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 Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Onondaga County’s I&R HELPLINE exists to provide callers with
access to services that will best alleviate or eliminate a need. I&R
staff will assess the needs of the caller and advise them of resources
that may best meet their needs. I&R staff may conduct follow-up
and advocacy to ensure access to services and quality control. The
provision of information and referral will be provided to any individual
or family
who requests help, without regard to eligibility for financial assistance
or other services.
While I&R staff will try to give the most accurate and appropriate
information/referrals possible, HELPLINE is not responsible for the
quality of service delivered by any agency to which callers are referred.
I&R staff will offer multiple options for callers to consider
whenever possible, and will not endorse agencies.
These criteria will be applied equitably to all agencies—for-profit,
not-for-profit, private, public—in both the computerized and
print files:
To be included in the resource file for referrals, an entity must provide
a human service to the residents of Onondaga County or surrounding counties
or have a related role (funding, planning, coordinating or monitoring)
in the human services network. A human service falls under one or more
of the following categories :
(1) Financial assistance provided by the district, by SSA or by
any other source, including SSI benefits, OASDI, emergency financial
needs,
public or private resources, food stamps, workers’ compensation
and disability insurance;
(2) Health care and services, including medical assistance, Medicare,
maternal and child health services, health screening and preventative
services, and speech and hearing;
(3) Social services provided by local social service departments, other
public agencies and volunteer agencies, and including but limited to
services related to alcoholism, drug addiction, physical and vocational
rehabilitation, visual handicaps, housing, social isolation, transportation,
home-bound or congregate living, medical and psychiatric problems, foster
care, adoption, family planning, protection, deinstitutionalization
and reentry into the community;
(4) Employment services provided by the Department of Labor or by other
public and private community agencies;
(5) Other community services related to such areas education, legal
matters, discrimination, recreation and consumer problems.
Regulations of the Department of Social Services, Part 456, Information and Referral
Services
Onondaga County staff will use one or more of the following guidelines
to determine whether to include an agency and provide referrals to such
agency:
• Evidence of established service site(s)
• Demonstrated ability to provide the service they say they provide, as
indicated by information from clients or affiliated professionals
• Consultation or collaboration with other agencies in the same or related
services
When judged the best interests of the caller, I&R staff will make
referrals to specialized services for in-depth information and case
management. I&R staff will also make referrals to professional
associations that provide us current listings of individual practitioners
in such
areas as law, dentistry, or medicine.
These exclusion criteria will be applied equitably to all agencies—for-profit,
not-for-profit, private, public—in both the computerized and
print files:
• Services that are available only to members of a certain group, membership
or club
(e.g. counseling or food available only to a church's parishioners)
• Religious Institutions that provide only religious services
• Illegal services
Agencies may be denied inclusion in the database. The I&R Supervisor
will send written notification of such decisions upon request. An agency
denied inclusion may meet with the I&R Supervisor to discuss the
decision. If unsatisfied, a further meeting with the I&R Supervisor
and Assistant Commissioner, Onondaga County Social Services can
be requested.
If HELPLINE receives consumer complaints about an agency to which
it is currently making referrals, I&R staff will utilize the
following procedure:
• Contact agency executive to verify complaint information
• Document complaints. If significant in content or quantity, this may
be made available to the
Assistant Commissioner, Social Services.
• Conduct research necessary to enable the determination of an Agency’s
inclusion in or exclusion
from the resource file
• Document and advise agency
Please note that callers requesting information on religious services will be
referred to an umbrella organization capable of providing listings of churches,
synagogues, mosques or any other religious based institutions in Onondaga County
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