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SNM-I

Introduction

The objective of the Social Needs Marketplace - Impact (SNM-I) is to find efficient and effective ways to provide goods and services to vulnerable populations. This includes seniors, the infirm, and those below the poverty line. In the scope of this project, “vulnerable populations” refer to those who cannot acquire goods and services due to limited mobility, lack of funds, or lack of social support networks.

The SNM-I project serves as an efficient tool to redistribute goods and services that allow the “demand” side to declare their needs. The “supply” side declares what is available.

Using artificial intelligence methods such as ontologies, constraint-based reasoning and machine learning, the SNM-I will consider both resource needs and availability to suggest possible matches. The SNM-I will also aid in coordinating time windows for the delivery of goods and services. This addresses logistical issues between suppliers and consumer availability. Additionally, the SNM-I will provide a volunteer/agency-supported logistical system utilizing an Uber-like network. SNM-I will additionally enhance the efficient use of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) by virtually merging and concentrating their resources to attain improved outcomes.

Benefits of SNM-I

Clients, service providers, funders, and policy makers are the major stakeholders and beneficiaries of the SNM-I project:

  • Clients: The SNM-I benefits clients by enhancing the efficiency of acquiring available aid that meets their needs. SNM-I also assists in facilitating expedited intakes, client problem and goal elicitation, needs assessments, service planning, and either making or tracking referrals within or between organizations.

  • Service Providers: The SNM-I allows providers to easily quantify and qualify the extent of their services. SNM-I serves as a tool to easily recognize and record clients seeking services, clients served, and provided services. The SNM-I also helps in determining factors in client success, providing insights and aspects in what each program or service is most effective in. As an example, consider a program that is more effective or used more frequently by a sub-population “x”. By using data collected
    from SNM-I, providers may modify or update their program to accomodate for x,
    increasing the program’s efficacy for the sub-population. Additionally, the SNM-I can aid in service management. Worker case loads and the frequency of client interaction are considered, allowing for The SNM-I to expedite program intakes and aid in monitoring program progress and completion. This is possible all while ensuring that relevant data is captured to further improve the delivery system and better serve frequent clients.

  • Funders and Policy Makers: Data captured by the SNM-I can be used to quantify and qualify how communities work to reduce incidence, duration, and prevalence of social issues over time. SNM-I can identify possible success factors in prevention strategies, perform analysis on potential service gaps, and conduct Point-in-Time-Counts.