BACKGROUND
AbilityPath is a nonprofit organization in the SF Bay Area and one of the largest social service providers in the region with 250+ staff members. They provide 1,000+ daily services for children, adults, and seniors with developmental disabilities.
Due to high demand and limited capacity, it takes an average of 2 years for a family to receive services.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
AbilityPath receives hundreds of inquiries monthly, but approximately 80% of applicants don't meet basic eligibility requirements. Staff members spend the majority of their time answering phone calls and responding to emails about eligibility, which takes away from case processing and significantly delays access to care for qualified families.
Key Pain Points:
- Manual screening consumes 60-70% of staff time
- Families wait weeks just to learn if they're eligible
- Qualified applicants face longer wait times due to bottleneck
- Staff burnout from repetitive eligibility questions
PRODUCT MISSION
"Connecting Families to Care, Instantly"
Enable every family to understand their eligibility in minutes, not weeks, so AbilityPath staff can focus on delivering life-changing services to those who qualify.
PRODUCT METRICS
North Star Metric: Staff hours saved on eligibility screening
Input Metrics
- Number of conversations started
- Number of conversations completed
- Average conversation length
Output Metrics
- Eligibility determination accuracy rate (target: 95%+)
- Time to eligibility determination (target: <5 minutes)
- Staff time saved per week
- User satisfaction score
Impact Metrics
- Reduction in time-to-first-service for qualified families
- Increase in staff capacity for case management
SOLUTION
A conversational AI chatbot that warmly guides applicants through the eligibility process and prequalifies patients based on screening criteria established by AbilityPath's care team.
Key Features
- HIPAA-compliant secure chat interface
- Natural language conversation flow
- Multi-language support (English, Spanish, Mandarin)
- Instant eligibility determination with explanation
- Automatic referral to appropriate programs or external resources
- Seamless handoff to staff for qualified applicants
User Flow
- Visit: Family visits AbilityPath website and starts chat
- Introduction: Agent introduces itself and explains the process
- Assessment: Conversational questions assess eligibility criteria
- Determination: Instant determination with clear next steps
- If Qualified: Schedule intake appointment
- If Not Qualified: Receive referrals to alternative resources
MY ROLE
Product Lead (Pro Bono)
- Led cross-functional team of 5 members (design, engineering, data)
- Conducted user research with staff and applicants
- Defined product requirements and success metrics
- Established AI evaluation framework
- Drove bi-weekly sprints over 4-month timeline
IMPACT & RESULTS
This AI screening agent represents a significant step forward in making social services more accessible and efficient. By automating the initial eligibility screening process, AbilityPath can redirect valuable staff time toward direct care and case management, ultimately helping more families access the services they need faster.
The project demonstrates how AI can be thoughtfully applied to address real-world challenges in the nonprofit sector, improving outcomes for both service providers and the communities they serve.
