website detailing information on the social service programs
available to families and individuals living in and around Worcester,
Massachusetts (www.WorcesterResources.org).
In
the near future, CRI expects to develop similar social
services websites in several other communities across the
country. Each social services website will be tailored to a specific
community and provide information on the resources and benefits
available in that community.
The WorcesterResources.org social
services website currently contains sections on:
- Food Programs (e.g., food stamps, WIC, food pantries,
Meals on Wheels).
- Cash Assistance Programs (e.g., EAEDC, TAFDC, SSI).
- Housing and Homeless Assistance Programs (e.g. Section
8 housing, public housing, emergency assistance and
homeless shelter programs).
In the future the Worcester website will be expanded to include
information on the following social services:
- Adult Education/Job Training Programs
- Employment/Earned Income Tax Credit
- Transportation
- Childcare
- Health Care Programs
- Mental Health Programs
- Substance Abuse Programs
- Victims of Violence Programs
- Legal Assistance/Appeals Process
- Immigration
- Fuel and Utility Assistance Pogroms
- Furniture and Clothing Assistance Programs
- Elder Assistance Programs
- Social Security
- Public Schools
- Head Start/Early Intervention
- After-school Programs, Summer Camps
- Foster Care
CRI expects the first users to adopt such a social services
website within a community to be social service providers, followed
by the consumers of the benefits, programs and services described
on the website.
The importance of a community resources website
CRI believes
that a compelling case can be made as to the need,
in several cities across the country, for a social services website
that describes vital resources and benefit programs available
for the purpose of aiding low and moderate income families and
individuals. The intent of our social services website is to make
the process of finding out about and obtaining social services
and benefits much easier and more coherent than is now the case
for residents of most communities. By using our social services
website to obtain the information and application forms it has
to offer, consumers of services will be more able to act for themselves.
They will also be better prepared to work effectively with the
limited number of service and benefit providers who can help them
secure needed resources.
No matter how comprehensive the information
our social services website, we are aware that it
can by no means replace an individual who helps link people in
need with appropriate benefits and programs. However our social
services website can
facilitate these efforts, by helping consumers become
more empowered, and serving as a central repository
of information on social service programs relevant to
the needs of low and moderate-income residents. Service
providers and case managers, in turn, may find that
their use of the community resources website helps them
to be more productive as they can go to one location
to obtain regularly updated information on a myriad
of services and programs, thereby reducing the amount
of time spent tracking down information to help their
clients. |
