PreventionPays is Offering Big Discounts to AIRS Members for I&R Text Services!

We proudly announce EMS is bringing PreventionPays Text to AIRS members at a discount!  EMS has always seen tremendous value in maintaining a strong and enduring relationship with AIRS.  As the leading network for I&R support, provisioning, and certification/training protocols, a discount to AIRS members represents a unique opportunity for EMS to increase growth among a cohort of service providers that EMS sees as “high value,” where I&Rs use the texting platform in ways highly consistent with how the system was developed enabling AIRS members to maximize impact with the communities they serve. 

The PreventionPays Platform is a leading service for texting and I&R and provides value not only in the immediate future, but in the long term; as AIRS members purchase services on the PreventionPays platform, I&R services will improve reach and increase efficiencies by adding the sms channel!  Enterprise Short Code Texting is the premiere service model in mobile communications offering I&R providers standards of service that competing products and platforms simply do not support. 

We look forward to being of service to the I&R sector!  

An unparalleled service now at an unparalleled price!

“PreventionPays Text integrates seamlessly with any I&R! Amazing service. Superb support!”

— Heart of Florida United Way 2-1-1

“We spent a very long time preparing for texting. We knew it was coming and we wanted to be prepared.... Their customer care goes beyond IT support. They helped us launch.”

— 2-1-1info, Portland Oregon

Text-enable your I&R today and save!

Proud members and supporters of the AIRS network!

Ho, ho, ho! Exciting New Features... and More Coming Soon!

Case Manager Settings:

Now admins can set up staff to only see certain cases. This is optional so please discuss with your staff using the system.

So, when staff log in they will just see the cases that are in their caseload.  The case manager setting is separate from the responder setting. So, now, they no longer have to be assigned as responder to be assigned to the case.  

You can start using the queue this way by having staff go through the queue and "assign" themselves as the "case manager".  

They access this by clicking on each case, and then in the middle of the screen in the attributes section, there's another link next to the "assign responder" called "assign manager".  So, they will want to click the "assign manager" link and then select their name in the pull-down menu.   Once they've assigned all their cases to themselves admin can modify their profile settings so they just see their “assigned” cases.  To do so, you remove the check box in “all” under “users tab permissions"  when they log in they only see the cases they are assigned to manage.  If you don’t want to restrict staff to just their assigned cases, don’t change their profile.  They will still have access to “all” cases, but, when they click the sub tab “mine” they will see all cases they are assigned as responder and case manager.

Pass status:  “pass” option/status has been deployed however we have not updated this in the guide yet.  We have a few more deployments that we’re getting ready for and we're waiting to include those and the pass button in the next iteration!

Pass button is as follows:  
Some cases don't need a response. So it gives the option to pass so that it gets recorded that way. Agencies can create protocols around when and when not to use pass instead of opening case and sending a live response. When the case is "passed" the yellow turns off and the status changes to "passed".

So passing on the response versus taking it, opening, responding and then closing.

The other way is one responder has already tried to offer help and then another person's eyes are needed on the case. There could be a specialist who just takes the passes… so if you have a question that needs more support or if there’s a language barrier issue, or if first level response just needs some extra guidance with a case, the case manager setting can help guide these tasks and support your site's custom protocols.

Pass button does not change the functionality of the open and close. You can operate the system without ever using pass. And if you use pass by mistake you can open and close to change back to closed status. 

New Message Notifications

You will now be alerted when new messages enter the queue regardless of whether you're looking at Users tab. The alert appears in the bottom right corner and will update every time a new message arrives. And if you manage more than one queue, you will also receive alerts for the other queues. The alert automatically turns off when you click the X in top corner or click the message inside the alert, or click the Users tab to view the queue.  No more toggling back and forth between queues. We'll let you know when you have to switch locations! 

You can also choose to disable the notifications. Disable is located directly above the queue to the right of the disable buttons for audio alerts.  You disable the alerts the same way as audio, by clicking the check-box to off.

User Guide Version 7 is available for download here:  http://www.preventionpaystext.com/news/2014/10/28/our-new-user-guide-is-ready
V 7 covers features up though “case manager” settings

Thank you and as always, Happy Texting!

North American Alliance of Child Helplines Makes Big Waves in Crisis!

North American Alliance of Child Helplines is the largest network of youth crisis services in the US!  And they're growing!  Here's a little bit more about them! 

In 2011 NAACH provisioned the first nationally recognized youth crisis text hotline via enterprise, tier 1 short code. "20121" is powered by PreventionPays, the most subscribed two-way texting platform supporting many of the nation's largest contact centers (hotlines, helplines, and crisis centers).    20121 is supported by North American Alliance of Child Helplines and promises to support texting capacity to each participating crisis center for their regional communication aims as well as any national efforts they have or become a part of. 

All crisis services and hotlines with accreditation through one of the following (AAS, ContactUSA, AIRS) are eligible to join the NAACH network and offer services through 20121.

PreventionPays Text (in continuous operation since 2007) supporting short code texting for crisis services, helplines, I&R, WIC, health departments, universities, research institutions and many other health and human service agencies throughout the US.  The same assurances offered to all agencies using PreventionPays are included with the 20121 service!  Most importantly, 20121 supports best practice conversational texting with your community in a secure, separate environment so that you can support local efforts and always be recognized and funded for your local efforts. Moreover, you'll have peace of mind with the added benefit of optional backup by some of the nation's largest youth crisis centers.

PreventionPays Text + 20121 Text Line

 20121 Text Line is a fully provisioned Tier 1 short code on all mobile carriers. 20121 is understood and provisioned expressly for individuals and their families and friends facing crisis and is recognized by all mobile carriers as a resource for youth issues related to mental health and youth safety and well-being.  Additionally, EMS together with the Alliance petitioned mobile carriers to waive end user messages, so that anyone who has a mobile phone will be able to text 20121 and all messages will be free.  This ensures anyone who doesn't have a text plan will still be able to text 20121 and won’t be charged for those messages. To date, the following carriers have instituted end user waivers (AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Sprint, Metro PCS, Virgin, Boost, Cricket, and Nextel) accounting for over 98.5% of mobile phones.

FAQS

• PreventionPays Text enables multiple agencies to offer sms services through the 20121 gateway
• PreventionPays Text supports NAACH’s commitment to making help available to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
• System ensures a one-to-one ratio (responder to end user)
• PreventionPays Text enables responders to keep notes about the individual, set data markers to track end user attributes/demographics and case manage. 
• The Platform can be set to interface with resource taxonomies through API connections (using HTTP over json)
• PreventionPays Text further enables responders to author pre-made text messages, set the time-sensitive alerts/auto-response preferences and provide blanket messaging to groups or region-specific users. 
• NAACH members can set up automatic triages, follow-up programs, educational programs with automated, scheduled outgoing texts, phone to text referrals and many other innovative texting strategies
• Utilize “Text2give” utility on 20121 as an onramp to your agency’s Paypal, Stripe or other donation processing page!
• All the capacity you have come to appreciate about PreventionPays (or heard about from others) is available through 20121 with the added benefit of peace of mind - knowing that when you’re not available to reply, there are other agencies that will respond to your texts for you.
• All texts that you handle are counted as yours. With PreventionPays, you also have the peace of mind that your service is exactly that – yours.

 EMS Assurances:

EMS privacy policy assures data and information remains strictly private and is not shared in any manner whatsoever. Data will be provisioned for state/regional uses only. EMS will have separate agreements with each participating agency that will ensure data is not used for any other purpose but to support the agencies that are providing the services that cultivate said data. 

 EMS’s operation of PreventionPays Text follows all Federal Communication Commission’s Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) rules together with the California Online Privacy and Disclosure Act.     

 EMS is in compliance with HIPAA guidelines serving to assure safe information gathering, processing and archiving. PreventionPays system uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to secure all data being transmitted to and from the website.  Confidential information will not be stored on the hardware in use in client settings. The application and the data transmitted by the software is stored on a dedicated server platform which is owned by EMS and located in a secure Data Center facility, which is temperature controlled, with internal systems analysis and self-auditing and/or stress testing procedures.

EMS wholly owns PreventionPays Text and assures that gathered information is not subject to any other ownership privileges by any company, agency or individual.  PreventionPays Text employs safeguard encryption and security protocols to protect any information and/or data from unauthorized access. 

EMS complies with guidelines as outlined by the FCC and CTIA and uses Tier 1 aggregators as mobile communication partners.  EMS, through its affiliations, offers access to all mobile carriers in the United States and is committed to adding/provisioning new carriers as they become available. 

Want to learn more and schedule a 30 minute hands-on demo?  Text DEMO to 20121

To request more information, contact: info@preventionpaystext.com or call 805.653.6000

Standard msg&data rates may apply.  You may text STOP at any time to opt out.

2-1-1 Connecticut Will Utilize Express Text Utilty to Automate Referrals to Food Resources

AIRS conference, 2014, Atlanta GA.  When CT 2-1-1 suggested a triage for food banks or soup kitchens, we said, absolutely!  When do you want to start? 

“We had no idea that this would actually result in product development! What a pleasant surprise! I was also happy to hear that it could be designed in a way that does not require a call specialist to respond to texts. We look forward to testing this out and learning from this experience. It has great potential!” ”

— Tanya Barrett, 2-1-1 Connecticut

Since then, we've been hard at work building a fully automated triage that mirrors the experience of live help!  How does that work?  Simple!  Connecticut residents can text "211food" to 898211 and the automated triage will immediately query them for their zip code. Then, based on their response, the Smart Triage will send the most appropriate and closest referrals to their phone.  Each encounter is fully documented and archived in the system and it looks just like an I&R encounter! In fact, the end user may never know the difference. 

The Perfect Solution for High Contact Issues

We feel this tool will be particularly useful with high contact issues.  For many 2-1-1s, there are certain issues that make up the majority of the calls they receive over the year.  For example, in a recent conversation with a 2-1-1 in Ohio, I found that 80 percent of all calls were related to one of two issues:  food or energy assistance!  And the very same referrals are being distributed over and over again.  So, wouldn't it make sense to automate some of these encounters?  We think yes!  With Express Text Utility we know we can help lift some of the burden off the phones freeing specialists to focus on more demanding encounters.

Of course not all contacts can be managed with an automated triage. Some of our earliest data comes from crisis hotlines and these agencies would never consider providing an automated referral to an individual who may be contemplating self-harm or suicide.  This type of encounter will always need human contact, whether it's a live voice call, or a live text session with a counselor, crisis support and the issues that lead up to emotional crisis will always necessitate live communication.

However, 2-1-1 contact centers respond to every different kind of need, pretty much anyone seeking social services would benefit from contacting 2-1-1 at some point during their help-seeking process. When the same information is being transmitted at at a high frequency there's a tremendous need for additional support.  Express Text Utility has a major role to play in high-frequency, low-level encounters, such as referrals to food banks, energy assistance, tax preparation programs, and childcare to name just a few. 

You may be asking the question, what if someone uses Text OnDemand and for some reason they don't get their needs met?  That's the beauty of PreventionPays Text! Anyone at any time can request help from a specialist.  In fact, our clients and their constituents have always taken comfort in knowing (with PreventionPays Text) live help is always just one click or one text away! 

We Have Texting! Now What?

Perhaps the biggest issue our clients face today is awareness. They have texting but their community doesn't know it yet.  And what makes this particularly frustrating is, we all know texting is the most common communication channel for Americans under 55, more than voice calls and email. So, how do we reach them? How do we build up our web presence so that members of our community know that we can receive text messages from them?

The call to action should be on every page of your website. Place it in the footer, header, or anywhere that is prominent and highly visible and viewable on EVERY page. The call to action has two parts, the keyword and the short code.  For example, text HALLOWEEN to 898211 where "Halloween" is the keyword and 898211, the short code.  The keyword can have quotations or not - it doesn't really matter. The best method is all uppercase, no quotations. You can also highlight the keyword and short code as follows:

Text HALLOWEEN to 898211

Text HALLOWEEN to 898211

Using different colors for keyword and short code is very effective as well.

In 2-1-1 I&R the call to action is always the same:  "Text your zip code to 898211" "Text your 5 digit zip code to 898211"

Any of these methods/combinations are equally effective.  You can also provide an example...

"Text your zip code to 898211" (As a W. Ventura resident, I would text "93001" to 898211)

In the 2-1-1 I&R example, the end user's personal zip code is the keyword and 898211, the short code.

CTIA requires that you post (on your landing page, or the first page people visit on your website) the following notice:

Standard msg&data rates may apply. Text STOP to opt-out. For end user privacy and terms and conditions of texting with 898211, go to:  http://www.preventionpaystext.com/policies/

For websites, this only needs to be posted once.  However, if you put it in your footer, it will appear on every page, and this too is a good solution as it ensures your website will never be flagged for being non-compliant.  End user privacy is the single most important component of texting with the public.  If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact us!

You may also consider posting your call to action on blogs, newsletters, brochures, business cards, tweets, FB, or any other social media tools/platforms you use to alert your community about your services. 

A good rule of thumb: for every mention of your phone number, there should be an equal number of calls to action for your text service.  Remember your audience is there and they want to text you. They just aren't aware yet that they can text you.

Here are some examples of effective marketing by 2-1-1 Info in Oregon!  Also check out their website at: http://211info.org/about-211info

2-1-1 Info in Oregon developed this GIF which they use and reuse on blog posts, tweets, their website, pretty much anywhere. We like this because it actually shows the end user where to put the keyword and short code.  While most people know these steps now, it never hurts to remind them! And this is a very effective tool for doing exactly that!  I believe they have a generic version of this as well. If you ask nicely, I'm sure they will let you use it!  Contact: Curtis: curtis.waterbury@211info.org