Unexpected technical and adaptive barriers can prevent IRIS Organizations from fully adopting IRIS as their primary referral mechanism. Utilize the questions below to identify these barriers and take actionable steps to increase your organization’s effective use of IRIS. 

Are your organization's user accounts active?

For data security purposes, IRIS user accounts are automatically deactivated after four months of inactivity. Contact your System Manager or IRIS Support (irisadmin@ku.edu) to activate user accounts.

Have IRIS users at your organization participated in training?

While IRIS is a simple and intuitive application, training is required to provide users with knowledge and confidence. Access the recording here: IRIS New User Training. 

Are fields on the IRIS Organization Information screen complete and current?

The details you provide about your organization here (About Us, Eligibility Requirements, and Service Areas) are viewed by IRIS partners when making referrals. Maintaining current Organization Information ensures partners understand your value as a referral partner. This includes updating your Capacity Bar weekly (or more often depending on capacity changes), so partners know your organization’s ability to quickly act on new referrals.

Has your organization integrated IRIS into the referral workflow?

Clear, consistent workflow guidance, such as staff responsibilities and expectations, promotes IRIS use. Plan your organization’s workflow with the IRIS OrganizationWorkflow and Practices Worksheet. You can use IRIS Organization Workflow Guide for support. Be sure all staff are trained once the workflow is established. 

Has your organization created or modified client consent practices?

With the adoption of an electronic referral system, your organization will likely need to revise existing client consent protocols. Your organization may develop a new consent document or update an existing form with IRIS-specific language. Guiding questions and best practices are available in IRIS Consent Guide. Train all staff in client consent expectations and discuss how new client consent procedures impact workflow. 

Is your own referral network represented in IRIS?

If staff cannot make and receive many of their referrals through IRIS, they may not see the benefits of adopting a new workflow. If your most common referral partners do not currently use IRIS, talk with them about how the tool is supporting connections in your community. This video is a great way to start the conversation Why IRIS. Direct new partners to your IRIS Local Leadership Team to complete the onboarding steps.