Accela Launches New COVID-19 Response Solutions to Help State and Local Governments Manage High Volumes of Vital Citizen Services and Empower Remote Staff

Cloud solutions built to help agencies address the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and keep critical government services running can be implemented in as little as 24-72 hours

News provided by

Accela

Mar 26, 2020, 06:00 ET

SAN RAMON, Calif., March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Accela, the leading provider of cloud-based solutions for government, in response to accelerated customer demand for digital service capability during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic today announced a suite of new Response Solutions designed to help government agencies address rising challenges and navigate new modes of business operation during "shelter-in-place" and "social distancing" mandates. The solutions for online citizen services, mobile capabilities for agency staff, virtual inspections, and more help governments during the COVID-19 crisis by giving agencies the ability to work remotely and manage high volumes of services needed in a time of crisis. They are specific to the needs of response efforts, can be rapidly implemented, and include necessary training. Accela is prepared to partner with any agency to ensure they can support their citizens during this time, regardless of resource constraints.

"Now more than ever, state and local governments are facing larger-than-life challenges in maintaining the health and wellbeing of their communities as COVID-19 continues to spread across the country," said Jonathon Knight, Chief Customer Officer at Accela. "Accela is committed to doing whatever it can to equip governments with the best technology available to ensure remote staff can continue operating critical services virtually to keep their communities safe and healthy during this unprecedented time."

State and local leaders are the first responders dealing directly with the public health and economic fallout from the virus and the pressure to efficiently address its impact on communities—with limited resources and surging citizen demand. The new Accela COVID-19 Response Solutions are designed to match the pressures of the pandemic and can be deployed within approximately 1-14 days, depending on the solution implemented.

The full suite of Accela COVID-19 Response Solutions includes:

Online citizen services to enable city or county offices to fulfill their charters while working remotely, without in-person citizen interactions
Mobile inspection capabilities for agency staff to enable field workers to perform critical inspections while mitigating risks
Inspections for temporary structures or medical facilities that enable the rapid expansion of hospital capacity to address anticipated surges in patient volume
Temporary childcare center licensing so agencies can review, approve, and manage temporary childcare programs during the pandemic
Virtual inspections to continue construction projects via photos, videos or other virtual means, such as live video conferencing
Delivery driver registration to increase access to essentials, such as food and medicine, particularly for elderly or at-risk individuals
Health professional registration to quickly certify or recertify qualified healthcare workers in the event medical facilities need to supplement staff and increase hospital capacity
Emergency occupancy information collection and tracking to address public safety concerns around homeless individuals occupying vacant structures

To further help agencies, Accela is offering free, live, instructor-led video training courses to guide customers and new users on the solutions.

Today's announcement reinforces Accela's commitment to partner with state and local governments to deliver modern digital tools that keep government services moving and protect citizens across the country. Its existing suite of out-of-the-box Civic Applications includes solutions to streamline Planning, Building, Environmental Health, Business and Occupational Licensing, and more. Online services keep construction projects, inspections, licensing processes, and applications moving forward, and ensure critical public safety activities continue. To learn more about how Accela is helping governments address the impacts of COVID-19, read "How Accela Customers Are Protecting Their Communities in Response to COVID-19" and CEO Gary Kovacs's recent blog post here.

To learn more about Accela Civic Solutions, please visit https://www.accela.com/solutions/.

About Accela

Accela provides market-leading cloud solutions that empower the most innovative state and local governments around the world to build thriving communities, grow businesses and protect citizens. More than 275 million citizens globally benefit from Accela's solutions, which are powered by Microsoft Azure, for permitting, licensing, code enforcement and service request management. Accela's fast-to-implement Civic Applications, built on its robust and extensible Civic Platform, help agencies address specific needs today, while ensuring they are prepared for any emerging or complex challenges in the future. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with additional offices around the world. For more information, visit www.accela.com.

Contact: Kate Helete, (805) 458-5093, [email protected]

SOURCE Accela