Community resource

Resource Directory — Schema & Query Guide

Overview

The resource directory at data/mo-resources.json is a structured, queryable database of social service organizations. Use this instead of the prose-based references/mo-resources.md when you need to find specific resources by domain, geography, or population.

Schema

Each resource entry has these fields:

Field	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	✓	Unique identifier
`name`	string	✓	Organization name
`domain`	string[]	✓	Service domains (food, housing, mental_health, etc.)
`type`	string	✓	Organization type (hotline, cmhc, food_bank, legal_aid, government, etc.)
`phone`	string		Primary phone number
`phone_alt`	string		Alternative phone / text line
`address`	string		Physical address
`website`	string		Website URL
`hours`	string		Operating hours
`coverage`	string	✓	Geographic coverage (national, statewide, eastern_mo, stl_metro, etc.)
`counties`	string[]		Specific counties served (for sub-state orgs)
`population`	string[]	✓	Target population (all, low_income, seniors, disabled, children, veterans, etc.)
`cost`	string		Cost model (free, sliding_scale, income_based, suggested_donation)
`insurance`	string[]		Insurance accepted (medicaid, medicare, private, uninsured)
`description`	string	✓	Brief description of services
`verified`	string	✓	Date the entry was last verified (YYYY-MM-DD)
`note`	string		Special notes (waitlist info, restrictions, seasonal availability)

Query Patterns

By domain

Find all resources matching a service domain:

domain includes "food" → returns food banks, pantries, SNAP, WIC
domain includes "mental_health" → returns CMHCs, hotlines, peer support
domain includes "crisis" → returns crisis hotlines and stabilization

By geography

coverage = "statewide" → returns state-level resources
coverage = "stl_metro" → returns St. Louis metro area resources
coverage = "national" → returns national hotlines and programs
counties includes "St. Louis County" → returns county-specific resources

By population

population includes "seniors" → returns aging-specific resources
population includes "disabled" → returns disability-specific resources
population includes "all" → returns general-population resources

Combined queries

domain = "mental_health" AND coverage = "stl_metro" AND insurance includes "medicaid"
→ returns Medicaid-accepting mental health providers in St. Louis metro

How to Use in Practice

When generating a referral

Identify the client's domain need, location, and special characteristics
Query the directory for matching resources
Verify via web search before sharing phone numbers or addresses
Format as a Referral Card (see references/output-formats.md)

When building a service plan

Query multiple domains for the client's identified needs
Include the organization name, phone, and how-to-access in the plan
Note the verified date — if older than 6 months, verify before sharing

Adding new resources

To add a resource, append a new entry to the resources array with all required fields. Ensure:

id is unique (use pattern: region-shortname)
domain uses the standard domain vocabulary
verified is set to today's date
description is brief and accurate

Standard Domain Vocabulary

food, housing, mental_health, substance_use, healthcare, education,
employment, legal, children, family, public_safety, disability,
aging, transportation, crisis, financial, immigration, reentry

Standard Population Vocabulary

all, low_income, seniors, disabled, children, children_0_3,
children_under5, school_age, families_with_children, veterans,
pregnant, lgbtq_youth, justice_involved, homeless, immigrants,
caregivers, medicare, families_prenatal_5, families_children_disabilities,
all_rural

Maintenance

Quarterly review: Check all verified dates; re-verify entries older than 6 months
Phone number changes: These are the most common updates — verify before sharing
New entries: Community partners, navigators, and staff can submit new resources
Removal: If an organization closes, remove the entry (don't just mark it — stale entries cause harm)
Audit trail: Update verified date with every verification, even if nothing changed

Nonpartisan informational resource for Missouri — District 2 — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Source: dougdevitre/access-to-services.

Paid for by Matt Grant for Congress.