Case Studies

Since implementing Traverse® social workers in the Child/Family and Adult units at Houston County Department of Human Services spend more quality face-to-face time with families and connect them to services faster.

In 2006, Lenoir County Department of Social Services (DSS) had a 73% turnover rate within its Child Welfare unit because documentation requirements and emotional stress were taking such a big toll on social workers. At fault was a manual, paper-based process. Now, workers have access to office-based and field-based document management solutions that give them more time to focus on engaging clients, building trust, and delivering quality service. The change helped reduce turnover to 17%.

An antiquated case management system made producing court orders and motions a manual, tedious process for Lenoir County Department of Social Services' Child Support caseworkers, plus they lacked access to critical information in court. With Northwoods’ document management solution, caseworkers are exceeding timeframes for case closure and court orders, can electronically view and collect documents in court, and have more time to locate noncustodial parents and interact with clients.

Lenoir County Department of Social Services’ (DSS) Adult and Family Services social workers were challenged to balance meeting paperwork requirements and spending quality face-to-face time with clients because of a manual, paper-based process. Since implementing Northwoods’ office- and field-based document management solutions, social workers have access to client and case information whenever and wherever they need it to provide clients more holistic, quality service.

Cabarrus County Department of Human Services’ (DHS) clients were frustrated by a confusing lobby and long waits, which had a ripple effect on the agency’s efficiency. Cabarrus County DHS partnered with Northwoods to redesign the lobby, upgrade technology, and modernize business processes to reduce client and caseworker frustration and process applications for services much faster.

Caseworkers in Children and Family Services at Chemung County Department of Social Services (DSS) in New York were spending only 21% of their time in the field and the rest on documentation. To improve family engagement and child safety while also meeting documentation requirements, the agency implemented Northwoods’ mobile document management software. Caseworkers are completing documentation 91 percent faster, allowing them to spend more time interacting with families.

View Northwoods' case study and video to learn how we help agencies minimize the burden of paperwork, mitigate stress, and ultimately, break the cycle of social worker burnout.

Clark County Family and Children Services in Springfield, Ohio, needed a way to help child welfare social workers improve family engagement, but mountains of documentation and inefficient paper-based processes stood in the way. Since implementing Northwoods’ mobile document management for social services, social workers are saving up to two hours a day on paperwork and spending more face-to-face time with families.

Faced with increasingly complex cases, budget constraints, and hiring restrictions, Crow Wing County Community Services wanted to help mobile social workers manage their overwhelming amount of paperwork so they could devote more time to families. After implementing Northwoods’ social services software, social workers are spending more face-to-face time with clients, which has improved morale and workers’ ability to protect and strengthen families.

With up to 2,000 clients visiting each day, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency (HSA) has one of the busiest lobbies in California. However, the inefficient manual process used to manage lobby traffic and client appointments was unworkable. Since implementing Northwoods’ lobby management and appointment management for caseworkers, the agency has eliminated lobby wait time, achieved same-day appointments, and reduced client and caseworker frustration.

Winona County Community Services in Winona, Minnesota was challenged by skyrocketing child protection, adult mental health and chemical dependency caseloads. As the first agency in the U.S. to implement Northwoods’ Compass® CoPilot® for iPad®, a mobile technology in social work, Winona County is helping mobile social workers focus less on document management and more on families, reducing stress and improving case work.

Faced with a 25% increase in child abuse and neglect reports and a 30% turnover rate, Dane County Department of Human Services needed to help mobile social workers deal with mountains of paperwork and access critical information while in the field. Since implementing Northwoods’ software for social services, turnover has been cut in half, and social workers can access necessary case information to make critical decisions and strengthen families.

San Mateo County Human Services Agency in Silicon Valley, California faced numerous document management challenges from decentralized services, nonintegrated social services systems, and an increasing caseload. Its central mail unit was overburdened, its document management system had an extensive backlog, and there was no way to tie caseworker’s tasks with documentation. All of that changed when it implemented Compass® Pilot from Northwoods.

When the Robeson County Department of Social Services began running out of space for its paper files, the director contacted Northwoods with an aggressive goal: Make our social services agency completely paperless. The team at Northwoods didn’t bat an eye and got right to work. Not only did the agency achieve its goal of going paperless, it dramatically improved caseworker productivity and client service times.