The eligibility field within a service listing is where you must be crystal clear about what qualities attendees to your program must or must not have. Accurate eligibility criteria ensure that only suitable candidates are referred.
When a referral is submitted through Caredove, the referrer must indicate if the eligibility criteria have been met. If the referrer selects "Yes," it means the candidate meets the eligibility requirements. If "No/Unsure" is selected, a warning message appears, and the referrer is asked to submit a comment.
Types of Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Factors that registrants must have to qualify.
Exclusion Criteria: Factors that registrants must not have to qualify.
Examples
Inclusion: Must have a chronic condition.
Exclusion: Non-smoker.
"Or" Example: Must have at least one of the following: chronic condition, developmental disability, autism spectrum diagnosis.
Best Practices
Keep it brief: Use concise sentences. Lists are helpful.
Specify conditions or diseases: Indicate if your program is exclusively for certain conditions (e.g., people with diabetes, dementia, hearing loss).
Age requirements: Use the "Age Range" field to specify any age limits.
Use "and/or": If registrants need to meet at least one of the listed criteria, but not all, include "and/or."
Common Mistakes to Avoid when considering Eligibility criteria
Do not require motivation: Do not state that registrants need to be “motivated” or must “desire” to attend the program; this does not differentiate your program.
Do not specify residency: Do not indicate where a person needs to live to attend the program. Use the service area map in the service description. Other times, if a person is willing to travel, agencies will serve them.
Do not list benefits: Do not use the eligibility field to convey the benefits of the program; this belongs in the service description.
Don’t try to do too much: Avoid overloading criteria. If you list more than five criteria, consider revising. Consider saving some of the criteria for the initial assessment.
💡Tip: Review the eligibility requirements of similar programs in your area and build on the strengths of the clearest examples.
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