PA-ComNet Meeting 4/5/00

Mary Jo Levy called the meeting to order at 7:40 AM and introduced Sharon Murphy, Coordinator of the Palo Alto Family Resource Center.

Sharon introduced the topic of Family Resources Center, and how it uses technology to keep services and information current and effective. The history of the Family Resource Center began in 1994 when then and now mayor Liz Kniss made it a priority in her State of the City address. People are often unacquainted with the principal of their school, their city officials, their neighbors, and others who make up the community, and they are likewise unaware of all of the services available to meet their needs. Family Resources was intended to be a 1-stop source of information about and help with access to services. In 1994-95 there were community surveys and focus groups in order to find out what was needed by the public. The result of the studies was that the available community services were considered adequate, but people didn’t know enough about them or how to access them. There is a need for improved communications to decrease isolation. The conclusion of the study and analysis was a Hi-Tech High-Touch Solution presented to City Council in CMR 415:97.

People in the field have been very impressed with the way that Family Resources offers information and resources. The web site lists services available to the community even if they are not based locally. If they aren’t available to local residents then they aren’t listed. There are more than 450 services listed. Family Resources collaborates with Supervisor Simitian’s online directory project for the county. Family Resources can take data from the county and use it as applicable, and also provide data to the county. Information is updated quarterly by asking providers to verify that current and accurate information is shown. Family Resources is also developing a collaboration with the Palo Alto Weekly and NeighborSpace. The collaboration with Neighborspace will ultimately allow real time information from providers to be available for users. For example, information about childcare would have a link to NeighborSpace where ties to childcare providers would allow current listings of new openings in childcare centers , etc.

The web site has ties to various providers in real time, for example requests for childcare are directed to Neighborspace where there are ties to available childcare providers, listings of new openings in childcare centers , etc. The web address is www.city.palo-alto.ca.us/familyresources

Examples of the web site pages and directories were shown. There are 8 resource categories with corresponding pages: emergency, basic needs, childcare, community resources, health care, education, disability. Information is available in Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. Only resources that are available in a specific language are shown for that language.

Examples of links from the home page to resource pages were shown. Each resource category page lists links to other related websites and a selection of service provider agencies. To see all resources in a particular category, the search mechanism must be used. Services tools include resource category, keywords, and target groups, including various languages. When a provider service is found, a detailed information record is available including a link to its website if it has one. The first box of links is web sites, e.g., basic needs. The next is basic needs resources. There is an educated choice made on how to rank listings in each category. They try to list providers in the order of the levels of service that are provided. Services also can be found by doing searches, using keywords, and you can search in various languages. When terms are found they can be clicked on and link to other sites. If a search finds nothing, or the services are not available to local residents, the reply comes back that there are no services.

Next step in the program is to be sure that all available services are identified and properly interconnected. An example is Fire Department services for floods - are they properly identified and linked so people looking for information are directed to the most appropriate source? If not, the site and links will need to be modified.

In order to assure that as many people as possible have access to the Internet, the plan is to install new community Internet access terminals throughout the city for general use, not just have Internet access at Family Resources. In colaboration with the PAUSD, Family Resources put a terminal at Pre School Family. Family Resources desktop kiosks of information were placed at locations of already existing public internet access. These include the city libraries, the Provider Connection at Ventura, The Resource Center at The Children's Health Council, The Community Health Resoruce Center at PAMF, and The Health Library at Stanford. The website and desktop kiosks are updated year round on a quarterly cycle.

Many of those served do not have computers, or have easy access to the Internet. They could use more computers or terminals, and training on how to use the computers, and how to get around on the Internet. There also are desktop kiosks, which have all the information in a binder on indexed sheets. The binders are kept current and updated as required.

Family Resources also has an Ambassadors Development Program to initiate and support person-to-person information dissemination. Participants include the libraries, PTA, childcare, PAUSD, individuals, neighborhood associations, city staff, etc. This person-to-person effort is hoped to reach those out of the mainstream of information exchange, connecting them to needed services and education them about website use as a resource. All Ambassadors may place a desktop kiosk of information to a community of their own, working with Family Resources to keep it updated, and being the personal link to information and connections in that community. It is vital to make terminals and access available or the web site doesn’t do anything for some of the neediest people.

The Family Resources office at Cubberly, offers the opportunity for face-to-face exchanges with resource specialists, internet access, hard copy information, and a community bulletin board for information exchange. The Family Resources website went on-line in January and is already getting more site hits than planned. There is a feedback capacity on the web site, so that they can improve and revise information as they get suggestions and replies. Family Resources is run by city staff now, and is funded by the city plus outside contributors. Long term the goal is to split it off as an independent organization, the way that the senior operations were many years ago.

Family Resources began with a focus on preschool children, and the plan to move up in age over time. Preschool was seen as a good place to start the program, but eventually it will cover all age groups.

The meeting adjourned at 8:35 AM.

Submitted by Bob Moss