New technology to transform how The Chase Home meets community needs

Blog > New technology to transform how The Chase Home meets community needs
The Chase home signage

In October, The Chase Home will begin to use Apricot, case management software that will enable staff to utilize a centralized electronic record system to track participant progress and outcomes.

Developed by Social Solutions Global, Apricot is designed to help nonprofits measure and manage to outcomes while also offering a suite of tools for caseload management, reporting and analytics and participant engagement.

“The software will support Chase Home staff and leadership in making targeted interventions and data-informed decisions in the support of youth in its various programs,” said Jeffrey Haguewood, Owner, Sidekick Solutions.

Sidekick Solutions is an Apricot Certified Implementation Partner, specializing in technology for outcomes-focused nonprofits and public sector agencies.

“Our role is to guide Chase Home’s Apricot implementation as both a technical and consultative resource,” added Haguewood. “Our priority is to ensure that Chase Home gets the ‘right’ solution reflective of their processes and priorities for supporting youth in New Hampshire.”  

Founded in 1877, The Chase Home in Portsmouth serves at-risk youth statewide through prevention, early intervention, residential and community-based programs. Some youth are served in the community while others live at The Chase Home.

Meme Wheeler, executive director of The Chase Home, said the software will transform the way the agency uses data.

“We will be able to streamline and enhance the efficiency and quality of our case management and treatment planning for every youth we serve,” she said. “We will also be able to illustrate results-driven data to our donors that demonstrates impact.”

Meme Wheeler (l) with Chase Home Ambassador Bill MacDonald

As for how Apricot will enhance service delivery, Wheeler said it will save staff time, as they will no longer need to “go through piles of paperwork.”

“Apricot encompasses best practices and centralizes all of our data in one place,” she said.

She said the software also improves HIPPA compliance.

“It will help us tremendously with state licensing and certification regulations and the accreditation process, as we work to comply with the Family Services Act,” she added.

The project began, according to Haguewood, immediately before the start of the pandemic, which he acknowledged was challenging. It also, however, underscored the need for tools like Apricot to support remote work and capabilities for virtual client engagement. 

“The common pains associated with transitioning from current practices, some of which still reside on paper, have cropped up here and there, too,” he said. “I commend The Chase Home team, though, for its ability to refocus on the promise of Apricot, including deeper insights into youth progress and milestone achievements.”

According to Wheeler, the project is not only “ground-breaking” in scope, but in the level of customization of the software, made possible with Sidekick Solutions.

“The solution we have is not based on a template, but reflects our work-flow processes, compliance requirements, reporting goals and our ways of serving youth,” she said.

Haguewood added, “Software is often rigid, hard to use, or too generic to meet the evolving needs of a community-based nonprofit like Chase Home…Apricot is a platform Chase Home users are looking forward to using because it has been customized to model Chase Home’s unique characteristics, its vocabulary, and its evidence-based practices.”

The Chase Home

Expressing appreciation for various funders who have made the project possible, Wheeler said it is important Chase Home leverage technology now more than ever before.

“It is not enough to work hard,” she said. “We must work smart so we can do more for youth and families in our communities.”

To learn more, visit chasehome.org.