Saturday, February 27, 2010

Hello!!

So sorry to have not been posting lately- have been very busy in both my personal and business life!

However, I'm here now and have some interesting info...

Evidently, the state has hired Stanley Stewart from Michigan for "consulting" to help get Texas back on track. FNS is likely breathing down the new Commissioner's neck while he tries to clean up the mess made by Albert Hawkins.

Anyway, so TIERS rollout is back ON. Region 1- Lubbock/Abilene area is next to roll out in May. After that, from what I've heard, ElPaso area is after that then SAN ANTONIO! It will be very interesting to see what rollout does to TIERS and it's ability to maintain the caseload.

As it is now, TIERS still has issues where it slows down so much that it's difficult to get a case done quickly. ESPECIALLY at the end of the month, when all recertifications are due.

It's also interesting that the State saw fit to take away local office's "On Site Support" staff who offered technical support to local office staff for TIERS. Now, ART (Assistance Response Team) helps troubleshoot, but that's not really what the state needs. ART has many "bad habits" and to share those with local office staff just makes a case having issues even worse.

So I've heard that it's Mr. Stewart that is advising to do an aggresive rollout and have the whole state in TIERS within a year.

I want to be optimistic about this, and hope it will work and that TIERS does not crash all around us, but I have to be realistic also.

Any gossip out there? Put it in comments.

Letter to the Editor regarding "Bridges"- the computer system in Michigan that's similar to TIERS that Stanley Stewart rolled out in Michigan...

DPHHS contract: In Michigan, Deloitte did all work in-state (Deloitte? As in the same Deloitte that Texas contracts with? Interesting)


Official: Texas Has Worst-Ranked Food Stamp Program