Hispanic Unity of Florida: Building Strong Client Relationships Begins with a Strong, Whole-Family Intake Process

About Hispanic Unity of Florida 

Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) in Hollywood, FL, was founded in 1982 by community leaders to guide newcomers to the U.S. on their journey to their American dream and to ease the acculturation process. Today, HUF is Broward County’s largest agency dedicated to the immigrant population. With 12 programs and more than 30 services offered in 4 languages, this agency serves South Florida’s diverse community. Since its inception, HUF has helped 445,000 individuals.

HUF’s comprehensive approach to advance and accelerate the pace of social and economic stability is family-centered, two-generation (2Gen),and operates through a racial equity lens. HUF’s integrated services provide a seamless framework of economic stability that includes immediate assistance as well as long-term solutions for children and parents.

Why did you choose this resource?

HUF chose this resource to improve the family experience by making the intake process consistent for every family and program, eliminating duplication by creating a single point of entry for the families. We strongly believe that HUF’s 2Gen approach must start with a strong intake process that gathers a brief screen of the whole family regarding their strengths and needs. This enables staff to connect families (parents and children) with the most appropriate services and resources based on their needs and the availability and requirements of the services.

“We strongly believe that HUF’s 2Gen approach must start with a strong intake process that gathers a brief screen from the whole family regarding their strengths and needs,” said Felipe Pinzon, Executive Director for HUF.

How have you implemented the resource? How did this resource level up your 2Gen work?

During the Covid-19 pandemic-HUF worked on creating a universal intake that was used by all programs. The intake was developed to:

• Allow for uniformity across all programs (one release of information, uniform screening process, and a uniform mechanism for referral follow-up, as a key component of HUD’s Data Management System
• Create a seamless service delivery process that maps the journey of 2Gen families and provides clear direction to the HUF staff that serves and supports these families (in progress).

We worked on a family intake in 2020, which will strengthen our 2Gen work by:

• Allowing maximum usage of family support program services.
• Focusing on a single point of entry for families with all the family support programs.
• Assuring that families will be linked to the most appropriate services available for them based on the family’s needs.
• Create a streamlined process for recruitment and allows family coaches to focus all efforts on the priority of providing direct services to families.
• Promote collaboration
• Eliminate duplication by creating a single point of entry for families.

What are your next steps?

In 2021, HUF will:

• Pilot new family intake with families enrolled in Unity 4Teens (HUF’s Youth Development program).
• Launch HUF’s service delivery process that maps the journey of 2Gen families.
• Launch a centralized database system.
• Provide training and technical assistance to HUF’s Program Management and frontline staff.

Additional Resources

Please find the other 2Gen Level Up Prize winning applications Resources released during the 2Gen Level Up Week below: 

• Principles for Engaging and Centering Parent Voices (Two winners)
  • Family Futures Downeast | Machias ME
  • PeletonU | Austin, TX
• State 2Gen Model: Maryland as a Case Study for Policymakers, Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona | Tucson, AZ
• 2Gen Platforms for Scale: Whole-Family Approaches Rooted in Community with National Reach, Aroostook County Action Program | Presque Isle, ME
• Making Tomorrow Better Together: Process Outcomes and Measures for 2Gen Organizational Change, West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities; IMPACT WV | Big Chimney, WV
• Building Strong Client Relationships: Two-Generation Approach Begins with a Strong, Whole-Family Intake Process, Hispanic Unity of Florida | Hollywood, FL
• Two-Approach to Leveraging TANF: DC as a Case Study for Policymakers