IBM and Microsoft to empower county community services with IBM Health and Human Services Connect360

Across the United States, state and local governments are at the heart of critical social services, managing complex challenges like housing affordability and homelessness, workforce development, mental health and criminal justice. Despite their dedication to transforming the health and wellbeing of their communities, counties face persistent obstacles in delivering these services effectively. The challenge is there: county leaders need tools to simplify access, improve efficiency, and foster inter-agency collaboration.

IBM and Microsoft proudly announce IBM Health and Human Services Connect360: a powerful platform designed to address these challenges head-on. Built for state and local governments, IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 combines advanced technology, deep expertise, and a shared commitment to empowering local governments. This collaborative launch underscores how IBM and Microsoft are joining forces to help enable county agencies to serve communities more effectively than ever before.

In counties nationwide, we have seen that leaders confront high-complexity challenges that demand collaborative, long-term solutions. Local governments are on the front lines of multiple social service initiatives, delivering essentials to millions of U.S. persons in need each year. Addressing the challenges of delivering these services requires a coordinated approach across government sponsored and funded departments agencies and community-based providers, from housing support to public health, counseling, food, employment and many others.

Community health crises have heightened the demand for addiction and mental health services, with counties stretching resources to provide sustainable solutions that restore the health of their constituents. Meanwhile, many county leaders are also focused on promoting public safety as they work to address the root causes of crime.

We see that workforce development is another key challenge that local governments face as they look to secure access to sustainable employment opportunities for their constituents. In challenging economic climates, county leaders can help build resilience by connecting people to job and career pathways that strengthen local economies.

Additionally, addressing maternal and child health disparities, breaking down barriers in child welfare, and providing accessible home-based childcare are issues that require close collaboration across local agencies and services. As counties seek to bridge inequalities in their community, they need technology that fosters unity and cooperation, enabling them to deliver effective, inclusive services.

“At IBM, we listened to the stakeholders about the challenges our states and counties face and the innovation that is required to solve them. With IBM Health and Human Services Connect360, government agencies can foster collaboration across departments to support Case Workers while also allowing counties to be more human-centric in securing constituents’ access to services.” — Chris Shriver, Vice President & Senior Partner, IBM Consulting

When it comes to addressing the health, safety, and wellness needs of constituents, innovation and collaboration are paramount in our success. IBM and Microsoft’s capabilities encompass industry-leading technology and a deep-rooted commitment to empowering and transforming social service delivery. Through our strategic alignment, we leverage our complementary strengths to deliver long-term solutions to some of local governments’ most pressing issues.

Through Neudesic, an IBM Company, local governments can leverage IBM’s depth of Microsoft expertise in implementation and delivery, allowing for agile solutioning that addresses counties’ needs.

Additionally, Microsoft’s Copilot and IBM’s generative AI offerings mesh to help enable enhanced productivity, AI-guided user experiences, and assisted decision-making capabilities for administrators, service workers and constituents alike. Through these advancements, we’re able to better anticipate and address intricate socioeconomic puzzles as they arise—marking the potential for critical time saving measures for local governments.

“Together, Microsoft and IBM are empowering community access to critical services, in a rapid manner, tailored to the specific needs of the constituent. We are looking forward to accelerating our strategic partnership with IBM Consulting in making an impact in every community.” — Ernie Fernandez, Vice President, US State and Local Government, Microsoft

In the modern social services landscape, counties need more than siloed, inaccessible tools. IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 delivers an integrated approach to transforming social services, giving local governments a unified platform that strengthens and streamlines community services and outreach.

At the core of IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 is its ability to unify data across agencies. County leaders and caseworkers are able to access a comprehensive view of constituents’ needs, enabling them to deliver coordinated support from a holistic perspective. Instead of fragmented services, counties can provide care that addresses constituents’ individual situations.

Powered by Microsoft Azure’s secure and scalable cloud infrastructure, IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 is designed to allow counties to adjust quickly as service demands change. In times of economic or social shifts and emergencies, counties can scale up, to assess what additional support constituents may need.

IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 is engineered to also help simplify case management. Caseworkers, who often face high caseloads, gain tools that streamline workflows, making it easy to access and update information, track client needs and collaborate with other departments. With intuitive applications designed to simplify administrative and case work tasks, caseworkers can spend more time with constituents and less time navigating complex systems.

IBM Health and Human Services Connect360’s self-service portals empower constituents to engage with their care independently, simplifying access to essential services. These tools let individuals check eligibility, locate services, and apply for benefits directly, allowing constituents to take a more active role in getting the help they need.

Advanced AI-enabled analytics provide county leaders with data-driven insights to inform proactive decision-making. For example, with predictive analytics, counties can identify emerging trends, allocate resources to areas of greatest need, and respond quickly to new challenges.

Imagine a seamless, integrated process that ties multiple community services and agencies together for the greater good of the population. With IBM Health and Human Services Connect360, that future may be closer than you think. Below is an example process of what a person’s journey could look like through their local United Way 211 system with the help of IBM Health and Human Services Connect360:

1. A person in need makes a request for assistance via 211. Such requests are highly common, communities make millions of calls to 211 every year.
2. IBM Health and Human Services Connect360’s “No Wrong Door” approach to solutioning gives the person in need multiple avenues to accessing the best Care Provider for them. 211 Operators leverage IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 to manage incoming calls, conduct individualized needs screenings, share resource recommendations, and connect constituents with a Care Manager or Service Navigator.
3. Care Managers and Service Navigators can submit referrals on behalf of a constituent for Connected Service Providers that best fit their needs. Connected Service Providers then manage their incoming referrals by sending messages, confirming eligibility, and communicating statuses to the person in need.
4. The person in need receives care, information, and further resources from their Connected Service Provider.
5. Platform Leaders across local government and Care Provider organizations can monitor and track platform analytics on IBM Health and Human Services Connect360, enabling outcome measurements and performance evaluations to further bolster their offerings for constituents and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the populace.

Sonoma County enlisted IBM to launch a new community program called Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self-Sufficiency (ACCESS) Sonoma County, created with the goal of helping the community’s most vulnerable constituents find and receive the aid they needed to become more self-reliant

IBM designed and implemented an integrated technology solution to transform the county’s processes reduce silo and share invaluable community data across departments to coordinate support between agency providers and clients.

The result inspired our current focus and belief in IBM Health and Human Services Connect360: Sonoma County a 9% reduction in its homeless population between 2018 and 2020, and a 22% reduction in 2022 alone. Sonoma further reports a 35% housing placement rate for homeless people was over 4x higher than the national average and resulted in interconnected successes for the county as a whole for the same time period. Thanks to Sonoma’s Mental Health Diversion Cohort, the county also saw an improvement in recidivism for those re-entering the community after incarceration. With improved community health measures and heightened accessibility to services through Sonoma’s relationship with IBM, the county was able to help people in need and boost the self-reliance of some of their most vulnerable constituents.

Counties are the backbone of essential and potentially life changing service delivery. With IBM Health and Human Services Connect360, IBM and Microsoft are equipping counties with the tools they need to succeed in today’s complex environment. Together, we are revolutionizing social service delivery, one county at a time, to foster access to the resources and support every constituent needs to thrive. IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 fosters cross-functional cooperation, connecting county departments to strengthen community service delivery and empowering counties to achieve tangible, measurable outcomes for their constituents.

We’re excited to partner with counties across America as they embark on this transformative journey. Explore how IBM, Microsoft, and IBM Health and Human Services Connect360 are empowering communities for a brighter, more connected future.