Hi Reconnect Managers!
Remote community supervision is now at your fingertips!
I’m excited to share the work we’re launching today, and give you a glimpse into what’s coming next and also the current pilot programs we have running.
Our goal at Reconnect is to take the drug randomization program you’ve loved for so long and turn it into a fully-featured remote monitoring platform. We want to ensure you can continue successfully running your programs during today’s crisis as well as have a modern toolset at your fingertips as supervision technology evolves.
On to the release!
1-to-1 Video Chat
Secure, HIPAA compliant, and as simple as one-click, Reconnect has added the ability to video chat with your participants from the Reconnect Manager web application. Case Managers call participants through the Messages interface. Shortly afterward, a recording of the call is available for the manager.
Please note that this is a beta release of the 1-to-1 Video Chat feature for us to capture feedback, and to try to help as wide a spectrum of our audience as possible. New features coming soon: location of the participant during video chat, ability to flip the participant’s camera to see their environment, and support for your program’s data retention policy. We are logging known limitations at the support page here, and will keep the community informed as we release bug fixes to resolve these issues.
Reconnect Manager Mobile App
For Case Managers on the go, Reconnect is excited to launch the Reconnect Manager Mobile App. This initial release brings Messaging into the hands of Case Managers on the go. We will also be adding:
- Video Chat
- Violation Management – confirm or close violations without having to return to your desktop
- Today at a Glance – a simple interface for you to understand what’s happening within your caseload today
Both app stores are approving new apps at a slower rate than normal. We expect that this could delay the availability of this app into the second half of this week or early next week. We will send out an email when the app becomes available in the respective App Stores.
Here’s what’s coming next:
Self-Report Survey
Reconnect will add the ability to send your participants a survey to ensure you’re keeping up with any changes in their lives. This initial release is targeted for mid-April, and will include a single survey that verifies a participant’s:
- Address/Living Situation
- Job
- Medications
- Contact with Law Enforcement
- Contact Information
The survey – when enabled for a facility – will be available to participants to fill out. Case Managers will be able to see in their dashboard – which participants filled out the survey, what fields have changed, and keep a digital log of past responses.
If you have other requirements that you would need implemented to use this feature, or if you’re interested in a demo of the Self-Report Survey functionality, please email us at pilots@reconnect.io.
Payments
For programs with participants responsible for their own fees, Reconnect will be adding an ePayments option to our platform. We are still in the early design phase of this project and do not yet have a launch date (though we are targeting early May).
However, we are very interested in programs who believe that ePayments could help them build their remote monitoring program. We would like to talk to you about the requirements you would have to use our ePayments tool. To share your thoughts with us, or to let us know you’d like to be a part of our initial pilot group, please email pilots@reconnect.io.
Reconnect Cell Phones for Participants
Though 95% of Americans have a smartphone, Reconnect’s research of the supervised community shows that anywhere from 10 – 25% claim to not have a cell phone or to not have enough data or minutes to use a technology solution for monitoring.
Reconnect is targeting an early April pilot with 2 – 3 jurisdictions to provide cell phones that are locked down to the Reconnect Community app only to understand if we can build a service to help close this gap in a way that’s compatible with the restrictions participants have while under supervision.
If you would like to be in our pilot program, please email us at pilots@reconnect.io.
And in case you aren’t yet aware, we have one current pilot and we’re looking for more participants:
Hardware-free Location Monitoring
Reconnect is able to provide a cell phone-based monitoring solution that uses no additional hardware. Using our check-in system, our hardware-free solution prompts the participant to verify they are with their cell phone 6 times per day (and this can be modified to meet your program needs), and uses our liveness detection to verify the participant’s identity.
By monitoring all of a participant’s movements, Reconnect is able to draw a map of where the participant went, how long they were there, and help programs ensure that their participants are meeting the conditions of their program.
With inclusion and exclusion zones included, case managers can ensure that participants don’t enter schools, parks, or bars; leave the town, county, or state where they’re being supervised; and ensure that they are at their support meetings when they’re supposed to be there.
This feature is free for 90-days for those who are in our pilot program, and will then be $1/participant/day thereafter. If you would like to be added to our pilot program, please email us at pilots@reconnect.io.
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We’re moving fast, and we’re learning a lot about how to build the platform that supports remote monitoring for the criminal justice space. I’m really excited about the features that we’ve launched today, and I’m looking forward to working together to improve Video Chat and the Reconnect Manage mobile app with your feedback and usage.
Thank you for picking us as your remote monitoring platform.
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Melih Onvural
VP, Product & Engineering