Terre Penn Field Services Administrator Community Services Division Re-engineering During Economic Turmoil And Increased Workloads

DSHS Client Counts* Economic Services Medical Assistance Mental Health Alcohol & Substance Aging and Adult Services Developmental Disabilities Vocational Rehabilitation Juvenile Rehabilitation Washingtons Department of Social & Health Services Over 18,000 employees $21.3 billion biennial budget (35% of the States total budget) Over 2 million clients – 1 out of every 4 Washington residents *2008 Data

Document Management System Eligibility Determination System Case Management Client Interfaces Call Centers (SW Virtual) Benefit Portal (online app.) Answer Phone IVR (client info) Client check-in

Inconsistent practices Culture of local office autonomy – Our office is different! Caseload assignment model Excessive policies/ procedures Increased time a family waits for benefits High case re-work Staff burn-out and frustration Decreased staff morale High risk for penaltiesIMPACTS

Reduced interview wait times Reduced average days to process Increased Accuracy Same day benefit determinations

Ability to monitor operations in real-time. Ability to better manage work flow. Data driven decisions. Staff actively involved in ongoing process improvements – Kaizen!

APPROACH: 1. Business re-engineering 2. Policy changes & waivers 3. Realigned staff

Formal project Steering Committee Goals/Guiding Principles Customer, advocate and staff input

New waivers to support business re-engineering: Face-to-face interview waiver Interview scheduling waiver Already in place: Categorical eligibility Simplified reporting Verify HH composition only when questionable and not verify shelter Standard utility allowance (low income heating & energy assistance program – LIHEAP)

Eligibility Workers: 48% 56% Reduced clerical staff eligibility workers Reduced social services staff eligibility workers Attrition change job classifications Union collaboration

How do you structure a project of this magnitude? Demand accountability? Add staff? Add technology? Risk sanctions? Reorganize?

70%-80% of clients are not there to apply anyway.

The key is to reconnect workers with value- added work. Enable workers to do 1-2 hrs worth of work in 1-2 hrs – not 30 days! Free the constrained resources

OLD MODEL = caseload assignment NEW MODEL = process management

Core Business Processes

Triage – not treating everyone the same First Contact Resolution Consistent set of business practices across offices to facilitate sharing of workload Reduced verification Applied active management

Leadership Commitment Strong project management Actively engaged staff at all levels Involved customers and advocates Design teams comprised of local office staff

AREABENEFITS Online Application110+ FTE capacity Same Day Service250+ FTE capacity Managing Client Flow (Triage)Faster processing times; Less client wait times Managing Case Flow Reduced Processing Times Standards140+ FTE capacity Statewide call center Economies of scale

Partnering Communicate, communicate, communicate! Outside assistance and guidance

Improvement Area$ Office Re-Engineered Processes$ 7,147,343 Call Centers 21,600,000 Subtotal28,747,343 Project Costs- 1,798,125 Estimated Total Savings$ 26,949,218 Traditional method to meet need (adding staff) = +$38 million

Difficult in the best times Economic situation – amplifies the need for change while making it more difficult Culture change takes time!

Reality Rising caseloads Decreasing budget Limitations of existing business systems Risks Our common goals

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING

We never could have kept up with the increased workload. Standards help us know exactly what other offices are doing so we can respond to clients better. Everything is measured so you know exactly where you are.

Your operations are different… Laws Policies Technology Standards But our core processes (intake, verifications, and maintenance) are the same!

Project information: CALFRESH website This presentation plus resource material

Thank you…