A Report for Funders and Nonprofits - 211 Alberta



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Taxonomy: A Vital Building Block for 211 in Canada

November 2004

Introduction

Information and Referral (I&R), the process of "bringing people and services together," has a long and valuable history of service delivery by nonprofit organizations in many Canadian communities. 211 is the three-digit number assigned in 2001 by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to enhance access by residents throughout the country to the community services they need.

The National 211 Project Charter states as the mission of 211 in Canada "to effectively connect people with the appropriate information and services, enhance Canada's social infrastructure and enable people to fully engage in their communities." The success of 211 on a national scale depends on its ability to provide – seamlessly – consistent, reliable and yet locally relevant information about human services in communities with diverse needs across Canada.

A bilingual pan-Canadian taxonomy of human services is one of the many standards vital to the infrastructure required to deliver 211. The first goal of taxonomy is to organize human services knowledge so that I&R specialists answering 211 inquiries can identify appropriate services for callers. However, taxonomy is also a linchpin in the vision to make 211 interoperable with other I&R programs and generate valuable data about the system of human services for social planners.

This paper is intended for all stakeholders in 211. It provides the background required to understand the importance of a bilingual pan-Canadian taxonomy to 211 and proposes a 4-step implementation plan.

Background: 211 and Information Management

Standards-Driven Resource Databases

In Toronto, the first city in Canada to offer 211, information and referral (I&R) specialists answer a thousand calls a day from individuals, families and service providers looking for services ranging from child care to support for seniors. With 20,000 services to choose from in the city, it can be a challenge to identify the most appropriate service.

The challenge will only grow as other communities across Canada launch 211. Citizens will expect the same high quality of service no matter where they are. They may also expect, quite reasonably, to call 211 in Edmonton or Moncton and be able to access information about services in Toronto on behalf of a relative or client. Unlike many information lines, however, 211 will not be a single, centralized call centre. The 211 service will be coordinated centrally but delivered by licensed, community-based organizations that are in touch with and knowledgeable about human services in their region.

The resource database is one of the primary tools used by 211 to ensure quality from one provider to the next. The database contains accurate and up-to-date information about community and government organizations, the services they provide and the conditions under which the services are available. Each 211 service provider must have access to a database that is locally maintained by resource specialists according to the Standards for Professional Information and Referral set by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS). The Standards require a written policy of inclusion/exclusion criteria, a standardized profile for each organization, consistent indexing and procedures for keeping the database up to date.

Benefits for I&R Systems and Social Planning

Standards-driven resource databases are essential to providing seamless access to information across the country. Parallel in scope and structure, local databases can be integrated, making it possible for I&R specialists in Edmonton and Toronto to look up “bereavement counseling” in either city and know they are accessing the same type of service. The databases can also interoperate with systems other than 211, so that government and specialized I&R programs (e.g., 311 municipal services, disaster response systems, health care) can tap into the information without duplicating efforts.

Beyond supporting service delivery, standardized databases are a valuable source for social planners. The databases can be mined, for example, for information about the availability of types of services and their geographic distribution. The information can be further enhanced by cross-referencing it with census data (e.g., income level, languages spoken) and other data collected by 211 (e.g., referrals made, unmet needs). While this information already feeds into social planning in individual communities, its potential value is much greater if it were to be shared across Canada or even North America.

Planning for a 211 Taxonomy of Human Services

211 can enable this vision quite simply, by requiring any organization providing the service to use common data standards. There are some challenges, however. For the most part, the AIRS Standards are at a very high level. Canadians are engaged in developing more detailed supplements to the Standards, but additional work will still be required to address issues specific to Canada.

The task requiring perhaps the most work – and also the one most important to interoperability and data mining – is adopting a common language for indexing types of services and target populations. In March 2004, InformCanada (the national association of I&R providers partnering with the United Way of Canada to implement 211) took a significant step towards setting this standard when it accepted a taskforce recommendation “to pursue funding to develop, implement and maintain a Canadian edition of the AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy of Human Services, the necessary work to be done in conjunction with INFO LINE Los Angeles.”

The recommendation was based in part on a survey of 152 I&R service providers across Canada. Eighty per cent of the 48 respondents said they would be willing to conform to a nationally accepted system, provided certain barriers were overcome (notably, lack of pan-Canadian and French-language terminology and resources to support the transition).

What is Taxonomy?

As explained above, taxonomy is only one part of a system of standards required to deliver the 211 service and extend its benefits to social planners. Within that system, taxonomy is one of several common languages or “controlled vocabularies” used to index information in the resource database. Taxonomy defines each type of service and target population and assigns it a term. Taxonomy arranges terms in a hierarchy, so that I&R specialists can “drill down” from broad categories to specific services. It also points to related concepts outside of the hierarchy and anticipates variations in language.

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It is important to understand that taxonomy is not a type of computer software but a set of instructions that tells software how to store and retrieve information about human services. As a standard, taxonomy can be used with any software that is programmed to accept it.

Why the AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy?

First published in 1987 for use in Los Angeles County, the AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy of Human Services was quickly recognized as a tool that could be adapted for use in other areas. In 2004, 445 organizations subscribe to the Taxonomy, including 15 in Canada. It has been endorsed or recognized by AIRS, the United Way of America, the National Association of State Units on Aging and the Public Library Association.

The Taxonomy is more than just another indexing tool. While most tools provide brief scope notes to help indexers choose the appropriate term, the Taxonomy fully describes each term and gives details about the context in which the type of service is provided. This thoroughness has reduced confusion about what each service offers and has helped to pinpoint duplication or gaps in programming. Consequently, the Taxonomy is useful not only to I&R services but also to social planners and funding bodies when allocating resources.

Before recommending that resources be invested in developing a fully Canadian, bilingual edition of the Taxonomy, however, the InformCanada taskforce needed to consider another tool, already used by the majority of I&R services in Canada – the Association of Community Information Centres in Ontario (InformOntario) Information and Referral Thesaurus.

The taskforce evaluated both tools and selected the Taxonomy based on the following strengths:

▪ Six times more terms (6,300 v 1,300) cover a wider range of human services

▪ More precise terms and detailed descriptions allow more precise and consistent indexing

▪ Hierarchical structure facilitates data sharing and statistical comparison

▪ Work already done by InformCalgary and other Canadian Taxonomy users can be leveraged

▪ New Spanish-language module in development can provide template for French

▪ Training, maintenance and support procedures already established and can be adapted

▪ Updates and resource materials soon to be available online at

▪ INFO LINE willing, in principle, to integrate and support Canadian module

▪ The Taxonomy is compliant with ISO standards for development of monolingual thesauri; work on the French version for Canadian users will be done to ISO standards for multilingual thesauri

In comparison, the Thesaurus, despite being a bilingual tool from Ontario, would still require significant work to fully Canadianize it in both languages. The Thesaurus has also not been updated since 1996, except in an ad hoc fashion by individual I&R services. The Thesaurus remains, however, an important reference tool for the Taxonomy.

Since the taskforce made its report, another key reference tool has been identified. The bilingual Government of Canada Core Subject Thesaurus (CST), maintained by Communication Canada, is the primary tool used to index federal government publications. The CST does not cover human services in depth or describe services, but its choice of Canadian terms in English and French for categories such as “Society and Culture” can provide guidance.

Developing a Bilingual Taxonomy

For the Taxonomy to succeed as a bilingual, pan-Canadian standard, the work on English and French terms needs to happen in parallel. This approach is not only equitable – it reflects the taxonomy construction process. English and French terms may not always be truly equivalent in meaning, and services may be delivered in distinct ways in French and English Canada. Regional differences within both English- and French-speaking communities also must be reflected.

Moving to the Taxonomy

Moving I&R service providers to the Taxonomy would occur in four phases:

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The planning phase is currently underway. The goal of this phase is to scope out the work required to support the transition. It involves developing:

▪ An interim administrative structure, including a full-time bilingual managing editor, volunteer English- and French-language working groups on vocabulary development and technology planning and broader advisory groups.

▪ A strategy for start-up as well as sustainable funding, with defined priorities and a schedule, based on models for similar tools and opportunities such as current I&R projects; funding from government, foundations and professional associations; sector interests; and subscription fees.

▪ A Memorandum of Understanding outlining intellectual property rights with AIRS/INFO LINE on behalf of InformCanada and InformOntario. This step involves setting up a negotiating team and researching similar agreements. The MOU will follow a letter of intent recently sent by InformCanada to INFO LINE. The negotiation process may extend beyond this phase.

▪ A technology and data transition plan that assesses the readiness of I&R software providers to accept a Canadian Taxonomy and the support required to do so. This step will also establish procedures for converting data indexed with the Thesaurus and other vocabularies.

▪ An estimate of the time and resources required to develop a Canadian Taxonomy in English and French. The estimate will be based on a high-level review of categories in the AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy and the completion of two sample sections: BM Material Goods and ND Employment. This step also involves collating other vocabularies in use and identifying areas where subject matter expertise and collaboration with government are required.

▪ A communications plan that identifies key messages and stakeholders, and sets a communications schedule. This step also involves enhancing online collaboration tools to support editorial and review work.

▪ A training, maintenance and support plan that identifies the training needs of various users, including resource specialists, I&R specialists, human services professionals and public users. The plan will also estimate resources required to maintain the Taxonomy and support users.

The planning phase will culminate in a project proposal for phases 2-4, with detailed budget and work plan. The completion of the work is contingent on securing adequate financial support.

Getting Involved

The scope of this project and its importance to 211 mean it will affect many different stakeholders. Make sure your organization is involved in the process:

I&R service providers – nominate resource specialists to participate on an editorial working group or broader advisory committee that will develop and review vocabulary for the Taxonomy. Candidates will be selected based on their knowledge of indexing as well as regional and subject matter representation.

Government and service coordinating organizations – identify representatives who can help develop and review vocabulary for specific types of human services or target populations.

I&R software providers – identify representatives who can help develop a technology and data transition plan. Include decision makers, resource specialists and technical experts.

Government, foundation and corporate sponsors – consider how your programs can support a standard vital to connecting Canadians with the right services – and to ensuring those services are in place and part of a synchronized system.

Further Reading

For general information about 211 in Canada, including its implementation, governance and minimum operating standards, see the 211 Canada Project Charter.

InformCanada. March 2004. Final Report of the Taskforce on a Canadian Classification System.

Alliance of Information & Referral Systems. October 2002. Standards for Professional Information & Referral, 4th ed.

Alliance of Information & Referral Systems. October 2001. Criteria for the Full Installation of the AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy in an I&R Software Package.

AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy support website (under development).



Government of Canada Core Subject Thesaurus.



Contacts

To get involved or for further information, contact:

Deborah Woods, InformCanada Taskforce Chair

13 Pemberton Lane

Shanty Bay, ON L9L 2L0

Tel: 705-721-0736

Fax: 705-721-1903

Email: deborahwoods@

Margaret Williams, InformCanada Taskforce Member

462 Glenlake Avenue

Toronto, ON M6P 1G8

Tel: 416-604-2201

Email: infopro@sympatico.ca

This report can be accessed at 211.ca.

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Example

A caller thinks he may have high blood sugar. The I&R specialist looks in the database under “Health Care” and drills down through the category “Health Screening/Diagnostic Services” until she finds “Diabetes Screening.” She may also search the database for “blood sugar” and will find “Blood Sugar Screening”, linking to “Diabetes Screening”. A taxonomy ensures she finds “Diabetes Screening” and also suggests she look for related services such as “Diabetes Management.”

Phase 4: Maintenance

Phase 3: Implementation

Phase 2: Development

Phase 1: Planning

Feb 2005

Oct 2004

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