Interoperability and Human Services

BSHS 375
September 27, 2014
University Of Phoenix

Interoperability and Human Services
Human services encompass many components that focus on efficient and effective programs, providing services and benefits to the most vulnerable individuals in the state. One of Hawaii’s most profound agencies known in the State of Hawaii that is correlated with human services is “Helping Hands Hawaii.” Although there are many agencies that have different approaches, human services rely on agencies that are most cost-efficient yet effective. Interoperability plays a major role in the future of human services. It is the “ability of two or more systems to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged” (Schoech, 2010). The three possible models for approaching interoperability in the human services are Loosely Linked Network Model, Network Model, and Top-Down Model. Human services emphasize in the importance of interoperability, as agencies collaborate with the same identified need to help others.
Helping Hands Helping Hands Hawai’i manages numerous programs that benefit the people of Hawaii; this includes Behavioral Health Programs, Ready to Learn, Emergency Assistance Program and many more. Their mission is to support the community by improving the quality of people’s lives through the delivery of goods and services to those who are in need. For families and individuals, Helping Hands Hawaii is a new quality of life that overcomes the obstacles that block the way of meeting their full potential. This non-profit organization revenue from State agencies, grants from the local and national government and the Aloha United Ways. The annual donors that contribute to the agency helps the agency meet the growing needs of the local community of Hawaii (Helping Hands Hawaii, 2014).

Model One: Loosely Linked Network Model In this model, this is an unsecured collection of applications and tools. An agency that uses this model only use the tools and applications that are needed to meet their goals, its foundation is similar to the term “social networking” (Schoech, 2010). An example that may be used with this model is Facebook; Facebook has the capability of sharing and making the world more open and connected. Most agencies use Facebook to share their stories and connect with other people by posting what they provide in their organization. Some characteristics within this model is that it permits full responsiveness and flexibility on the part of agencies, it is also at a cheaper overall infrastructure cost to the agency because only the tools and applications are used and system-wide activities are minimized (Schoech. 2010). The drawbacks include no central infrastructure entities that have difficulty functioning because of the absence of components such as quality control mechanisms.
Model Two: Network Model The network model is a formal with central guidelines and standards that have been reputable and have become a part of a global infrastructure (Schoech, 2013). Within an agency, it is essential that each member or patient have background information and medical history to give a picture of what the needs are and how the agency can provide services. By doing so, they must develop a care plan that outlines intervention plan base on the client’s needs vs. wants. This types of plan is similar to a database that interacts with the user or other applications, for example when a social worker needs to find information on an existing client who he or she recently took over, he or she may login to the agencies application and research from what the client’s previous reports were. Although it may be limited information from another application, this will help the social worker better understand the newly claimed client. Some drawbacks of this model are to make a globally connected system out of many different agencies, some systems may only reflect the independence of funding sources, professionals, and system managers who have little incentive to develop an IGHI (Schoech, 2013).
Model Three: Top-Down Model Numerous authentication, privacy, and confidentiality safeguards protect the Top-Down Model. There are three major components are local agencies, affiliations of local agencies, and a global consortium for accumulation knowledge and developing protocols (Schoech, 2013). These three components establish an information-sharing infrastructure, not a service structure. One example of a Top-Down Model has an online application that the agency uses, this application may only be used by the agency and can access other organizations.
Back Up Plan If in case of a disaster or should technology fail, all models should have a backup plan. The loosely link network model, Network Model, and Top-Down Model has a central server to access backup to an application or tool. In case the technology fails there will be a hot back up instance of the application ready to take over without disruption (Haleem, 2012).
Conclusion
The focus on efficient and effective programs, providing services and benefits to the most vulnerable individuals in the state. Interoperability plays a major role in the future of human services, it is an electronically linked program that is put together to share information.

References
Schoech, D. (2013). Interoperability and the Future of Human Services. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Haleem, T. (2012, March). Asian Journal of Engineering. SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY, 2(1).