What it is
Integrated service delivery means connecting services, information and people to create a better, easier experience for everyone.
How it works
Our goal is to create personalized paths to human services. This means partnerships across the state to make it happen.
Why it matters
The way our programs and systems are currently set up makes it difficult for people to find out about, access and use services they need.
What you can do
Making service delivery simpler happens by working together on big and small improvements. Partners from across Minnesota are helping to move us forward.
Integrated service delivery in action
Changing how people experience programs and services for the better is a big deal. It will take time, and it will take all of us working together to make many changes. It will be well worth it. We’ll create stronger partnerships, simplify policies and processes, do more with what we have, and use data in new ways. This website is intended for people that want to learn more about the concept of integrated services, efforts underway to change human services in Minnesota, and how to get involved. Organizations, communities and individuals are all welcome partners in this work; we can’t do it without you.
People that work in human services are bringing the vision for integrated services to life through the work they do each day. A lot of the work going on across the state in human services is focused on providing a simpler experience and connecting the dots. In addition to individual efforts, there are also some major initiatives that are focused on integrated service delivery, and agencies and communities are working together. Here’s a snapshot of some of that work. Initiatives like these will lay the foundation for a future where fully connected, integrated, intuitive service is possible.
MNBenefits
A simple program application that people can complete without help, quickly, whenever they choose, is a major part of the vision for integrated services. We forged an innovative partnership between DHS, MNIT, counties, tribal nations and Code for America, a national nonprofit focused on building a human-centered safety net. MNBenefits is the result — a digital application for nine safety net benefits that is completed in less than 12 minutes.
DHS Modernization Strategy and Assessment
DHS contracted with research and advisory company Gartner to develop a go forward strategy and roadmap for our vision of integrated service delivery. Gartner collaborated with DHS, MNIT, counties and tribal nations to create the report, and it includes recommendations on how best to proceed.
Social needs tool for personalized referrals
To make human services more approachable, we are designing a new digital “front door” to access services in Minnesota in collaboration with communities and partners. This project aims to make programs and services easy to access.
The Integrated Services Business Model
Partners from across the state got together to set the vision for integrated services. What they came up with has guided strategic planning and action to reform how services are delivered. We are actively working to move toward the model every day.
The Modernization Plan
DHS, MNIT@DHS, counties and tribal nations are teaming up to dramatically change human services. Out with: programs and services that don’t talk to each other, and technology that hinders more than it helps. In with: putting the people we serve at the center of all we do and working on change together.
White Earth Nation’s WECARE
White Earth Coordinated Assessment Resources and Education (WECARE) took a fresh approach to serving families of White Earth Nation. They won a 2018 Commissioners Circle of Excellence Award for their implementation of this collaborative, integrated person-centered model.
Case Management Redesign
DHS, tribal nation and county leadership are partnering with people, families, communities, providers, and other stakeholders to redesign Medicaid-funded case management services. This includes creating foundational policies and expectations that would be required of all case management services so people know what they can expect and rely on.
The Persona Project
How can we serve people better if we don’t know what it’s like for them to figure out how to work with us? Talking with people about experiences and what they value, want and need builds understanding. New tools that capture what we hear, to help guide change, are the Persona Project’s focus.
Pathways to Prosperity and Well-Being
Pathways to Prosperity and Well-Being is a pilot in Olmsted and Dakota counties to develop a program that responds to the needs of young families, lets them use their talents, and reduces the consequences of poverty. The Future Services Institute at the University of Minnesota supports this initiative.