In 2001, the Department of Health and Social Services contracted with Information Insights to conduct and in-depth study of its workforce using a planning model developed for the US Department of Health and Human Services. The study included an analysis of the current workforce, identifying Department objectives and the workforce competencies needed to achieve them, comparing present workforce competencies to those needed in the future, and developing recommendations for the transition of the present workforce to the future workforce. The project included analysis of workforce and financial information, policies and procedures, and more than 20 focus groups with Department employees throughout Alaska.
Created a strategic plan for the statewide WIC program. Collected data from local grantees through key informant interviews and an online survey.
In 2005 and 2007, Information Insights facilitated meetings with tribal representatives from Interior Alaska on planning for a possible Alaska North Slope gas pipeline.
Facilitated a town hall meeting of approximately 80 educators, health professionals, public leaders, business people, students, parents, and retirees to create a shared vision for education. Participants identified topics they discussed in smaller work groups, identified next steps and reported back to the full group. The results of this meeting were reported to the Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation Issues Council. The facilitation model for this town hall meeting is called Open Space Technology.
Conducted for the Fairbanks North Star Borough,this project included research, development of a local childcare rating system, hiring and training of raters, and development of manuals and rating charts. The project raised the quality of childcare for over a thousand children in the Fairbanks North Star Borough in one year. This astonishing change occurred in a very short amount of time and the results are backed by excellent data.
Information Insights facilitated a stakeholder process to plan integration of mental health and substance abuse services. Stakeholders, including the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, the state’s new Division of Behavioral Health, service providers and beneficiaries were brought together to make recommendations, producing a comprehensive final report on service integration issues. Work included large and small group facilitation, online surveys communication and public awareness.
Information Insights conducted a management audit of the district’s 12 administrative departments. The review included interviewing over two dozen staff members from the departments included in the review; reviewing current documentation for those departments (i.e. job descriptions, forms, and policies and procedures); and analyzing existing budget comparisons, the full budgets for several years, enrollment figures and enrollment projections. Other documents that were relevant to the analysis were included and administrators from other school districts were interviewed. The project was completed in 2004. Results were presented to the Mat-Su Borough School Board.
Held 17 public meetings throughout FNSB to inform residents about pandemic influenza as well as general disaster preparedness.
Information Insights worked with organizers to conduct key informant interviews, followed by a two-day facilitated work session where participants explored workforce challenges in the field of behavioral health. Consensor equipment was used as a facilitation tool to get a “quick read” on participants’ opinions of topics raised.