13-03 Unified Communication-TWIST Counselor Notes Guidelines

Purpose

Publish updated process for using TWIST counselor notes as the universal method for communicating information about our customers.

Background

Anyone who works in our system should be able to open a customer’s record and determine where he or she is in the service delivery process.  However, not everyone has access to all parts of our Management Information System (MIS); not every part of the MIS has counselor note capacity; and certain electronic filing systems (EFS) are proprietary to individual contractors.  Staff often has to access multiple databases to “piece” together what’s going on with the customer. 

Current Situation

The only acceptable tool that has the capacity to support across-entity communication about job seeker customers is TWIST Counselor Notes.  We continue to receive complaints from customers about being passed around because staff doesn’t know “what’s going on with their case.” Everything that’s going on with customers receiving expanded or financial aid service must be recorded in TWIST Counselor Notes.  This includes:

• Services delivered
• Actions taken
• Documents needed and documents submitted
• Other required information based on the customer’s situation
• Next steps

 The Board established the Unified Communication Workgroup to identify ways to:

• improve the quality, conciseness, accuracy, and timeliness of electronic data; and
• to ensure financial aid is documented in TWIST in a way that makes it accessible to staff throughout the system.

This issuance introduces:

• Counselor Notes Guidelines developed by the workgroup to help staff do a better job of writing counselor notes.   Staff must follow the guidelines when writing counselor notes. 
• Subject Lines Desk Aid updated to include several new subject lines recommended by Workforce Solutions staff.  Many of the complaints we get could be avoided if staff would remember to read the previous notes before taking any action on a customer.  This includes Trackers
• The Supervisor Guide is revised to include training on the Guidelines as well as the Subject Lines Desk Aid

Action

1. All staff who write counselor notes are required to attend the Counselor Notes half-day practicum that focuses on the Counselor Notes Guidelines and the Subject Lines Desk Aid attached to this issuance. This training began January 22, 2013.  NWI will offer the practicum at least twice/week until everyone completes it.
2. Career office contractors must make sure that all office managers, supervisors, and staff are aware of and implement the Counselor Notes Guidelines referenced here no later than January 31, 2013.

Questions

Staff should first ask questions of their managers or supervisors.  Direct questions for Board staff to the staff web Q&A at Contract Management in the Staff Resources. Attachments:

1. TWIST Counselor Notes Guidelines (DOC)
2. TWIST Counselor Notes Subject Lines Desk Aid (DOC) Revised 11/01/15
3. TWIST Counselor Notes Training Guide for Supervisors (DOC)

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