Case Study: Mesa County Department of Human Services achieves faster, family-first casework with Northwoods Traverse

How Electronic Case Files Help Caseworkers Put Families First

Mesa County Department of Human Services partnered with Northwoods to address challenges in child welfare case management, including limited access to case history, difficulty balancing time between paperwork and family engagement, outdated filing systems that couldn’t handle complex cases, and a lack of mobile access when COVID-19 forced an overnight shift to telework. The agency needed a better way for caseworkers to quickly find data, review histories, and support families more effectively.

Northwoods implemented Traverse, a cloud-based electronic case file system integrated with the state case management platform Trails, giving caseworkers access to documents, forms, photos, and case history from anywhere. The solution enabled 100% remote work during the pandemic, sped up data mining and digital form completion, and helped staff make faster, more informed decisions. Caseworkers reported saving hours each week, shifting from paperwork to family-facing work, and using the system to find natural supports and improve permanency outcomes.

Mesa County Department of Human Services

Tracey Garchar

Director of Department of Human Services