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11/15/2023 12:00:00 AM
Driven by partner feedback and a commitment and responsibility to foster relationships with Tribal Nations and American Indian agencies that share geography with Minnesota, the DHS CountyLink website has been renamed PartnerLink.
“PartnerLink is a better reflection of the partners and providers who rely on this hub for the information they need to support the Minnesotans who rely on social services,” said Bharti Wahi, Children and Family Services deputy assistant commissioner.
This change emerged from extensive discussions, stakeholder feedback and a dedicated effort to foster inclusivity. The online collection of reference materials allows the department to communicate business information to county and Tribal workers who administer human services programs; those workers also use the site to send questions to department staff.
Site visitors’ experiences won’t change drastically at this time. The general look and navigation structure remain unchanged. Page addresses also remain the same so existing bookmarks will still get users to the content they need.
This is the next step in the work of the Children and Family Services American Indian Outreach and Communications Integration Work Group, which is focused on producing culturally appropriate, practical and mutually beneficial ways to communicate and engage with Tribal Nations and American Indian agencies.
In the work group’s January 2021 survey of American Indian partners, nearly all respondents agreed that revising CountyLink, including changing the name as a start, would make it a more helpful place to get information.
Partners, providers and department staff who use CountyLink were invited to participate in an engagement process in which they answered survey questions about how they use the site, offered feedback and suggested new names.
There were many excellent recommendations; most were a nod to inclusivity and the work group’s goals. Participants pointed out that not only are the resources used by counties and Tribal Nations, but they also provide valuable information to DHS’ many partners providing human services support across the state. The work group unanimously felt PartnerLink would be a more appropriate and inclusive name for the information hub.
