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1993 HSAC Forum Recommendations <br />The theme for the fourth annual HSAC Forum was "Strategies for Involving our <br />Community In Human Services: Moving Beyond Client Satisfaction" and directly addressed the <br />need for client and community input raised at the 1992 Forum and all past forums. <br />The forum participants divided into strategy groups to discuss the following four <br />questions: <br />1. Who is the "community" that human services agencies serve? <br />2. What information do we need in order to plan, deliver and evaluate human services? <br />3. What tools and techniques can be used to gain this information? <br />4. If you were implementing tools and techniques to gain information in the next year, what kind <br />of assistance would you need? <br />The results from all groups had many common themes.. The compiled answers to the <br />forum questions are listed below: <br />1. Who is the "community" that human services agencies serve? <br />Everyone is the community served by human services. We are all direct or indirect recipients <br />of services and will all move in and out of the system throughout our lives. Those in need <br />who are unaware of service availability such as the poor, disenfranchised and those with needs <br />are particularly vulnerable. Much needs to be done to eliminate the stereotypes which exists <br />between the advantaged and disadvantaged. <br />2. What is the information needed to provide human services? <br />Resource availability including those within and between agencies is needed. Overlapping <br />services and "turfdoms" need clarification and resolution in order to enhance efficiencies and <br />provide quality services which meet client defined needs. Outcomes need to be defined in <br />terms of what is valued, what is desired, and what will be funded. <br />3. What tools and techniques can be used to gather information needed for effective service <br />delivery? <br />1) Client based input at the individual level <br />2) Active listening <br />3) Focus groups <br />4) Identify key grass -roots leaders <br />5) Recipients of services need to be utilized to provide ongoing feedback <br />6) Networking among agencies with like issues and services <br />7) Data sharing <br />8) Client plan coordination <br />9) System sharing <br />10) Increased automation <br />