They say a worker can only be as good as the tools they use, and that may very well be true.
In the world of case management, there are several tools available to help manage all the documentation and progression associated with assisting a client. For First Stop and many other organizations in Huntsville / Madison County, the main tool to accomplish this has become Charity Tracker. Charity Tracker is a locally produced database system out of Florence, Alabama.
Why is Charity Tracker such a good tool? It efficiently and effectively connects 234 agencies in Madison County to seamlessly provide cross-agency assistance to our fellow citizens in need. With 542 users on the database, it has in effect created one giant case management team. Our Case Managers no longer need to work alone to try and assist a client. Several case managers across North Alabama may be working to progress the life stability of a single client, each bringing their unique view and ability to the table.
You may be thinking, how might I become part of this team to help our community? Our area network is made up of charities, churches, service groups, and businesses. We have several ways that you could be involved. Case management groups use Charity Tracker to do just that: track the assistance and progression for their clients. Churches that have benevolence funds or food pantries are now able to talk with traditional case managers and have a place to store their assistance records. Many businesses are on the system as Partner Agencies. Businesses can see requests for help by case managers and be able to respond, but they do not have access to the personal records of the clients.
"This is a huge stride forward as we have now found a way that businesses can be a part of helping our community on a more intense level."
Charity Tracker may very well be the best and most valuable tool available to case managers in Huntsville / Madison County to date. For any questions regarding Charity Tracker, contact Harold Cannon, Charity Tracker Network Administrator and First Stop lead case manager at Harold.Cannon@FirstStop.org.
