To meet a nearly unlimited need for mental health services, People Incorporated Mental Health Services (People Incorporated) embraced digital innovation that empowers their workforce and elevates care.
People Incorporated, a nonprofit community-based mental health provider serving Minnesota with primary focus on the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota areas, has lived its mission since 1969: ensuring individuals living with mental illness are supported and incorporated—never isolated—within the communities they call home. Known for compassion and innovation, the organization serves more than 13,000 clients annually across crisis residences, outpatient clinics, case management, homeless outreach, and behavioral health services.
As the organization expanded over the years, leadership recognized the importance of adopting a more integrated and scalable technology platform—one capable of supporting coordinated care, modernizing operations, and strengthening financial performance. In 2019, People Incorporated issued a comprehensive request for proposal (RFP) and ultimately selected the Qualifacts Credible electronic health record (EHR) to support their long-term digital strategy.
The Implementation Journey: From Pandemic Obstacles to Operational Wins
People Incorporated began implementing Credible in January 2020—just months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite unprecedented disruption, both teams pushed forward using fully virtual collaboration.
Thanks to a strong partnership and a committed Qualifacts implementation staff, People Incorporated successfully went live in just seven months.
The impact of that effort is substantial:
- 300 payer setups configured
- 4.35 million services entered to date
This strong foundation has paved the way for transformative improvements across the organization.
Critical Improvements: A New Standard of Efficiency and Integration
Since adopting Credible, People Incorporated has realized significant advancements across clinical workflows, billing operations, medication safety, and data visibility.
Integrated, Collaborative Care Planning: A single, unified treatment plan per client supports true whole-person care. Providers can collaborate across programs in real time, a model that has drawn attention from other Credible customers seeking to strengthen their own coordination practices.
Billing Accuracy and Revenue Cycle Enhancement: Credible’s tools have strengthened People Incorporated’s revenue cycle through:
- Automated “Red X” claim validation
- More predictable cash flow
- Clear, easily reconcilable monthly invoicing
Medication Safety with eMAR: Credible’s eMAR has reduced medication administration risks and improved compliance, supporting consistent, safe nursing workflows.
Enhanced ePrescribing: Upgraded eRx workflows improve efficiency, reduce errors, and support a more client-centered experience.
Enterprise Visibility Through Data & Analytics: With advanced search, BI Connector (formerly web services), and integrated Qualifacts Data & Analytics solution, People Incorporated:
- Provides real-time dashboards to leaders
- Enables staff to pull the data they need independently
- Feeds EHR data into their enterprise data lake for advanced analytics and data science
A Stronger Culture Through Partnership: People Incorporated values its collaborative relationship with Qualifacts and notes meaningful engagement through:
- State and national user groups
- Active communities of practice (Qualifacts Partnership Committees, CCBHC cohort, and more)
- Responsive, knowledgeable support
- A continuous feedback loop that drives product improvements
As Dan Carlson, VP of Enterprise Solutions of People Incorporated, shares, “The improvements we’ve made aren’t just incremental—they’ve fundamentally changed how our teams work. With an integrated, reliable system, we have clearer workflows, stronger collaboration, and more confidence in our data, which directly strengthens the care we provide.”
Strategic Alignment: Technology as a Force Multiplier for Community Mental Health
People Incorporated has intentionally tied its mission and vision to five strategic objectives:
- Harness digital innovation to enhance quality, efficiency, and scalability
- Drive equitable and sustainable workforce development
- Deliver excellence in access, care, and outcomes
- Position the organization as a recognized leader in community mental health
- Achieve financial excellence and sustainability
Qualifacts and the Credible EHR are central to these efforts. By providing a unified, reliable, and integrated platform, Credible supports more efficient workflows, reduces administrative burden, and expands organizational capacity without requiring additional staffing. Enhanced data access, automated processes, and whole person treatment planning all directly support People Incorporated’s strategic goals.
A key element of their digital roadmap is to: Increase the percentage of staff time spent on direct care activities by 25% over the next three years.
Credible plays an essential role in this transformation. Automation and streamlined documentation processes allow staff to focus more time on client care, helping People Incorporated respond to rising demand amid national workforce shortages. The partnership ensures technology is not only aligned with strategy—it actively accelerates it.
Looking ahead, People Incorporated will continue to deepen this strategy through additional Qualifacts solutions. In fact, they recently implemented Qualifacts’ Client Engagement Suite (CES) to expand virtual visit capabilities, strengthen client communication, enhance scheduling efficiency, reduce no-shows, and help minimize the financial losses associated with missed appointments. Meanwhile, Qualifacts iQ Clinical Documentation, the integrated AI note-taking solution, will help reduce documentation time, improve scheduling accuracy, and accelerate comprehensive evaluations—particularly supporting CCBHC compliance. These tools further ensure that technology not only aligns with their mission and strategy but continually advances it.
Shared Mission, Shared Impact
The partnership between People Incorporated and Qualifacts is grounded in a shared commitment to strengthening community mental health through innovation. Both organizations believe technology should not only increase efficiency but elevate the quality and impact of care.
As Mike Turpin, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel People Incorporated, states, “When technology mirrors mission, organizations don’t just operate better—they serve better.”
Together, People Incorporated and Qualifacts are advancing staff capacity, elevating care, strengthening financial sustainability, and empowering data-driven leadership—positioning People Incorporated at the forefront of digital innovation in community mental health.
