Why Nonprofits Should Use Immigration Case Management Software

Immigrants and refugees may require a range of services to meet their basic needs.

Making the decision to relocate to a different country is a heavy one that marks the beginning of a complex journey. Immigrating to the United States involves applying for residency, usually via a green card. Getting approval for a green card can take months or even years. While families and individuals wait for their status and proper documentation to get processed and approved, they are usually faced with adversity.

Immigrants make up the fabric of our country, but it takes time for people to adjust to a new community. Language barriers, lack of employment opportunities, and difficulty adjusting to a new culture are just a few of the challenges immigrants commonly face.

Fortunately, human services organizations exist that can help ease financial and emotional burdens. While each case is unique, here are some key services nonprofits offer when assisting international community members:

• Food pantries. With the high costs associated with immigration attorneys and the process of moving to a new country altogether, many families cannot afford basic necessities, including food. Food pantries operated by nonprofits are typically not directly affiliated with government agencies, making them more accessible to immigrants regardless of their status.
• Legal counsel. Navigating immigration law is no easy feat. Many organizations work with law firms to help immigrants apply for residency.
• Family services. Over the last several decades, the number of unaccompanied minors living in the U.S. has risen. In many cases, families of immigrants who enter the country illegally are in dire circumstances that are only made worse when families are split up across borders. Government agencies and nonprofits are often responsible for providing care to unaccompanied migrant children and youth.
• Affordable housing. Finding an affordable place to live is difficult even for U.S. citizens. It’s even more challenging for immigrants. Nonprofits help immigrants find and secure safe, affordable housing.
• Job placement. Nonprofits with employment programs can help immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, find and apply for jobs in the U.S. Some nonprofit programs also provide language assistance, labor training, and professional development opportunities.

What is immigration case management software?

There are two kinds of case management software: law practice management software, and case management software utilized by nonprofits. While there are some similarities between the two, there are also some core differences to note.

Immigration case management software used by legal practices focuses on case tracking. Navigating immigration law is difficult even for the most experienced immigration attorneys. Legal case management software provides a secure platform for attorneys and paralegals to evaluate the status of their cases and interface with their clients. Some core features of legal case management software include: document management, customer relationship management (CRM), appointment scheduling, and a client portal.

Nonprofit case management software also coordinates cases, but is typically used to track which services are provided and how they’re impacting clients. Immigration case management software provides a central location for client data storage and also facilitates service delivery. Some core features of nonprofit immigration case management software include: building workflows and client dashboards, customized reporting, capability for clients and staff to fill out forms digitally, and the ability to facilitate virtual case management services.

Why nonprofits should use case management software.

Managing immigration and refugee cases requires sensitive handling of information and a robust service delivery program. Nonprofits provide vital services to immigrants in emergency scenarios and offer programs to support them throughout the resettlement process. Nonprofits need to be able to deploy services as quickly as possible with the ability to scale and build on programs over time.

Here are just a couple of ways immigration case management software can positively impact your organization’s service delivery and financial outlook:

1. Case management software makes it easier for nonprofits to secure funding. The Biden administration is working hard to provide more funds to organizations that help immigrants, particularly refugees. Funding comes from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), and in order to qualify, nonprofits need to meet compliance regulations. Case management software can ensure that appropriate actions are taken and reports are filed on time so your organization doesn’t risk losing federal or state funding.
2. Software can allow for faster service delivery in the most urgent circumstances. When crises arise, like the 2022 war in Ukraine, nonprofits are often called on to respond and provide assistance. If a nonprofit is still dealing with paper documents, or even spreadsheets, then they may have a harder time operating quickly and efficiently during a crisis situation. Case management software automates processes from initial client intake to service delivery so your organization can serve more people with less time.

CaseWorthy offers all the features you need to streamline operations and create better outcomes for your clients.

Everyone deserves a right to a better life regardless of where they come from. Organizations like yours understand that. As you work with clients to help them settle into their new communities, you should be able to focus on the people in front of you without getting bogged down by cumbersome administrative tasks. CaseWorthy is built for the way you work so you can keep cultural competency at the forefront while creating better outcomes for your clients.

• Streamline the client intake process with customized forms. CaseWorthy offers a variety of templates for intake forms that can easily be tailored based on your clients’ needs. You can pre-program questionnaires with prompts so individuals performing intakes know exactly what information they need to capture. With our case management software, manual data entry tasks are significantly accelerated.
• Stay on track with automated workflows. Not only do automations save time, they can also help your organization stay compliant. Depending on your organization’s funding streams, you may need to complete a series of tasks within a certain time frame in order to keep funding. With CaseWorthy, you can build custom workflows outfitted with notifications and checklists so you never miss a deadline and maintain regulatory compliance.
• Establish a robust service directory for efficient referrals. Sometimes, your organization will need to refer a client to another partner agency to receive certain services. With CaseWorthy, you can build a service directory for services you outsource. Over time, you can refine your directory based on how clients respond to the level of service they receive from each provider. You can also configure automated reminders and follow-ups so clients receiving outsourced services don’t slip through the cracks when they’re engaging with multiple service providers.
• Tailored reports for optimal outcome tracking. Every organization wants to know that the work they are doing is making a difference. CaseWorthy offers a variety of templated reports, and you can also build your own custom reports based on the metrics that are most important to your team and leadership.