1. Charlene Hipes – AIRS & Faed Hendry – Findhelp Information Services
AIRS Standards and Quality Indicators for Professional Information and Referral Version 8.0
Charlene Hipes – AIRS
&
Faed Hendry – Findhelp Information Services

2. Session Objectives
To discuss the AIRS Standards for Professional Information and Referral (Version 8.0) and how they relate to creating a sound organizational framework.
To highlight recent changes to the Standards.
Discuss and share how to use the Standards to create a quality I&R service.
To answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

3. Questions for Discussion
How familiar are you with the AIRS Standards? (It is ok if you are not, that is why we are here) How and/or when do you use the Standards in your organization?

4. Purpose
The purpose of the AIRS Standards is to establish reference points that define expected practices within the field of Information and Referral (I&R) that can be used to measure the extent to which individual organizations are in compliance with those requirements.
Defines all aspects of the I&R service
Provides benchmarks and outlines expectations
Foundational
Defines a coordinated way to deliver services

5. History
The AIRS Standards for Professional Information & Referral were first published in 1973.
Have changed and evolved over time to reflect the changing realities of the field and practice of I&R.
Recent advances in technology have resulted in an explosion of information services in all sectors of society

6. AIRS Standards and Quality Indicators
There are 27 AIRS Standards. A standard is a level of quality or attainment in a specific area of I&R. A standard is the what.
Every Standard has Quality Indicators which are measurable variables that can be used to determine the degree of adherence to a standard or achievement of quality goals.
The indicators are ideals that support and provide a framework for the Standards.

7. The Five Areas of the Standards
Service Delivery
Resource Database
Cooperative Relationships
Disaster Preparedness
Organizational Effectiveness

8. Service Delivery Standards
Standard 1: Information, Assessment and Referral Provision
Standard 2: Client Advocacy
Standard 3: Crisis Intervention
Standard 4: Follow-Up
Standard 5: Independent Access to Resource Information
Standard 6: Service Delivery Data Collection, Analysis and Reporting
RED Denotes New Standard
Combined Standard 1 and 2. Whether it is an information only call or an assessment and referral call, many of the quality indicators pertained to both. Viewed as a process.
Eliminates Standard 3, Methods of Access to Community Resource Information, as it was previously structured and adds a new Standard #5 for Independent Access to Community Resource Information that focuses on “good practices” for the agency’s online database, among other independent access methods. Possibly mention the AIRS document titled: ”HELPING THE PUBLIC FIND THE RIGHT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: GOOD PRACTICES FOR ONLINE RESOURCE DATABASES” that people can access on the Networker for more information. Add as a note for Service Delivery slide and mention during commentary.

9. Service Delivery Standards
Eliminates the Reports and Measures section of the Standards, consolidates the two standards currently in the section as Service Delivery Data Collection, Analysis and Reports. Call types for reporting purposes are now: • Information only. • Assessment and referral. • Assessment without referral. • Crisis Intervention. • Advocacy.

10. Resource Database Standards
Standard 7: Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Standard 8: Data Elements
Standard 9: Classification System/Taxonomy
Standard 10: Content Management and Indexing
Standard 11: Database Quality Assurance
Standard 12: Resource Database Data Collection, Analysis and Reporting
Purple denotes some additions to Quality Indicators
Standard 7: Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria:
The Standards Committee discussed recommendations from the resource database review group regarding Standard 7 and agreed to add reference to the following in quality indicators:
Prioritization criteria for programs/services for special update attention.
More extensive information for what a review of the Inclusion/Exclusion document would entail (e.g., assessment of unmet needs, analysis of the organization in terms of importance, input from community agencies, discussions with I&R specialists).
An Inclusion/Exclusion appeals process with board/governing body review as final step.
Standard 8: Data Elements : Simplified Resource Database Data Elements Display for Mandatory and Recommended Data Elements
Standard 10: Content Management and Indexing: This Standard has been greatly expanded by including database management related quality indicators that were previously part of Standard 12 when it was titled “Database Maintenance.”
Database Search Methods (previously Standard 11) has been deleted as a Standard and its contents included in Content Management and Indexing (Standard 10), as Quality Indicator 1

11. New Data Elements Display – Quick Glance, Easier to read and access.

12. Cooperative Relationships
Standard 13: Cooperative Relationships Within the I&R System Standard 14: Cooperative Relationships With Service Providers

13. Disaster Preparedness
Standard 15: Emergency Operations & Business Contingency Plan Standard 16: Relationships with Emergency and Relief Operations Standard 17: Disaster Resources Standard 18: Disaster-Related I&R Service Delivery Standard 19: Disaster-Related Data Collection/Reports Standard 20: Disaster-Related Technology Requirements Standard 21: Disaster Training and Exercise

14. Organizational Effectiveness
Standard 22: Governance and Oversight Standard 23: Technology Standard 24: Personnel Management Standard 25: Staff Training Standard 26: Promotion and Outreach Standard 27: Program Evaluation and Quality Assurance
Standard 24: Personnel Management - New quality indicators have been added that address ergonomics, workplace health and wellness, internal communications and turnover/attrition
Standard 27 – We have added method for
tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:
 Call volume.
 Abandoned calls.
 Average abandonment rate.
 Occupancy rates: A reasonable target is between 65% and 80%.
 Average speed of answer. A reasonable target is less than 90
seconds.
 Service level: A reasonable target is 80% of calls within 90 seconds.
 Average call handling time.
 Average talk time.
 Incoming call patterns.

15. Other Changes
Standards Document Restructuring: In order for people to get more quickly to the body of the Standards, the Standards Revision Process and the Acknowledgments have been moved to the back of the document following the Glossary and the number of entries in the Glossary has been reduced to make it less overwhelming.

16. Use of the AIRS Standards
The Standards help form the basis of several important credentialing programs:
AIRS Accreditation for I&R Organizations
Certified Information and Referral Specialists (CIRS)
Certified Resource Specialists (CRS)
Certified Information and Referral Specialist Aging and Disability (CIRS-AD)

17. AIRS Accreditation
AIRS Accreditation assesses the ability of an I&R program to demonstrate full compliance with the AIRS Standards
It is the primary quality assurance mechanism for gauging I&R excellence.
Accreditation is a multi-phase process that assesses more than 200 distinct operational components, includes a remote database review process and culminates in a detailed onsite review.
Operates in alignment with the standards developed by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence 

18. Operationalizing the Standards
In order to consistently operationalize the standards, it is important to retain the standards information being presented and then synthesize the skills by putting them into practice in a live I&R environment. The key about the standards is translating them from theory into practical action which is an ongoing process that involves continuous evaluation and feedback

19. Standards Revision Process
A full review of the Standards is conducted at least every 3 years.
The Standards Committee comprises representatives from the field of I&R.
Standards should be no more burdensome than they need to be in order to ensure the desired outcome – they need to be achievable.
Standards Committee should be inclusive of all types of I&R’s 211’s, AAA’s, ADRC’s, big, small, urban, rural

20. Questions?
Charlene Hipes Chief Operating Officer Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS) PO Box 33095, Portland, OR (503) Fax: (503)