Something in the AIRS

Myths About Information and Referral (I&R)

Publish Date: 02/12/2020

In everyday speech when we say "That is a myth," we mean "That is not true." Myth and truth are often seen as opposites but a myth is neither completely true nor completely false. A good myth is one that artfully represents human experience. These are my 7 myths about information and referral.

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1. I&R is Easy

The perception that I&R is simple and straightforward is flawed. Yet many people I have encountered over the years are of the impression that all Community Resource Specialists do is answer the phone and provide numbers. How hard can the job really be? Individuals who hold that belief have never worked at a 2-1-1 service, AAA or ADRC. If I&R was easy, there wouldn’t be a need for Resource Specialists:  everyone would be their own Community Resource Specialist. People who don’t do I&R don’t get I&R. 

2. I&R is Well-known and Recognized

I&R needs to be better acknowledged and recognized. It is one of the few services that is truly universal and inclusive, where there is no eligibility criteria or application procedure. Virtually every agency that is listed in your database provides information and referral whether it is stated in their description or not.  Perhaps the reason I&R lacks the visibility that we would like is that people don’t need to know something until they need to know something. I&R is simply not top-of-mind. 

Yet I&R is a foundational piece in the social and human service infrastructure. Before clients can access vital programs and services, they must be able to access information about those services.  Community Resource Specialists are like air-traffic controllers for the human services system. They help people navigate the complexities of the system and land safely. All of us have a role to play in the promotion and elevation of I&R.     

3.  The More Experience the Better

On the surface this just seems to imply common sense. However, just because someone is an experienced Community Resource Specialist doesn’t mean they are better than someone who is quite new to the field. Sure they have more experience and probably a better knowledge base but do they still have the empathy, drive, excitement and passion that many new Resource Specialists exude? I have also enjoyed seeing the sparkle and energy that new staff bring to the position. It is a given that knowledge and skill play a critical role in the success of Resource Specialists but the single biggest difference between an effective Resource Specialist and an ineffective one is attitude.

4. Artificial Intelligence will Replace Community Resource Specialists

The thought gives me chills. The day may come but I hope that I am not around to see it. Genuine empathy plays a critical part in the provision of information and referral, particularly for those who are in crisis or distress. Artificial empathy is….well…artificial.  It comes across as being disingenuous, patronizing or condescending. Give me a knowledgeable and compassionate Community Resource Specialist over Google, Alexa or Siri any day. AI is good for turning on or off the lights, controlling the temperature or playing a requested song but Siri and Alexa definitely need to improve their assessment skills! 

5.  I&R is Static – Nothing Ever Changes.

The fact that this is on a blog says everything.  Blogging is relatively new. I am pretty sure when I started in I&R blogging was a form of illegal graffiti and an arrestable offense . Alas, times change but that is not a bad thing. If nothing ever changed in the field of I&R we would still be using the old rotary telephone, rolodex, printed directories from the 90’s and the TTY to provide I&R. We would train our staff using a 3M overhead projector with transparencies or be putting our Directory of Community Services on a floppy disc. We would still be using Internet dial-up access with the unbearable screeching sound.   

If there haven’t been recent changes to your resource database, someone is not doing their job. You probably have seen changes in the ways clients are accessing your service. Have you seen changes in funding? What about new partnership development? Any new technology? Have you had any recent staff changes? You get the gist. One could argue that the only thing constant in I&R is change! 

6. I&R is Predictable

If I&R is so predictable, what are your next 10 inquiries going to be about?  I have always felt that one of the greatest challenges faced by I&R services is not knowing what the next call is going to bring – who is calling? What are they calling about? How do they feel about their presenting situation or circumstance? Is it a crisis call or just a call about basic information?  You have little control over who contacts your service or how they contact your service. What is certain is that clients will contact your service. Be ready. Be in the moment.    

7. No one Really Needs I&R – Just Google it!

I get frustrated when I hear the phrase “just Google it.” Google is not omniscient. There are countless questions that are better suited for a Community Resource Specialist rather than a search engine algorithm.  Google can bring you back a million answers. A Community Resource Specialist can bring you back the right answer. I also find Google cocky. It doesn’t let me finish what I am typing before it starts auto populating and guessing what I am looking for after just three letters. If a Resource Specialist did that they would be fired. 

Technology is a wonderful tool but it is meant to augment and enhance information and referral services, not replace them. It is a means, not an end. There are limits to what automation and artificial intelligence can do. I&R is all about connection and engagement and I would prefer to connect with real, live, breathing, thinking, caring Resource Specialist over an anonymous automated agent any day of the week. UBER I&R NO THANK YOU!      

In everyday speech when we say "That is a myth," we mean "That is not true." Myth and truth are often seen as opposites but a myth is neither completely true nor completely false. A good myth is one that artfully represents human experience. These are my 7 myths about information and referral.

image  Faed Hendry is the Manager of Training and Outreach at Find Help in the Toronto, Ontario,        Canada and a former AIRS President.