The state of Illinois is rolling out a new app to help parents of abused and neglected children better communicate with their Department of Children and Family Services [DCFS] caseworkers and with other service providers.
The agency has partnered with Microsoft to create a new platform. It’s similar to Microsoft Teams, though the app Ally-IL has security and confidentiality provisions. Family members, teachers, caseworkers, and relatives can have real-time responses.
DCFS hopes that will lower stress levels for workers and families.
“This app not only empowers children and families, but also reduces the administrative burdens on caseworkers, allowing them more time to concentrate on the children and families they serve,” said DCFS director Heidi E. Mueller.
Historically, DCFS communication with clients has proved challenging because of barriers like extensive phone calls, conflicting schedules, and multiple people involved in the support teams.
Ally-IL tries to streamline that environment via virtual communication, DCFS said in a news release.
“Ally-IL enhances communication, ensuring that our caseworkers can provide timely and effective support to the children and families they serve,” said Gov. JB Pritzker.
The app doesn’t replace all in-person meetings. It provides a virtual extension to continue discussions with caseworkers in both one-on-one and team settings, said the state child welfare agency.
“We know it is extremely important for the youth in our care to remain connected to their families and have a strong support network, and we also know it can be difficult to get everyone in the same room at the same time for face-to-face meetings said Laura Van Horne, DCFS Mobility Product Owner, Information Technology.
Microsoft created Ally-IL for the state of Illinois and DCFS' specific needs, though the agency said it hopes the platform will spread to other states.
The app is available on phones, tablets, and computers. The app records and saves data from the program and provides a digital log of all conversations for review. There also are live chat, virtual/audio calls, and document sharing. It will work on Windows OS, web browsers, Android, Apple devices, and Chromebooks.
