A LICE B ASICS T RAINING March 20, 2012

T RAINING A GENDA Welcome and Overview Using Alice: How and What Activities Shortcuts Over-collection of data Q&A

A LICE O VERVIEW Alice Basics Alice is a Windows-based software program designed to give DV advocates an easy and accessible way to track client information in a database format. Alice tracks clients in one of four file types. The basic file types set up in Alice (standard) are: Adult (shelter) Child (shelter) Outreach Hotline

A LICE O VERVIEW Within the file types, your center will have unique Service Categories, such as “Transitional Housing” or “Sexual Assault”, that define the broad categories of services you offer. Most Centers will have 5-7 Service Categories that describe the core programs within the Center. Alice tracks both Units of Service and Hours of Service.

OVERVIEW Activities page showing the service types and hours, units categories

A LICE O VERVIEW All clients who receive services need to have a file set up in Alice in order for services to be recorded and counted in FCADV reporting. Blue fields are mandatory, and some fields may be unavailable (discussed in the What to Track section).

C OMMON E RRORS Basic Human Errors Forgetting to input information or forgetting to hit “add” or “save” Users have difficulty determining how to record activities in the correct service category and sometimes under-report services performed Forgetting to input “tracking” information and “surveys” upon departure Duplication of file numbers, misspelling of names

C OMMON E RRORS Documenting on departed clients Forgetting to add activities after entering a case note Password/login errors as staff forget passwords Forgetting to enter safety plans in tracking Forgetting to enter referrals in referrals Users changing other users records while thinking they are creating a new record for the same client

C REATING F ILES Centers often have multiple kinds of clients. Centers should complete an Intake in Alice on every client who is going to receive services that you would like to document for FCADV reporting. Court clients Support group clients Shelter residents Children Clients who do not have an intake completed in Alice will not be able to be counted for FCADV purposes.

C REATING F ILES Before a new client file is created, the client name should be searched on the Find Tab. If the client name is found, the existing file can be used for recording activities IF it is a current file in the correct file type.

F ILES The find tab on opening page

C REATING F ILES o If the file is current, but in a different file type, open the file and transfer the file to the new file type before recording activities. o If the file is NOT current, you can use the file but change the intake date. You will be prompted to create a new record with the same client info, which you can then update as needed. o If a client has multiple records because staff created more than one, these records can be combined by a system administrator.

E NTERING A FILE : A DULT S HELTER E XAMPLE Intake forms What paperwork did you base it on? Questions and issues

C REATING FILES Adult Shelter intake page

C REATING FILES Child Shelter intake page

I NPUTTING A CTIVITIES Activities Once a file is created, activities can be logged using the Activity Tab within the open file. The Activity Tab can be accessed by clicking on the white and blue arrow button or from the find page by selecting the client, and clicking on “activity” in the data type drop down box and pressing “Load”. Once the Activity Tab is up, services provided can be documented in the file.

A CTIVITIES Activities page again

A CTIVITIES Activities are unique to each Service Category, so be sure that activities are logged under the appropriate program (adult shelter, child shelter, outreach, hotline, transitional housing, sexual assault). Time should be recorded as well as the activity, and each activity completed as part of a single client contact should be documented and the time divided between them. Unless activities are recorded on this tab, no services/hours can be associated with a client file.

S HORTCUTS There are shortcuts for adding activities for multiple people. One shortcut to know when entering Activities is using the Roster Function, which can be used to create groups for batch records.

S HORTCUTS The Roster

S HORTCUTS The Roster Function can be used to create various sub-groups for which the center provides services. These are very time-saving shortcuts and can reduce the time needed to complete paperwork. Creating a subset is done through the edit menu by a system administrator or wizard. Can be used for batch records to a specific group, such as a support group, for each activity they do together.

E NTERING C ASE N OTES Case notes can be created in a file to record interactions with clients. Case notes can be created at the same time you document activities by selecting the “Show Note Panel” button on the bottom right, which will allow you to enter the note directly. This function allows you to enter batch notes for subsets at the same time you do the batch activity record.

C ASE N OTES Case notes should never include medical information beyond basic information such as “wears medical alert bracelet” or “child has a severe peanut allergy”. Case notes should all be saved as “General Notes” as we do not provide therapy, even if you are a licensed staff person. All notes should be titled, dated, and left unlocked.

D EPARTED C LIENTS Once a client is departed, activities should not be added to the closed file. Each agency may have different methods for handling these situations, but here is the recommended protocol: Follow-up notes after departure can be added to closed files so long as no new services are being provided, or can be entered as a new hotline call. If the client re-enters services within 30 days, delete the departure and continue adding services to the file. If the client re-enters services after 30 days, create a new file with the same ID number.

H OTLINE C ALLS Hotline Calls should be recorded on the Hotline Tab and should include all incoming calls that fit the definition of a hotline call, regardless of where the call comes to (Shelter or Outreach). Hotline calls are defined as: Calls received on any agency line that relate to an individual or family in need of some kind of service. Count all calls including repeat callers and calls from third parties. Do not count donations, general information about program or violence issues unrelated to a specific individual or family, calls from the media, etc.

H OTLINE C ALLS Mandatory fields on the Hotline Tab include the Call Type and Victim Type on page 1, and the “reasons for call”, “referred by” and “referred to” fields on page 2. Calls may be documented with a name, full or partial, or as anonymous. The referrals given need to be recorded on the Hotline tab form, and the call notes completed.

FCADV R EPORT The Help Overview for the FCADV report is a detailed guide to setting up the service names and service types, custom fields, and data tracking items that will roll up from staff input. Review the Help guide for the Florida Report

W HAT TO TRACK IN A LICE : FCADV STANDARDS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULE The FCADV Standards, Administrative Rule, and Service Definitions should be the definitive source for what items you need to and should track in Alice. FCADV works with InFocus to ensure that as changes occur within these documents, these new reportable items are put into the FCADV roll-up report.

W HAT TO T RACK Alice has the capacity to track a large number of things, but in accordance with the philosophical values of the Coalition, the recommendation is to include only that information that is required by funders. To this point, electronic records have been more protected from legal actions, but our responsibility is to limit victim exposure by reducing the information in the file to those things that are necessary under funding or statutory guidelines.

W HAT TO TRACK The critical elements of the file are: demographics activities and services provided documentation of case management (case notes, goals, referrals, advocacy) recording of departure from services

W HAT TO T RACK Within activities, the critical elements to include are: Safety Planning (duplicated units of planning and the hours associated with it) Information and Referral Exit interviews and surveys Child assessments Counseling hours (in all its forms)

Q UESTIONS AND WRAP U P Any other specific issues? Helpdesk: Any questions should be directed to the Alice helpdesk through the FCADV website or ed to

U PCOMING W EBINARS AND T RAININGS Alice Advanced Webinar April 10, 10am Regional Service Definitions Training Wednesday, March 21, am – 3pm in Tampa Thursday, April 12, am – 3pm in West Palm Beach