Pathways to Progress: Transforming Support Systems for Probation Clients in Miami-Dade County

This project leverages technology to mitigate barriers faced by clients in identifying and accessing community-based resources, and by probation officers (POs) in sharing information with treatment providers. Miami-Dade County and Advocate Program will implement the Reconnect Resource Nexus, a technology-based intervention designed to provide real-time information and facilitate information sharing. Advocate Program supervises approximately 1,000 individuals sentenced to misdemeanor probation in Miami-Dade County who often struggle to access appropriate physical and behavioral health treatment due to challenges in identifying services and inefficiencies in the referral process between POs and community-based providers. The objectives of the initiative include: (1) implementing an advanced logic-powered local resource database, and (2) enhancing information sharing between POs and community-based providers to improve linkage to effective treatment and reduce health disparities. This will be achieved by integrating the Advocate Program Case Management System (APCMS) and Reconnect Manager client management system used by POs for the seamless sharing of data. The Reconnect Resource Nexus will track service utilization and share this information in APCMS to provide POs with continuous, real-time information and improve client support. Reconnect Manager capabilities will be enhanced to streamline collaboration between community-based providers and POs by providing tailored access to customizable dashboards, real-time data on client activities, alerts about missed appointments, and calendars to track upcoming events. Project efforts will be formally evaluated by researchers from the University of Central Florida, who will also take part in project development and employ quality improvement processes to promote repeatability of this model. This intervention will significantly benefit the probation clients in Miami-Dade County by reducing barriers to identifying community-based resources and accessing treatment for their assessed needs. It will streamline and facilitate information sharing between community-based treatment providers and POs, addressing common challenges in interagency relationships and collaboration within community corrections settings. Through enhanced coordination and collaboration, this intervention aims to improve service quality and efficiency within the probation supervision system and promote positive outcomes for probation clients and the community at large.