Streamlining Attorney Appointments at Monroe County Correctional Facility

The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission is responsible for ensuring that indigent adults across the state receive effective legal representation.

ACF Technologies partnered with Monroe County Correctional Facility, working closely with Melanie Young, Indigent Defense Coordinator for Monroe County's Indigent Defense Department, which is one of the systems in Michigan governed by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission grants, to simplify attorney-client appointment scheduling within the Monroe County Jail.

The Challenge

In 2021, Melanie faced the challenge of finding a modern, efficient solution for attorneys to schedule appointments with their clients. Whether for in-person visits or video calls, the existing process was not only outdated but also led to inefficiencies. Attorneys were booking appointments via phone calls, which correctional officers had to manage, taking them away from their primary duties inside the jail.

At the time, they were using Google Spreadsheets to manually track all attorney appointments, resulting in delays and making it difficult to gather data or generate reports on visit frequency or duration. With these limitations, Monroe County Correctional Facility sought out ACF Technologies after learning about the Q-Flow solution.

The Solution

As Monroe County Correctional Facility begins implementing Q-Flow, their key objectives focus on improving efficiency and simplifying processes. The primary goals include:

• Streamlined Reporting and Enhanced Capabilities: Currently, the facility relies on manually searching Google Sheets, which is inefficient and time-consuming. With Q-Flow, they aim to easily pull reports based on specific dates, attorneys, or visits, ensuring compliance with Michigan's quarterly reporting requirements. This will not only simplify the process but also ensure attorneys meet the mandated three-day visitation standard, improving accountability.
• Simplified Scheduling for Attorneys: By introducing an online appointment booking system, Q-Flow will eliminate the need for attorneys to call in for scheduling, making the process more convenient and reducing scheduling conflicts.
• Improved Scheduling Visibility: Q-Flow will provide attorneys and staff with real-time visibility into available appointment slots, allowing for timely and efficient scheduling. This ensures that attorneys can meet with clients within the required timeframe and improves overall management of the facility’s schedule.
• Freeing Up Corrections Officers' Time: By automating administrative tasks like scheduling and reporting, Q-Flow allows officers to focus on more critical responsibilities, enhancing operational efficiency.
  
  

Solution Features

Online Appointment Booking Software

This feature streamlines the process of scheduling attorney-client visits, reducing the need for manual coordination and saving valuable time for corrections officers.

Appointment Notifications and Reminders 

To ensure attorneys meet the three-day visitation standard, automated notifications are sent to attorneys' emails. Reminders are delivered both one day and one hour before the scheduled appointment, minimizing missed or late visits.

Data and Reports 

The facility leverages Q-Flow’s robust reporting capabilities to comply with the State of Michigan's quarterly reporting requirements. This feature allows the facility to generate reports that demonstrate attorneys are meeting with their clients within the mandated three-day period, ensuring compliance with grant standards and simplifying the reporting process.

The Project 

Monroe County Correctional Facility, in collaboration with ACF Technologies, is in the initial stages of implementing Q-Flow across its operations. The ACF Business Development Team is working closely with Melanie Young to ensure a smooth integration into the facility’s daily workflow, with no disruption to their system. Melanie Young states “We are looking forward to the next steps in implementing Q-Flow. The ACF team has been very thorough and responsive from a reporting and usability standpoint.”