Benetech Secures Funding Led by Kaiser Permanente to Strengthen the Bay Area’s and Sacramento’s Social Safety Nets

Partnerships with leading social services referral providers to make health and human services available to people who need them most


PALO ALTO, Oct. 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Benetech, the leading software for social good nonprofit, today announced funding led by Kaiser Permanente in addition to new data partnerships with the social enterprise Health Leads, Sacramento 2-1-1, San Mateo County, and Eden I&R/2-1-1 Alameda County. The funding and partnerships build on Benetech’s leading social services work with United Way Bay Area and the Open Referral Initiative to provide greater access to health resource data for Bay Area residents.

“Every day in every community people need access to critical health and human services to live and prosper,” said Anh Bui, Vice President, Benetech. “We want to enable a world where the most useful information about those services is available to everyone who needs it when they need it. That means helping organizations work together to unlock and improve their services information. Today’s announcement signals Benetech’s momentum and commitment to breaking down data silos through data collaboration and ecosystem engagement.”

Benetech’s growing list of data partners represents the Bay Area’s largest collaboration of social services providers working collectively to drive impact through improving social services resource data.

“Kaiser Permanente believes that all people deserve a chance to achieve total health—mind, body and spirit,” said Yvette Radford, Vice President, External and Community Affairs, Kaiser Permanente. “By supporting Benetech in developing and scaling a coordinated data system that makes it easier for people to find and connect to health and human services—we’re helping to eliminate the kinds of barriers that disproportionately affect those who are already most at risk for chronic health issues.”
                                                                                                           
Through robust data analysis, the collaboration will identify gaps in existing social services referrals listings along with ways to improve the availability of accurate and up-to-date information while reducing costs for participating referral organizations.

In addition to data analysis, Benetech will work with partner organizations to develop and implement a software solution to improve the flow of data among various social services referral providers. To date, such efforts have focused primarily on creating a single, nationwide database that places a burden on individual social services referral agencies to adapt the database to their needs. The software solution developed with Benetech’s new and existing partners will provide a more flexible model in which local communities serve as the foundation.

Today’s funding and partnership announcement is part of Benetech’s continued work with the Open Referral Initiative, which is developing data standards and interoperable platforms that make it easier to share, find, and use information about community resources. Open Referral’s founder, Greg Bloom, is a Benetech Labs Strategic Advisor.

About Benetech
Benetech is a nonprofit that empowers communities with software for social good. Our work transforms how people with disabilities read and learn, makes it safer for human rights defenders to pursue truth and justice, and connects people to the services they need to live and prosper. We’re constantly pursuing the next big social impact.  Visit www.benetech.org.


            

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