Project Description:
Iowa Compass is the information and assistance service for older adults, people with disabilities and complex health conditions of all ages, caregivers and service providers. Connecting people to the supports and services they need. Located at the Center for Disabilities and Development at University of Iowa Healthcare. A partner with the Iowa Aging and Disability Resource Center Network.
Staff members certified in Information and Referral support Iowans by identifying resources available to them by phone or text, email, online chat, and through the website, www.iowacompass.org. The website features a searchable resource database of thousands of local, state and national services and supports for Iowans with disabilities and complex health conditions. Resources can be searched several ways: by location, by picture categories, by guided keyword, agency and program name searches, and by condition-specific searches. Answers to frequently asked questions (Id like to.), articles and tip sheets on complex topics complement and enhance programs and services found in the resource database. Current news items are easy to access via an embedded social media interface featuring an active Iowa Compass Facebook page.
Accessibility is a core value for Compass, which employs a series of tools and techniques to achieve this. Iowa Compass conducts ongoing user-testing and receives support from the University of Iowa Web Accessibility Initiative to ensure accessibility. The website features a mobile responsive interface giving users of tablets and smart phones an easier to use interface. Not only is screen reader use a fundamental priority of the website but it also provides information written in plain language, following the CDCs Clear Communication guidelines to meet health literacy standards.
Webinars for service providers and case managers are given quarterly to train and inform service providers and case manager to better utilize and identify services and resources to support individuals with disabilities and their families. Iowa Compass also generates feedback from focus groups. This feedback has influenced not only the development of tip sheets and Facebook posts, but also how that information is found and accessed online. Search engine optimization tools keep Iowa Compass consistently ranked high on disability-related search results throughout the entire state.
Iowa Compass has provided these services for Iowans with disabilities since 1986. Because at least two-thirds of all calls and requests for information that come to Compass relate to Medicaid in one way or another, it is appropriate for the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (part of Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS)) to leverage any state funding Compass may receive to draw down federal Medicaid dollars. This new relationship between HHS and Compass has the potential to benefits Iowans for years to come.
Keyword(s):
Information, referral
Core Function(s):
Developing & Disseminating Information, Other Direct/Model Services
Area of Emphasis
Quality Assurance, Education & Early Intervention, Child Care-Related Activities, Health-Related Activities, Employment-Related Activities, Housing-Related Activities, Transportation-Related Activities, Recreation-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other - Assistive Technology, Other - Cultural Diversity
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
State
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
