Nonprofit Announces Opening of the ‘CommUnify Connection Center’
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The staff and Board of Directors of CommUnify are excited to announce the grand opening of the new CommUnify Connection Center at 200 North H Street in Lompoc. The Connection Center is a “one-stop” resource hub designed to support Lompoc children, families, and seniors by connecting them with one or more of CommUnify’s 16 programs and services. These services include utility assistance, financial literacy training, Head Start and Early Head Start childhood education, teen mentoring, and minor home repair services for seniors, among others.
“Over the past few years, we have realized that to better serve our community, we not only need to focus on the services we provide, but also on how our services are delivered,” said Patricia Keelean, CEO for CommUnify. “Research tells us that a whole-person, whole-family approach is most effective. In other words, bundling multiple services results in better outcomes for an individual, senior, or family than providing a single service,” Keelean stated. To accomplish that, CommUnify will also be introducing the innovative Genesis Screening/Universal Intake System, designed to streamline the process of identifying which services residents are in need of and ensuring they are quickly and efficiently connected to the most suitable programs or services to produce the best outcomes.
The Genesis system was created by The Center for Applied Management Practices (CAMP), a nationwide software/technology consulting firm providing innovative management tools, technology, training, and evidence-based practices to support the management, accountability, and continuous improvement of private, non-profit, and public organizations engaged in the delivery of health and human services. CAMP has previous experience developing a closed loop referral network in the City of Denver bringing together nine health and human service agencies in a shared data and case management environment.
“We are thrilled to partner with the team at CommUnify to design this new screening/universal intake system,” said Fred Richmond, President and Founder of CAMP. “Using the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, we have developed a pre-screening tool that assesses an individual’s socio-economic health and well-being, prioritizes their needs, and connects them to multiple appropriate services.”
“CommUnify’s ‘One Stop’ approach emphasizes the commitment to a streamlined customer service-oriented strategy, convenience, local accessibility, and heartfelt consideration for the needs of CommUnify’s clients,” said Wilmer Brown, Jr., Branch Chief – Community Services Division, CA Department of Community Services and Development. “It is this understanding that helping families, walking alongside them as they traverse the ladder out of poverty, requires a well-planned, multi-level, integrated approach, where appropriate assistance is readily available. One door will lead to a myriad of opportunity for many family members.”A Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the CommUnify Connection Center was recently held on Thursday, November 14th. Attendees included Wilmer Brown, Jr., Branch Chief – Community Services Division, CA Department of Community Services and Development, Joan Hartmann, 3rd District Supervisor, Jenelle Osborne, Mayor, City of Lompoc, Jeremy Ball, Lompoc Councilmember, and James Kyriaco, Goleta City Councilmember, who all voiced their support of the CommUnify Connection Center (or “CCC”) and spoke of the benefits to the Lompoc community. The event featured live music from the Lompoc-based Happenstance, refreshments, a demonstration of the Genesis Universal Intake System, and tours of the facility.
Keelean added, “We invite the community to visit our new CommUnify Connection Center to learn more about the programs and services we offer. The new Genesis intake system will make it easier and more efficient for clients to discover which services they are in need of and eligible for, which research has proven leads them on a path to resilience and long term success.”
For a complete description of CommUnify’s programs and services please visit www.CommUnifySB.org. For information about the CommUnify Connection Center or to schedule interviews with CommUnify’s CEO, Patricia Keelean or CAMP’s Fred Richmond or Krystal Prince, please contact Joni Kelly at CommUnify at 805-886-1869 or jkelly@CommUnifySB.org.