Officials with the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) have announced the release of the Community Services Network (CSN) 3.0. The system is used by county community services professionals and providers to manage budgets, payments, client information, and outcomes data.

CSN is a robust, web-based management information system that is currently used by 98 counties in Iowa. Polk County will begin using the system this year. CSN launched in January 2010 for the primary purposes of tracking and managing mental health data by county community services departments. CSN now handles all aspects of client care coordination including case notes, funding authorizations, financial services such as claim payments, integration with county auditor’s accounting systems and budgeting.

Within the past two years the system has expanded to offer functionality to additional county departments including General Assistance, Substance Abuse, and Veteran Affairs. The latest release has improved the experience of the end user, enhanced and improved security, added many new features, as well as integrated community services providers into CSN.

CSN is regularly audited and has been certified as fully HIPAA compliant. The system also incorporates the additional Iowa Code security regulations, and users are required to follow strict security guidelines to keep consumer information safe and secure. The mental health disability services system recently shifted from a county to a region-based system. CSN helped to allow counties to undertake the transition more easily.

Bill Peterson, ISAC Executive Director stated, “CSN 3.0 will continue to help government employees do their job efficiently and accurately while saving costs for the tax paying citizens of Iowa.”

If interested in learning more about how your agency or entity can use CSN, please contact ISAC’s IT Manager, Jeanine Scott, 515.244.7181