ASETS

CASE MANAGMENT

UPDATED AUGUST 2013

Passwords

Any new user to the Accountability for Resource Management System (ARMS) is given a

username and temporary password to access your ARMS office(s). On initial login, the user will

be prompted to select a permanent password. All passwords must be 8 characters in length,

include numbers and letters, and they are case sensitive. You will be prompted to change

your password every 3 months for security reasons. You cannot repeat the same password

within 5 password changes. If you accidently repeat a password, ARMS will instruct you to try

again. If you attempt to login and are told your user account does not exist, there is a problem

with your password or the way it is being entered. After 5 attempts, you will be locked out of

your user account. Only an admin user or ARMS Support can then unlock your account.

User Access: There are four access levels for both case management and contract

management:

Admin- An admin user has the same administrative access to user accounts as ARMS support

staff. Admin users should be managers or senior staff. They have the ability to set-up new user

accounts, close accounts for staff that have left, transfer complete staff caseloads, and reset

passwords. If they are unable to set-up a new user themselves, a request for a new user account

must be send to ARMS support by an admin user.

Update- The most common access level. Update access enables staff to update client casefile

and financial data in ARMS. Update users can only access their own accounts, and need admin

or ARMS support to reset their password if they are locked out of their account.

Reporting- Designed for Managers who want reports of client data and results statistics, but

have no need to manipulate the data themselves.

View-Only - View-only access gives someone the ability to view client information, but not

change it.

ARMS Support Hours

Monday –Friday from 9am -9pm (NL time) or 7:30am to & 7:30pm (Est.)

Toll-free: 1-800-289-1407 (option 1)

Local: 709-579-0425

401 Empire Avenue

St. Johns, NL A1E 1W6

Table of Contents

Case Management

Accessing ARMS……………………………………………………………………..............4

System messages page………………………….…………………………………................. 4

Adding clients…………………………………………………………………………………5

Client Search…………………………………………………………………………………..6

Opening a casefile……………………………………………………………………………..7

Adding Interventions…………………………………………………………………………10

Add to caseload………………………………………………………………………….……11

Client Access …………………………………………………………………………………12

Setting Reminders …………………………………………………………………………….13

Employment & Training Search……………………………………………………………….14

Document Summary……………………………………………………………………...15

Closing Casefiles……………………………………………………………………………....16

Accountability………………….……………………………………………………………...16

Uploads………………………………………………………………….…………………….16

Errors…………………………………………………………………………………………..18

Reports………………………………………………………………………………………....18

Printing and displaying reports………………………………………………...………………19

Appendix A: ASETS Interventions Definitions……………………………………….20

Appendix B: Barriers to Employment……………………………………………….....26

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Case Management

Accessing ARMS

The ARMS login Page is available using via pc using Internet Explorer or via mac or ipad via

Safari through this link:

https://secure.armsonline.ca/armscm/login.asp

To access ARMS, you will need your ARMS office number, a username and a password. All

three are available from your offices’ ARMS systems administrator or through ARMS Support.

Systems Messages Page

From the main system messages page you are able to add new clients and access clients already

in the system. You can also view pending transfers, the last time you logged in and messages

from ARMS Inc. and ARMS users. Messages of interest to the greater ARMS community can

be posted on the ARMS message board by contacting support@armsonline.ca.

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Adding Clients

To add or access a client, simply enter the clients Social Insurance # or Client ID # in the upper

left hand box and press the button below to Add/Access Client. If you are entering a new client

and you do not yet have their SIN enter 999, and the system will create a number for you. (Note:

information entered under 999 #’s will not upload).

One of 3 options will occur once the client’s SIN is entered:

1. ARMS will take you immediately to the already existing client casefile;

2. ARMS will inform you that this is a new client and request that you proceed with data entry;

or

3. The system will indicate to you that this particular client’s casefile is in ARMS, but exists in

another ARMS office. Contact information will be displayed to enable the coordination of

future transfer/or sharing of the client’s casefile.

When opening a new casefile, it is very important to ensure that all mandatory fields on the client

profile page be completed. Numerous fields on this page allow important data to be collected

which appear in several accountability reports in ARMS; however, those highlighted in yellow

are mandatory.

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The system will now bring you to the Client Contact screen.

This section must be filled out in order for you to continue working with the client in ARMS.

Client Search

Besides entering the client’s SIN number or client id in the upper left hand box (shown

previously under adding clients), you may also use the client search. Fill in one or more fields

to search for clients already in your ARMS office.

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Opening a casefile

To open a Casefile you first need to perform a client search or access a client by following the

steps outlined previously.

Once you have accessed a file, and the client information is visible onscreen, you will be able to

select from left hand side menu, a tab called ‘Casefile Summary’. This is the button to access

and enter all client information to initiate upload. (Note: Do not enter current work or

interventions under the employment or training summaries!)

When you click on the Casefile Summary tab, again one of three different circumstances will be

the determine your action: (#1) The client already has a casefile open, which means you may

continue to add interventions by clicking on edit under options to the right; (#2) The Casefile is

in follow-up and the client’s circumstance from the previous casefile must be entered prior to

entering new data; or (#3) The previous casefile for the client is closed, evident by a closure

date, outcome and result visible across the line, and the Add Casefile button needs to be clicked

to open a new casefile. (Illustrated on next 2 pages.)

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#1 The client already has a casefile open

You can tell a casefile is still open when there is no information listed beneath close date,

outcome or employment status.

This piece of information can also be confirmed on the next page, when you click ‘edit’ on the

right side of the casefile line. ‘Open’ will be visible across from casefile status on this screen.

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#2 Casefile is in Follow-up

When a casefile is closed to an outcome of unemployed, or unspecified, follow-up data must be

entered prior to the opening of a new casefile. In the illustration below, these details are shown

as the follow-up date and follow-up result. On the systems messages page, a follow-up is

prompted at 12 weeks after the closure of the last intervention. If an employed result is entered

within the follow-up period, a statistic can still be obtained.

#3 New Casefile needed

If this is a new client, or a client with a closed casefile, you will see the text button ‘New

Casefile’. Click on this to open a new casefile.

You will then be brought to the Casefile Management screen. The start date is mandatory along

with the client type (See definitions) to begin a casefile in ARMS. When those details are added,

click save at the bottom. You are now able to add interventions to a client’s casefile.

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Adding Interventions

The ASETS- Client Assessment is a mandatory intervention that must be added to each

casefile for every client. This is found by scrolling down the Casefile Summary Screen and

clicking on “Add Intervention”.

Nineteen interventions are available under ASETS Intervention Type (see APPENDIX A for a

complete list of interventions and their definitions). Highlight the intervention you wish to add

and select next. If you mouse-over the intervention name, a definition will appear to the right of

the screen.

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Add to caseload

When a client file is open on screen, an “add to caseload” button will be visible beneath the

client information at the top of the screen. Once a client is added to your casefile, this button

will be replaced with a “remove from caseload” button.

Adding clients to your caseload allows you to conduct a client search by case manager, and run

reports specific to individual case managers. It also allows multiple case managers to be

assigned if the client’s file is being shared.

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Client Access

You may check a client to see if a case manager is assigned to them up clicking on client access

on the client left hand menu.

In this example, there is one case manager Mary

Smith, from ARMS office # 9999004. If this client

file were shared with other offices, the details would

be listed here.

To Share or transfer a client file, choose the

appropriate button, select the province from the drop

down box, highlight the office you wish to send the

file to, and click save.

If you wish to have a client remain on internal

reports after transfer, do not remove the client from

your casefile prior to transferring them.

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Setting Reminders

On the right side of every intervention, there is a field for a BF (Bring Forward) Date. If you

want to be reminded to follow-up with a client about the completion of a training intervention,

you enter the date you wish to be reminded and set the action to ‘No’. Click save.

This is a feature is available in all interventions.

The BF’s are shown on the first page at log in. Check daily for new reminders, shown on the

systems messages page, as “Current or past due casefiles to bring forward”.

A client casefile cannot be transferred to another office if a BF is set. You will receive an error

message saying “The BF must be actioned to yes (i.e. cancelled) prior to allowing file transfer.”

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Employment & Training Search

From the main left hand menu, select client search. Next select Training & Employment Search

highlighted in blue.

A training and employment page (shown below) will populate allowing your ARMS office for

details about your clients. Enter the keywords desired, and choose the box for the search area.

This feature can be used to search attached client resumes for desired qualifications or training,

find employees with experience by NOC code, or select only clients case managed by yourself

with particular work experience.

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Document Summary

Select ‘document summary’ from the left hand client menu. This feature allows you to attach

resumes, transcripts, letters of reference, consent forms, or any other client document to a clients’

casefile.

The client’s document summary will be shown. To add a new document, simply click the

button.

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Fill in the fields to identify the document details. Normally information access would remain

private, as it would for most interventions. However, if you choose shared, other agencies with

shared access to the casefile could also view the document. Browse your computer directories to

locate the file to attach. Give the document a title, and choose the file type. Make note of the

file version if desired. Once all the details are entered, click save. Multiple documents can be

added to an ARMS client casefile via this process.

Closing Casefiles

A casefile is normally closed when a client finds employment. To close a casefile, first close all

the interventions in the casefile. If the client is shared with another ARMS office, you need to

contact them to have them close out their interventions.

Once a casefile is closed to employed, you will be prompted to add employment details.

Accountability

Your agreement with HRSDC determines the information that needs to be entered in ARMS.

Ensure you are aware of your contract details and goals. The rules of accountability can affect

your decision to open or close casefiles.

Uploads

XML uploads (ASETS) are performed normally on the second last day of the month (30th

), by

ARMS staff. Although upload errors are posted on the main systems messages page, with along

any ARMS errors, if you have the ability to log into the gateway, we encourage you to check

your gateway errors for verification.

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ARMS Errors

ARMS errors and upload errors should be corrected as a priority. There are normally a lot when

first joining ARMS, as the program has an internal checking system for errors that was not

available in Contact IV.

Reports

Reports are a tool to review the statistical details of your clients and provide a review for

accountability purposes. Each report has a different function, and the means to gather that data

will vary between reports. The two main reports that you should use are : (1) ASETS Client

Report; & (2) ASETS Results report. To run reports, choose the Reports tab on the main left

hand menu, select the report you wish to run, enter the date range, or any additional details

requested. Click to Generate report.

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Printing and displaying reports

Below is a screen shot of a computer using Windows 7 that has opened an ASETS Results

report:

All functions related to the report require the use of the Crystal Report Tool Bar. If you slowly

run your mouse from left to right you will see the purpose of each button. Ex/ first button is

print.

The first time a report is run on your computer, it may take a long time to load. If you have this

difficulty, simply click on the button illustrated under #1, and follow through steps #2 and #3.

This will create a pdf of the report and display your results significantly faster.

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Appendix A: ASETS Intervention Definitions

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1. Career Research and Exploration: An activity or activities engaged in by the client at the

direction of the counsellor intended to provide the client with background information and data

on career opportunities, employment prospects, qualifications, requirements and benefits for

different jobs and/or local and regional employers and employment opportunities in order to

assist the client make informed career decisions. This can be done individually or through group

sessions. This intervention could include teaching a client how to find labour market

information, the programs and services clients are eligible for, conducting self-discovery

exercises to identify the values and interests of the client, taking non-diagnostic tests (ex: choices

program), etc.

2. Diagnostic Assessment: Client is to take a specific test to assist in the determination of a

career choice, such as: language, literacy, workplace essential skills (e.g. TOWES), Myers

Briggs personality test, learning disability assessments, etc.

3. Employment Counselling: Providing the client, within the context of an Action Plan, with

the advice and support of a designated employment counsellor to assist the client to arrive at a

suitable career choice. Note: Employment Counselling will not have a direct cost associated with

it as it is paid through employee wages/salaries.

Employability Dimension - Skills Enhancement: Provides clients with the necessary skills and

qualifications that are needed to enter and perform in a chosen occupation by enrolling them in

the appropriate training or education program.

4. Skills Development- Essential Skills: A program of instruction designed to enhance one or

more Essential Skills to a level required by the specific job or occupation that the client is

seeking. Essential Skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to

evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. HRSDC has identified nine essential skills

and has established essential skill levels required for each NOC occupation. HRSDC’s nine

essential skills are:

1. Reading Text: Refers to reading material that is in the form of sentences or paragraphs and

generally involves reading notes, letters, memos, manuals, specifications, regulations, books,

reports or journals.

2. Document Use: Refers to tasks that involve a variety of information displays in which words,

numbers, icons and other visual characteristics (e.g. line, colour, shape) are given meaning by

their spatial arrangement. For example, graphs, lists, tables, blueprints, schematics, drawings,

signs and labels are documents used in the world of work.

3. Numeracy: refers to the clients' use of numbers and their being required to think in quantitative

terms.

4. Writing: Includes writing texts and writing in documents (for example, filling in forms) and non-

paper-based writing (for example, typing on a computer).

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5. Oral Communication: Pertains primarily to the use of speech to give and exchange thoughts

and information by workers in an occupational group.

6. Working with Others: Examines the extent to which employees work with others to carry out

their tasks. Do they have to work co-operatively with others or do they have to have the self-

discipline to meet work targets while working alone.

7. Continuous Learning: Examines the requirement for workers in an occupational group to

participate in an ongoing process of acquiring skills and knowledge. Continuous learning tests

the hypothesis that more and more jobs require continuous upgrading, and that all workers

must continue learning in order to keep or to grow with their jobs. If this is true, then the

following will become essential skills: knowing how to learn; understanding one's own learning

style; and knowing how to gain access to a variety of materials, resources and learning

opportunities.

8. Thinking Skills: Differentiates between five different types of cognitive functions. However,

these functions are interconnected.

9. Computer Use: Indicates the variety and complexity of computer use within the occupational

group.

An Essential Skills program need not address all nine essential skills to be considered an

Essential Skills program. Normally, such programs seek to enhance a client’s abilities on a

set of essential skills (e.g. literacy, numeracy and document use) to levels required by the job

or occupation that the client is seeking to enter or for which he/she wishes to be trained. For

more information on the nine essential skills, please visit the HRSDC website.

5. Skills Development – Academic Upgrading: A program of instruction designed to enable the

client to obtain high school credits or academic qualifications required to pursue further post-

secondary instruction or training. Could be referred to as adult education, either to acquire a high

school diploma or General Educational Development (GED), or to acquire secondary school pre-

requisites needed to enrol in vocational training and/or post secondary training programs.

6. *Occupational Skills Training – Degree: Interventions related to a program of study leading

directly to an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized degree-granting institution.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) has a searchable database of

over 10,000 records that capture the range of academic programs offered by this sector at

http://oraweb.aucc.ca/dcu_e.html .

7. *Occupational Skills Training – Diploma: Interventions related to a program of study

leading to a diploma from a provincially recognized university, college, institute or school, either

public or private. A diploma program, in addition to be non-degree in nature,

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is distinguished from a certificate program primarily by the amount of time the client takes to

earn the diploma. A diploma program is typically greater than one academic year in length. The

Association of Canadian Community Colleges has a searchable program database that describes

programs delivered by its member institutions which can be located at

http://www.accc.ca/english/colleges/programs_database.htm . Some universities award non-

degree recognition in the form of certificates that recognize learning outcomes from programs

that are greater than one year in length.

8. *Occupational Skills Training – Certificate: Interventions related to a program of study

leading to a certificate from a provincially recognized university, college, institute or school,

either public or private. A certificate program is distinguished from a diploma program primarily

by the amount of time the client takes to earn the certificate. A certificate program is typically

one academic year in length and, in cases where it is less than an academic year; there are

typically minimum length requirements that vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The

Association of Canadian Community Colleges has a searchable program database that describes

programs delivered by its member institutions which can be located at

http://www.accc.ca/english/colleges/programs_database.htm. Please note that the program listing

may not be current at any given time and that many colleges do not indicate the level of

certification in the program title. Workshops and short courses that are recognized by a

certificate of attendance or some similar document are not included in this category.

9. *Occupational Skills Training – Apprenticeship: Interventions related to pre-apprenticeship

training or apprenticeship technical training in a designated trade. This intervention does not

cover the practical training of an indentured apprentice that occurs on the job. It also does not

cover a pre-employment training intervention that is not recognized as credit towards a

designated trade. A listing of all designated trades in Canada is available at

http://www.ellischart.ca/

10. *Occupational Skills Training – Industry Recognized: Interventions related to formal

skills instruction that may provide certificates of completion, tickets and/or licenses which may

be professionally recognized, but are not normally recognized by post secondary institutions or

counted as academic credits in post-secondary programs or apprenticeship programs. Examples

include: driver’s training, First Aid/CPR training, safety training, customized pre-employment

training (e.g. Mining Essentials) and some professional accreditation programs offered by the

private sector (e.g. Microsoft, Canadian Securities Institute).

* Occupational Skills Training Investments: Investments in occupational skills for clients through

formal training are categorized according to the level and/or type of certification earned by the client. It is

the responsibility of the counsellor/case manager to be able to distinguish between the various types of

training interventions in order to categorize any particular intervention. Generally, formal training is

delivered by public and private universities, colleges, institutes and schools that are created and/or

recognized by their respective province or territory. It is the combination of academic credentials and

occupational preparation that allow for the use of five different types of interventions.

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11. Work Experience – Student Employment: Interventions designed to provide employment

to students during school breaks or while still in school, such as the Student Summer

Employment Program or the Internship Program. An individual student is provided

with an opportunity to develop and enhance employability and occupational skills with practical,

on-the-job experience. Employers are generally provided with a wage subsidy to encourage the

hiring of these students. Students can be working during the school year or during the summer

months and must be enrolled in full-time studies.

12. Work Experience - Wage Subsidy: Is a financial assistance program that has as its

objective encouraging employers to hire individuals in order to provide them with direct work

experience and/or on-the-job training. The employer receives a wage subsidy

to hire the client for a specific length of time, with the object of providing the client with

sufficient skills to find employment at the end of this time either with the same employer or

another.

13. Work Experience - Job Creation Partnerships: Is a financial assistance program that seeks

to enable unemployed persons to gain work experience by creating temporary jobs. Project

activities should benefit both the participant and the community and must therefore be limited to

partnerships with public sector and non-profit employers; no private companies. This will also

improve the client’s long-term employment prospects.

14. Self-Employment: An intervention that provides direct financial assistance, business training

or professional support to enable a client start his/her own business or continue in a career of

self-employment. Assistance may include providing support for training in business start-up and

development from accredited business school, assistance with business plan development, for

professional advise for marketing, accounting and financial management and for office location

(e.g. **incubators).

**Incubators are designed to accelerate the development of a small start-up business by partnering the

start-up business within a bigger business, thus leading to reduced start up

costs, access to expert opinions and lateral contributions (ex: office supplies, furniture, phones, etc).

Employability Dimension - Job Search: This employability dimensions seeks to help clients

who want to find a job by providing them with the tools, skills, information, etc they need to

attain employment. In essence the job search employability dimension seeks to facilitate the

match between the client and the employer and entails the client to be actively engaged in a

planned job search.

15. Job Search Preparation Strategies: This intervention is to be utilized when a client is

preparing to seek and attain employment and requires support from an employment counsellor or

a job finding club. Activities within this intervention can include: resume and cover letter

writing, labour market research, interview skills, etc.

Note: This may or may not include clients who utilize the minimal levels of service: (i.e.

independent use of job search resources such as computers, phones, fax machines, and printers).

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16. Job Starts Supports: In order to seek and attain employment, clients may receive assistance

to purchase work equipment, work clothing, bus tickets to look for work, etc.

17. Employer Referral: A client is referred to an employer to seek information on the company,

the occupation of interest and/or an employment opportunity within the company.

Employability Dimension - Employment Maintenance: This employment dimension asks

whether the client has issues with keeping a job. As such, it is relevant both to clients who are

currently employed and who need assistance keeping that employment and to clients who are

currently unemployed and who clearly have problems keeping a job (e.g. have a history of

failing to keep employment for any reasonable length of time).

18. Employment Retention Supports: An intervention that provides some sort of funded

assistance to enable a client with a job to continue working in that job. Assistance should be

extraordinary and temporary in nature and not lead to continuing dependence on the ASETS

program. Examples include: paying for work boots and equipment; purchasing a driver’s license,

providing bus fare or paying daycare on a limited/emergency basis, or providing re-location

expenses if that is necessary to keep a job. Note that interventions relating to skills development

for persons with a job should be identified under the appropriate skills development intervention

type and not as an employment retention support.

19. Referral to Agencies: An intervention that refers a client to a responsible agency or

agencies, as part of the client’s Action Plan, to address one or more employment barriers (e.g.

referral to social housing authority, drug treatment program, and subsidized daycare center,

transportation for persons with disabilities, household finances and budgeting program).

Depending on the circumstances, the ASETS holder may have to fund this intervention, but

normally program costs would be borne by referral agency, employer, or not lead to any costs at

all.

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Appendix B: Barriers to Employment

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The barrier to employment can be lack of work experience or transportation, physical or mental

health issues, no access to care for children or family member, etc.

* None: Client does not have barriers to employment.

* Lack of labour force attachment: a client who has been out of the

job market for more than 3 years.

* Lack of work experience: Client has little or no work experience

* Lack of transportation: Client who does not have access to any type

of transportation to get to their place of employment or to a counsellor.

* Remoteness: Client lives in a remote area that has little or no

access to job opportunities or no suitable jobs locally.

* Language: Client lacks fluency in the language required for the

local job market.

* Education: Client who has insufficient education (i.e. less than

high school).

* Economic: Client does not have financial resources to purchase

required equipment (boots, uniforms); costs for relocation, etc., needed to obtain

employment.

* Dependant care: Client does not have access to care for children or

family member.

* Lack of marketable skills: As a result of a shift in labour market

demand, the client does not have the required marketable skills (i.e. IT innovation).

* Physical or mental health: Client has a physical or mental health

barrier

* Other barrier not listed above: Client who identifies a barrier not

provided in the list.