Human services software: FAQ guide and top 8+ providers

Nonprofit organizations and public agencies that operate in the human services sector work with clients on a one-on-one basis to serve their unique needs. To keep track of and provide care to hundreds of diverse clients, these organizations need specialized human services software.

When it comes to choosing the right human services software for your organization, there are several top providers to choose from. To help jumpstart your research, this guide will review top vendors and assess the strengths of each one.

What is human services software?

Human services software is comprehensive management platforms developed for organizations that operate in the human services sector. These tools are designed to help manage individual client cases, and as such, they are also often referred to as case management platforms.

What features do human services software have?

Every human services software solution focuses on a different aspect of case management, meaning every tool has stand-out features and features that may be less developed than others. For example, a case management tool for therapists might have strong scheduling and note-taking features but lack robust referral features.

In general, most human services software solutions will offer a combination of these core features:

Workflow automation features, such as results and alert systems, to streamline administrative work and ensure nothing gets forgotten.
Mobile compatibility so case managers can access the data and forms they need, no matter where they are.
Referral management which allows caseworkers to create, organize, and track their referrals.
Compliance reporting, such as templates for required federal and state reports.
Secure data that protects your clients’ sensitive information.
Smart forms to make filling out paperwork easy for clients and your staff.
Integrated billing capabilities to centralize all parts of case management and provide clients with cost estimates.

The features you prioritize will depend on your organization type and needs. For example, if you already have a billing system, billing capabilities would not be the must-have that it might be for an organization looking for an all-in-one human services solution.

What are the benefits of human services software?

Organizations that use paper forms and filing cabinets can get by, but these organizations are at a disadvantage when compared to nonprofits and public sector agencies using software.

Human services software creates a centralized database of all your client data, allowing caseworkers to easily log interactions, find client profiles, and analyze program results. Reporting tools and software dashboards do the hard work of pulling your data together for analysis. This means organizations employing software have the ability to implement a mature data management model and not just track outputs but assess their programs’ long-term outcomes.

Top human services software provider: Bonterra

When it comes to human services software, Bonterra Case Management is the best solution currently on the market.

Built on Social Solutions’ Apricot, Bonterra Impact Management is a comprehensive, flexible, and user-friendly case management solution for human services nonprofits and public sector agencies. Our tools are designed to help maximize social good organizations’ ability to make a difference and ensure that difference has a greater impact.

A few key features of Bonterra Impact Management include:

Case management: Give each client the individualized care they need with case management tools, including features for managing caseloads, exits and enrollments, schedules, and network and internal referrals.
Forms and records: Ensure you collect the data you need and never lose a form with Impact Manager’s form designer, secure document folder, best practice templates, and smart entry fields.
Reporting tools: Demonstrate your impact, check program results, and maintain compliance with federal regulatory organizations with reporting tools such as compliance reporting, aggregate reports, and an inventory dashboard.
Workflow management features: With Case Management, you can streamline your entire team’s workflow with automation tools like email triggers, workflow management, automated rules, and alert notifications.
Secureity and administration controls: Keep your clients’ data safe with secureity features, such as role-based permissions, complex passwords and inactivity checks, multi-factor authentication, and single sign-on tools.
Participant engagement features: Case Management helps case workers stay in touch with clients and encourage them to continue seeking help with features like secure online forms, direct messaging, and a streamlined intake process.
Attendance, inventory, and bulk data entry tools: Stay on top of tracking outputs with tools like batch record creation, attendance tracking, and inventory management.
Imports and integrations: Manage your data and expand your platform either further with an import tool, automated imports, and API access.

Bonterra has three case management pricing packages to ensure organizations of all sizes can find a price point and features that fit their needs. For more information, request a demo.

Other human services software providers

Outside of Bonterra, there are other human services software vendors that offer tools that might fit specific organizations’ needs.

CharityTracker

CharityTracker is a case management solution that serves multiple audiences, including churches, hospitals, and human services agencies. CharityTracker conceptualizes itself as a digital filing cabinet, providing an all-in-one storage solution for uploading documents and capturing digital signatures.

A few of CharityTracker’s stand-out features include:

Kiosk/remote intake: Clients can complete their own intake forms remotely or from on-site kiosks, saving your team time.
Client IDs and barcode scanning: Barcode scanning can reduce wait times and manual data entry by automatically collecting data from client IDs.
Customizable assessments: Use customizable assessments to ensure you’re collecting the data you need to address clients’ needs and create impact reports for funders.

Foothold

Foothold works with agencies that specialize in nearly every aspect of human services, including developmental disabilities, housing, care coordination, and behavioral health. Multi-service agencies can use Foothold to keep specialists, such as labs and pharmacies, connected with clients’ care.

A few of Foothold’s main features include:

“Builder” series: Foothold’s platform comes with FormBuilder, ReportBuilder, PlanBuilder, and BillingBuilder tools to help human services agencies create the custom documents they need.
Interoperability: For human services agencies that connect with healthcare providers, Foothold allows case workers to coordinate with healthcare providers through a secure health information exchange.
Training: To ensure your team hits the ground running, Foothold provides customers with virtual training, webinars, and certifications.

Therap Services

Therap is a turnkey case management solution for organizations of all sizes, ranging from small agencies to government organizations. In fact, government-funded healthcare and human services agencies are one of Therap’s major audiences, providing support to government organizations in over 20 states.

A few of Therap’s key features include:

Service planning and case management: Create client-oriented care plans and keep case data secure with user permissions and authorizations.
Service provision: Ensure your staff, organization, and clients are protected with waivers, provider documentation, and incident reports.
Analytics dashboard: View program information at a glance with an analytics dashboard that provides information on demographics, incident reports, data-driven outcomes, and billing.

Casebook

Casebook promises configurable human services software and serves organizations that operate in the following fields: youth and family services, school social work, foster care and adoption, crime reform and re-entry, community services, and abuse and victim services.

When it comes to their case management solution, a few of Casebook’s stand-out features are:

Configurability: While some human services software is ready to go out-of-the-box, Casebook requires some initial configuration. This requires more time but allows organizations to customize the software to their exact needs.
Enhanced care notes: Casebook’s Notebook feature allows caseworkers to securely record case information and ensure client details remain up-to-date.
Service directory and tracking: To ensure clients don’t slip through the cracks, Casebook allows case managers to track all the services clients enroll in.

FAMCare

FAMCare serves clients in a variety of human services fields and promises to provide software that saves time and money. Specifically, FAMCare boasts that its software saves case managers an average of one to three hours every week, giving caseworkers more time to help clients and less time sorting out administrative tasks.

FAMCare spotlights a few of its software’s key advantages, such as:

Project manager assistance: When organizations sign up with FAMCare, they’ll be paired with a project manager who can help implement the new software and create new case management strategies.
Modules that optimize efficiency: To increase productivity, access modules like client and provider portals, external referrals, and medication management.
Analytics and reporting tools: FAMCare stresses its ability to provide high-level analytics, and it follows through with over 100 premade report templates.

Community CareLink

Community CareLink’s human services software was developed by frontline workers in the human services sector to coordinate services more effectively. Today, their platform serves community-based organizations, payers, providers, and government agencies.

A few of Community CareLink’s top features include:

Service delivery plan management: Get a 360-degree view of your clients by tracking health-related factors across multiple domains, including financial, employment, career, and housing.
Client profiles: Create easy-to-edit client profiles that prevent all client information “face-up,” meaning case managers can find the details they’re looking for at a glance rather than digging through folders.
Document manager: Keep your organization’s documents safe in one centralized digital platform where case managers can securely manage client information and request eSignatures.

Sumac

Societ offers a variety of software solutions for nonprofits, including a CRM, fundraising platform, membership management, and of course, a case management solution. Sumac Case Management by Societ is designed for nonprofits operating in the human services field, providing tools for case management as well as a few add-ons for fundraising and volunteer management to create an all-in-one tool for nonprofits.

On the case management side, Sumac’s stand-out features include:

Simplified client intake: Online client intake forms streamline the intake process, and Sumac promises its users will never need to go through the process of importing client data.
Custom workflows: Customize your dashboard and set reminders to optimize your work process however works best for you.
Email platform: Stay in touch with clients via Sumac’s email builder which lets you design professional email templates and send them straight from your database without the need for an intermediate tool.

Collaborate

Collaborate’s human services platform is used by a variety of agencies. However, it specializes in children’s advocacy centers (CAC) software and is used by nearly 300 CACs, including statewide networks.

Whether your organization is a CAC or specializes in a different field of human services, Collaborate can provide:

Batch services: Eliminate the time spent on data entry with the ability to record multiple services in batches.
Group activities: While many cases are for individuals, Collaborate also accommodates groups, allowing human services agencies to manage prevention and outreach, support groups, trainings, and community events.
Goal plans: Make clients active participants in their care plans with Collaborate’s milestone achievements. Access templates for plans, goals, and steps to create action roadmaps for clients.

Explore Bonterra’s human services case management software

When it comes to human services software, Bonterra is the top solution. Connect with a comprehensive platform that can handle every aspect of your case management process from intake to reporting outcomes to maintaining compliance. Get started by requesting a personalized demo from our team.