Price Tag for TIERS so far?

Go HERE and read about it.

Computer System Audit

Audit Reveals Security Gaps - But No Breaches - in Public Assistance Computer System

Corrie MacLaggan
Austin American-Statesman
8/25/2006

 

Personal information about Texans who receive public assistance could be at risk of being accessed by computer hackers, according to a new internal audit of the Health and Human Services Commission.

 

The audit, conducted for the agency by Clifton Gunderson LLP, identified several vulnerable areas of the computer backbone of the state's new system for determining eligibility for food stamps, Medicaid and other programs.

 

However, the study did not uncover any security breaches.

 

The computer system, TIERS, and the new call centers handling public assistance enrollment have been targets of criticism recently. A private group, the Texas Access Alliance, anchored by Accenture LLP, is administering the computer system and call centers.

 

The state has halted statewide rollout of the new enrollment system until problems with a Central Texas pilot program can be fixed.

 

Stephanie Goodman, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Commission, said the computer system works well and is an improvement over the old one.

 

*Wait, what?  It works well?  TIERS?  Actually, it does not work well, and you can ask any worker across the STATE that deals with TIERS and they will tell you the same thing.  Maybe it's an improvement over the old system once it IS working, but that's not the case yet.  It may never be.  I guess that's why local staff who work in the TIERS system are told to not 'bad mouth' TIERS to other staff across the Regions who aren't in TIERS yet.....but we all know the truth, don't we?

 

"What you want to do with an internal audit is test every possible way the system could conceivably fail," she said. "That doesn't mean it has failed. All tests like this reveal some weaknesses somewhere."

 

The audit found:

 

• The agency does not have a plan for monitoring computer system performance and security.

 

• The Texas Access Alliance does not ensure that all employees have background checks, increasing the risk that people with criminal backgrounds could access sensitive information.

 

*Sensitive information that includes people's name, dates of birth, social security numbers, bank account information, job information, living arrangements, etc.

 

• Computer user accounts are not always removed when employees change jobs or stop working for the agency or its contractor.

 

• Fraud prevention and detection controls for the system are not fully implemented.

 

"The audit shows that after costing $300 million and after three years in pilot, TIERS still isn't ready for prime time," said Will Rogers, a spokesman for the 12,000-member Texas State Employees Union, which has opposed the new public assistance enrollment system.

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Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Yahoo! Small Business.

So I suppose this means the State Employees really ARE good at what they do?

Need Help Applying for Public Benefits? Find Answers Saturday in Austin

Corrie MacLaggan
Austin American-Statesman
8/22/2006

 

For Central Texans who have had trouble enrolling in public assistance recently, here's a message from local officials: Try again.

 

On Saturday, anyone who needs help applying for Medicaid, food stamps, the Children's Health Insurance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families can come to the Austin Convention Center for help. State workers will be on hand to help with applications and answer questions.

 

The event is sponsored by the local legislative delegation, Mayor Will Wynn and the Austin City Council and nonprofit organizations. It is a response to problems some residents of Hays and Travis counties have had since the state turned over public assistance enrollment for those counties to a private contractor in January.

 

State officials have halted statewide rollout of the new system until problems with the Central Texas pilot can be resolved.

 

The problems include eligible Texans being denied services and talking to call center representatives who could not answer their questions.

 

"To the people who need those services, these glitches are measured in pain and illness untreated by a doctor," state Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin, said.

 

Organizers recommend that participants in Saturday's event bring documents to facilitate enrollment, such as birth certificates, driver's licenses and proof of income and residence. For help determining what documents to bring, call insure-a-kid at 324-2447.

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Little Sunday Reading.....

You can listen to an interview that Albert Hawkins did with Texas Public Policy Foundation ... if you can stomach it. Click HERE.

I hate to give DabJab any traffic- but you have to read this article and the comments that are there as well.......HERE is where you'll go for that.

What it is becoming out there....

As has been mentioned time and time again in the comments and on this blog- the media has no idea what is really going on. Used to, the articles pointed to the long hold times that people had when they called the call-centers.......now the articles all point out the long wait times at local offices WITHOUT mentioning that the reason the local offices are in such disarray is because we are severly SEVERLY short staffed.

We have offices working under 50% staffing. We have offices around the state with NO clerical support- workers are having to bear this. We have offices where there isn't anyone available to do the most mundane tasks- opening and distributing mail (for example)...and yet, it's almost as though the intent is to make the "State Employees" be the bad guys. Afterall, aren't we- the "state employees" the ones who are against Accenture/TAA just because we are "disgruntled" and angry we are losing our jobs? So what better way to "show" everyone why we need a "new system" than to have the local offices tank, little by little, and become inefficient and unable to handle the workload.

Is that what all this is?

Do you want to guest blog? Email me what you would like posted...and I'll post it. It's all anonymous, but if you want to put where you are- what area- that's fine.

Hang in there guys.

Worker tells of training problems with state contractor

Accenture group failed to give her knowledge she needed
By Corrie MacLaggan
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, August 11, 2006

When Amanda Morris started working at a private office that enrolls Texans in public assistance, she was trained to enter information into a computer about people who want to apply for benefits.

But she immediately found that most cases didn't involve signups. Clients needed to renew benefits, make changes to their accounts or update their address.

Thao Nguyen
AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Problems at the Texas Access Alliance may have affected public assistance recipients such as Diana Acosta, an Austin mother of two. Acosta, 43, who is on disability and does not have a job, said she received her food stamps two weeks late one month and her children were not enrolled in Medicaid for three months because TAA representatives said they did not have paperwork she had sent repeatedly.

And she didn't know how to do that.

"I trained for three weeks and was put onto the floor with about 2 percent knowledge of how to do my job," said Morris, 21, who works for a temp agency and has been on assignment since March with the San Antonio office of state contractor Texas Access Alliance.

Problems with worker training are one of the reasons the state has indefinitely delayed statewide rollout of that contractor's new call-in system to enroll Texans in food stamps, Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Morris' account sheds more light on the problems. A former Texas Access Alliance employee in San Antonio, who asked that her name not be used because it might affect her current job, said Morris' story matches her experience.

The state is paying more than $800 million over five years to the Texas Access Alliance, a consortium of private companies led by Accenture LLP, for the system, which has been in a pilot stage in Travis and Hays counties since January. The privatization was intended to save the state money.

Since the contractor took over, benefits recipients have reported getting inexplicably dropped from public assistance, talking to customer service representatives who couldn't answer their questions and being asked for information they'd already provided.

In response, the private group has retrained its call center employees and overhauled training for new hires, spokeswoman Mindy Brown said this week. Texas Access Alliance "has turned a major corner," she said.

"Our training is intensive and depends on each employee's role," Brown said. "If an employee feels they need additional training to do their job correctly, all they need to do is to speak with their supervisor and additional instruction can be arranged."

Stephanie Goodman, a spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said the reports of improved quality is a positive sign but that the state has not yet evaluated that. "We'll measure the success of the training by how well the call-center representatives respond to client questions and concerns," she said.

Morris, for one, said training sessions she's attended recently were just as ineffective as the original.

She admits she's bitter about her job: her boyfriend was one of several dozen people laid off from the San Antonio office earlier this summer, and she wishes she earned more than her $12-per-hour salary. But she says that as a former recipient of food stamps and Medicaid, she's concerned about the experiences of the 3 million Texans who receive public assistance.

"You have no idea how (messed) up this is getting," said Morris, who works with applications and renewals but does not take calls. "There's misorganization regarding documents. Information gets linked incorrectly or lost altogether."

For example, Morris said she recently found that a public assistance recipient had submitted an address change. But an employee flagged the file to indicate a change of state residency, instead. And another employee who handled the case didn't catch the error. So the family was sent a letter asking about their Texas residency, Morris said.

Morris attributes problems like this to a lack of training and co-workers who are "purposely lazy." In May, Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins announced that no new applications will be processed in the privately run San Antonio call center until the contractor improves.

Alton Martin, CEO of Customer Operations Performance Center, Inc., a New York-based call-center consultant, said the training problems aren't surprising.

When he asks call-center representatives at various sites whether they felt ready for their job, "about half the time they'll say training was really bad or nonexistent or not appropriate to the task."

Martin, whose company is not working with the Texas contract but has worked with Accenture on other projects, said that call center quality issues often stem from the contract.

"Maybe the state wasn't rigorous enough," said Martin, who works in Austin. "Lots of times people want to throw the vendor under the bus . . . (But) if you want a fast car, ask for a fast car."

Goodman, though, said the state has set a high bar and is doing its own quality checks.

The private call centers — located in San Antonio, Austin, Midland and Athens — are expected to replace some state offices where Texans sign up for public assistance. The new system gives Texans more ways to apply for public assistance — mail, fax, Internet and phone — as well as in person.

Mary Katherine Stout of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which advocates for limited government, said those who argue for the state to resume public assistance enrollment overlook problems with the outdated state system.

She recently visited a state benefits office in Fort Worth and found that despite having appointments, Texans were waiting hours. One public assistance recipient told Stout she has a rule of thumb for visiting the state office: pack a lunch.

cmaclaggan@statesman.com; 445-3548.

Opinion: Modernizing Texas Social Services

State Rep. Suzanna Hupp
Special to the Austin American-Statesman
8/8/2006

 

Want to take a trip back to the 1970s? Try visiting your local Food Stamps office. You'll find row after row of filing cabinets, computer screens with flashing neon green cursors and an occasional typewriter.

 

What office still has the computers with flashing neon green cursors?  I'm sorry, but I believe I have a new Dell computer (well, 3-4 years old)......could she be talking about the old Packard Bells?  I think those screens were orange.  And typewriters?  That's going back to the 70's?  I know that our office has ONE typewriter in the office that rarely, if ever, gets used.  BUT, it's there in case we need it for anything.  OH!  And if I'm not mistaken- I believe that cases were actually done on PAPER in the 70's.   I wasn't clear that DHS was so "Advanced" in the 70's that we were the ONLY agency with computers.....

 

It's definitely time for an upgrade.

 

Yes it is- and let's not act like IT didn't know that SAVERR (the ancient system that "seems to be able to get things done") COULD be converted to a web based program and upgraded.

 

Recently, in a letter to Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins, a number of my colleagues in the Texas Legislature and I reaffirmed our support for modernizing the eligibility system for programs such as Medicaid and Food Stamps. The massive overhaul of an antiquated system has not been easy. But it is necessary.

 

For years there has been an outcry for change to the system. Taxpayer dollars were being exhausted by a very labor-intensive system that cannot keep up with rising caseloads.

 

The new system will modernize the state's computer systems and business processes. It also will allow Texans to choose how they want to apply for services — in person, by phone (FNS still requires a signature to process an application for food stamps, so applying over the phone does nothing more than delay when their case gets started), over the Internet or by fax. These new options are being piloted in four offices in Travis and Hays counties. Although not off to an ideal start, these changes ultimately will make it easier for people to apply for services.

 

During a recent public hearing, a witness explained to lawmakers that she had to drive 30 minutes to a state office to simply pick up a children's Medicaid application (we would have mailed her one, all she has to do is call). This meant hiring someone to watch after her elderly mother and taking her 33-year-old autistic daughter and 10-year-old grandson with her to the office. When she arrived to the "extremely hot and overcrowded" office, she took number 99, only to discover they were on number 30. (the office is overcrowded now that most of the tenured staff has left after getting a layoff notice, and the people left are doing all they can to keep their heads above water) Because of her autistic daughter's reaction to strange environments, she finally had no other option but to leave the enrollment office, no better off than when she had arrived.

 

We must make it easier for Texans to apply for the services they need. (Had she gotten her application by mail, and then sent it back, the Children's Medicaid would have been done WITHOUT an interview even being required and her not having to come to the office again.)

 

In 2005, a statewide poll of Texas benefit recipients found that clients wanted more options, including the ability to apply by phone or Internet from the privacy of their own homes, when applying for benefits.  (Again, the clients that are now in the TIERS program - the one that DOESN'T work - are wishing we'd go BACK to the 'old' way, so that they could actually get their benefits...but I digress.)

 

In the new system, Texans still will be able to apply in person at one of more than 200 offices across the state in addition to the new methods. The system also uses technology and streamlined business processes to reduce costs.

 

All incoming and outgoing correspondence is scanned and saved to create an electronic case file that can be accessed from any state benefits office. That means that clients who move won't have to wait for their case files to catch up with them.

 

The modernization of the Texas social service system has drawn fire, some of which has been justified by issues discovered in the pilot phase. The state has been working closely with the contractor, the Texas Access Alliance, to address those problem areas before expanding the pilot to other regions.

 

But Texans should not forget where we came from — a system that caused frustration for the clients who depended on it and the state workers who administered it (State workers that administered it?  What is that supposed to mean?  That we were part of the problem?  Wow- to think all that hard work, and all that enhanced funding that the "state workers" worked so hard for- enhanced funding money that went straight to the GENERAL FUND...yes, let's not forget where we came from). We have made considerable progress in this worthwhile endeavor, and we are on track to provide Texas with a better social services eligibility system.

 

(If you would like to email Ms. Hupp and give her your thoughts on this article, click below and it will go straight to her page..........leave a comment if you do contact her.....)

 

Hupp, a Republican from Lampasas, represents the 54th District.

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Spin by Center for Health Care Policy Studies at the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Opinion: Wait's Out of Welfare; Why Aren't Critics Happy?

Mary Katherine Stout
Special to the Houston Chronicle
7/29/2006

 

Texas has undertaken an ambitious plan to overhaul the way applications for government assistance are handled. But over the last six months the plan has taken a pummeling at the hands of state employees unions and advocates for bigger government; they have relished the bad news and missteps dominating news reports of the new system.

 

Like blacksmiths facing the advent of the automobile, critics hope to forestall progress.

 

**I know that in our local office, we have long held the belief that if this system could work, and work WELL- benefitting the clients as a whole- we'd be all for it. 

 

In 2003, lawmakers directed the Health and Human Services Commission to establish and outsource call centers for all assistance programs, "if cost-effective." The commission contracted with a coalition of firms, led by Accenture, which began work late last year. The new system, allowing one-stop access to all assistance programs, was to be gradually implemented.

 

By using modern tools that have become standard conveniences — such as the Internet and phone (Internet and phone that a majority of our clients do not even have, but ok) — the new system is designed to control costs, increase efficiency and improve client accessibility. Rather than relying primarily on in-person interviews in a field office (which helps to insure a case is done correctly, and accurately- as the client is RIGHT THERE WITH YOU- also preventing fraud in that you could verify who you were interviewing) with limited hours of operation (easily solved if you only extend office hours in local offices- oh wait!  We did that and the response was deadtime), the new system also allows applicants extended hours by phone, and 24-hour online access (they can call an automated line RIGHT NOW in the "old world" 24/7 to check the status of their case.  That has always been available).

 

Real and perceived problems have stalled implementation. Meanwhile, critics have promoted stories of miscues, such as claims applications were inappropriately faxed to a warehouse in Seattle. The commission found that incident resulted from accidental misdialing by applicants, yet those opposing the new system wrongly cling to it as evidence of malfeasance.

 

Critics claim the old way is best and should be rebuilt, while others believe privatization will modernize the system.

 

In early July, 30 Texas House members sent Health and Human Services Commissioner Albert Hawkins a letter, expressing support for the new system and its promise to "bring administration of human services programs in Texas into the 21st century."

 

Two days later, 60 other members of the House sent a different letter to Hawkins, urging him to cancel the contract. They asked him to "commit the remaining resources to rebuild the human services eligibility system that, as little as two years ago, was among the best in the country."

 

The contrast in positions could not be more stark.

 

Of course, the old system — "the best in the country" (best in the country which was proven by way of accuracy rates and ENHANCED FUNDING BONUSES PAID TO THE TEXAS GENERAL FUND)— still serves most recipients of state assistance, since the new system isn't available statewide. Critics pan the new system, holding a seemingly romanticized notion of the old ways. Perhaps they should consider what the "old" system was like.

 

In a recent visit to a field office outside the "pilot" area, I sat for two hours in a room with dozens of people, many of whom arrived long before me, and would remain long after I left. One man was in the same office the day before, only to be told that his application couldn't be finished that day and he would need to return the next. On day two he arrived 50 minutes early for an 11 o'clock appointment, but wasn't seen until after 4 p.m.

 

As one woman waited more than three hours for her appointment, she said the rule of thumb was to "pack a lunch." She later learned her name had been called while stepping outside, missing her "appointment." She was instructed to return the next day, despite protests she had other state-required appointments to keep and difficulty in finding transportation.

 

Considering her instructions to return the next day, perhaps she will also begin taking a sleeping bag.

 

The waiting room had no reading material, no information on finding a job, getting a degree, locating community resources, getting parenting guidance or child care. While waiting, some attended to their children; others talked on their cellular phones.

 

Most people spent hours just waiting — unproductively. (I would hope that you aren't making the broad generalizations based on a visit to one office.  I know that in the office I work in, I see upwards of 10-15 appointments everyday ON TIME.  I certify my clients timely.  I assure you that you would not find that to the be the case every single day in every single office.  To write about it based on that one experience is wrong.)

 

While many would argue this is the result of short-staffed offices (that is EXACTLY why this is happening across the state- some offices have lost anywhere from 20% to 80% of their staff!  What in the world can anyone expect? If the only grocery store in town lost 80% of its checkers, what kind of wait do you think that would cause?), the reality is that there is no excuse for a horse-and-buggy system when considering the technology now available (That horse and buggy system never had a client waiting MONTHS for their Food Stamp case to be completed.  Everyone involved with TIERS knows it does NOT WORK like SAVERR does). A system that treats people with such lack of dignity, and with no respect for their time, is simply indefensible. (Thank your local Congressmen and Albert Hawkins for that).

 

At one time many of the new system's critics would have agreed. For years they pointed to the inconvenience of going to a field office for in-person interviews (just FYI- but now that we are doing virtually ALL phone interviews, clients are realizing that coming in isn't that big of an inconvenience if that means their case could be finished the same day.  When doing interviews by phone, 99% of the cases must be delayed for futher information-information that the client may have had with them at the interview had it been a face to face interview), highlighting the virtues of one-stop shopping and demanding change based on client dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction with the system they now claim is superior to all others. (Dissatisfaction with a system that actually got people CERTIFIED timely.  Clients are like anyone else- if you tell them you can make something easier, they are all for it- but in non-pilot areas- we are dealing with clients that are in the TIERS system that practically beg local office staff to please take them OUT of the "new and improved system" and let them stay in the old system....of course, we are 'told' that is not possible- even though everyone knows that it is).

 

Reports of real problems in the new system cannot be taken lightly, and taxpayers should demand efficiency for every tax dollar. But calls to end the project and return to the old way are simply insufficient. To ignore the opportunity to deliver services more efficiently for taxpayers and more conveniently for the recipients, despite having the resources to do so, is unacceptable.

 

The state must move forward using well-established technologies that deliver better efficiency for taxpayers, along with greater convenience for the recipients of state benefits.

 

Mary Katherine Stout is the director of the Center for Health Care Policy Studies at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a nonprofit research institute based in Austin.

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Groups are talking. We´re listening. Check out the handy changes to Yahoo! Groups.

Feedback from the Hearings on Wednesday

Got this via email from someone who was at the hearing Wednesday:

Hello- I was at the hearing yesterday about chip and iee. Two important
items stood out for me.

1-- I believe we all understand the 5 yr. contract period to have begun in 1/06 or 12/05 and that there is approx. 4.5 yrs. left in the contract. Hawkins was saying that the 5 yrs. begins when full rollout begins. Uresti then asks - does this mean this is a 10 yr. or 20 yr. contract? Hawkins is saying - well we don't know-Huh? are we going to be working into the next millenium on this?

2-- I have understood that if this contract adventure does not work out, the eligibility would revert back to the state. I seem to recall this as something that was mentioned as the fall back position to coax us into supporting integrated eligibility. But no, I was wrong and naive. HHSC atty. Steve Aragon was saying that if, and it's not going to happen because the contract is going to work, but if the contract were to fail, we would have to look for someone else. Not, this will go back to the state, but get used to being private because that's what's happening whether we like it or not. I think this is a new spin position of hhsc.

Interesting article, with many comments

Read this article HERE, then read all the comments.

Are there any ART workers reading here? If not, can someone forward this post to them- I'd like to know what their response is to the "Craig" that left a comment to this article.

Decision months away on call center sanctions

Despite performance, state says it doesn't plan to drop privatization
08:49 AM CDT on Thursday, July 27, 2006
By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – The state has to gather so much evidence before it penalizes the private vendor running social services call centers that any decision about sanctions could be many months away, officials suggested Wednesday.

**By the time the state gets around to sanctioning Accenture, it will probably already be in the process of being sanctioned by the Feds......because we ALL know that's coming.

The state's top social services officials told lawmakers that they are still in the early stages of assessing possible damages for poor performance, which they can seek under a five-year, $899 million contract with a group led by Accenture Ltd., a consulting and outsourcing company.
But Health and Human Services Commissioner Albert Hawkins said he isn't retreating from privatization of social program signups, despite calls by 60 House members and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell for him to cancel the contract.

*But of course, why in the world would Albert Hawkins listen to House Members? I mean, who are they to him, right? Albert Hawkins only does as he pleases- studies be damned- workers in the field who DO this work everyday be damned- clients be damned.

"The concept of the new model provides many more benefits to our clients, to our workers and to our state taxpayers," Mr. Hawkins said. "And that's why the goals of the initiative are the right goals to pursue."

Both Mr. Hawkins, an appointee of Gov. Rick Perry, and Accenture executive Randy Willis acknowledged that the outsourcing effort has had some failures, especially last winter.

But they told the House Government Reform Committee that abandoned calls, wait times and errors are down (maybe that's the case because the State was given back the work and now instead of clients calling 2-1-1 they come in the local office for service- if they DO call 2-1-1, guess what they are told? To go to the local office), while service is improving for Texans seeking to apply for social services. Staffing is up at the vendor's four call centers, they said; a fourth opened this month in Athens.

Still, Mr. Hawkins wouldn't say when the state would resume rolling out the new system, which will close many state eligibility field offices as more aid seekers apply by Internet, phone or fax, not an office visit. (Once again- clients have ALWAYS been able to apply by fax. The internet? I mean, let's be real- they go to the website and download the application which then has to be faxed or mailed into the local offices. And, let's not leave out the fact that if the client is applying for FOOD STAMPS they must SIGN the application before it is accepted- so they cannot apply by PHONE. They can give basic info, then must wait for the application to be sent to them, so they can sign, and return. No one has EVER had to make an 'office visit' to apply).

Poorly trained call center operators, technological problems and state rule changes threatened to overwhelm the vendor earlier this year.

Mr. Hawkins said the state has spent more than it expected to help train the private employees. He said that he doesn't know how much that cost but that the money can be recouped in a "fairly simple and straightforward" adjustment to Accenture's future bills.

The state has paid the vendor $103 million.

Mr. Hawkins said the contract was tightly written to protect taxpayers, though some provisions also protect Accenture. The state has to document any allegations of failure to perform and let Accenture respond, he said. He declined to say when he might rule on sanctions.

"The payment structure, the key performance requirements, all of it comes in to make a very complex contract structure," Mr. Hawkins said.

Celia Hagert, a nutrition expert with the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a progressive think tank that has criticized the state for rushing the privatization without adequate testing, said a decision on sanctions could take years, not months.

"It would require an incredible amount of work ... by state staff in order to make the case just for a simple penalty," she said.

While people all over the state can apply electronically or by phone for children's health insurance, that can be done for adult aid only in the Austin-San Marcos area.

Even there, the state is still not confident enough of the vendor's capability to let private workers handle new applications. The private workers have focused on reducing a backlog, while state workers process new applications.

Accenture's Mr. Willis said a subcontractor running its Midland call center has had to raise operators' wages to reduce turnover. They are now paid $8.75 an hour, up from $8. (Where is my Accenture commentor from before? The one that said the employees made WAY more than $8? I do believe this quote came from someone FROM Accenture- they've raised what they are paying their employees- to $8.75! That doesn't exactly match that $40,000 year quote that was left in comments on this blog, does it?)

E-mail rtgarrett@dallasnews.com

Update

The post below, from the client who blogged about her issues? She has updated the situation and you can read about it HERE.

Remember the Days

Remember when Burton Raiford was the Commish and you NEVER saw him- then Eric Bost came along and actually got out and about among the masses? Of course, we didn't know at the time what would become of Mr Bost, but it was refreshing to see the head of the agency out talking to the ones that work in the field!

Remember QC Rallies? Remember they'd bring in a comedian or something to lighten the mood and make you laugh until you couldn't breathe?

Remember how you felt like the average John Doe didn't think you did anything worthwhile - but you always felt like "Administration" cared about what you did?

Remember BJST! Lifelong friendships could be made in those classes, couldn't they? You bonded with the 20 or so "new workers" and even if you scattered out to various offices after BJST was over, you still kept in touch through email or no, SPEED MEMOS!

Remember those slow computers!? Packard Bells! Ugly Orange Screens that were slow as can be!

We got supplemental trainings: PRA Training, Changes Training, Self-Employment Training, Case Clues Training, Quarterly Revision Training, Stress Management Training, "Who's on First" for Trainees, QC Rallies, Worker Conferences......

Remember the days when you could put in your time, and put in for a promotion and get a Worker III job, then a Supervisor job. If you wanted, you could apply for a job with the Training Unit- or if you were in Austin- you could end up in State Office. There was a job track!

Remember MATP's? I can remember having to stay late in the office so all the MATP's could be issued to all those expedites, then we'd get up and do it again the next day.

Remember the days when you felt like you were actually helping people?

How do we get that back? Can we?

New posting by another blogger

Father John has a new post up today about the fiasco that is HHSC. Go check it out!

News for the Day

July 18, 2006, 6:43AM
Lawyer says state unlikely to drop call center contractor
Associated Press

AUSTIN -- The Health and Human Services Commission probably won't act on a request made by 60 lawmakers that it fire the contractor in charge of enrolling people in public assistance, the agency's top lawyer said. (read the rest of the article HERE)

************************************************************************************

Local reps against call center contracts
New method alters way of applying for public assistance
By Michael HinesTimes Record News
July 18, 2006

Area state lawmakers are part of a push to end a new method for applying for public assistance services such as Medicaid and food stamps. (read the rest of the article HERE)

Clients speak out!

Here is a synopsis of a client navigating the 'system' since 'privatization'- you can read it HERE.

Articles out there in the Blog World about HHSC

Outsource Accenture-Bay Area Houston

60 State Reps Demand Accenture be Fired from HHS Account-Dallas Blog

More Accenture? - Capitol Annex

Fire Accenture! - Off the Kuff

If it's broke, don't fix it-PinkDome

Accenture's view of the work for HHS-Dallas Blog

Left Hand,Right Hand-South Texas Chisme

I've added links on the blog to Blog Searches for both "Accenture" and "HHSC"- it's a quick way to see what's being said out there.....

If you come across something of interest that you have not seen here, please email me the link or leave it in comments and I'll get it posted.

The more we spread the word, the better.

Joining the Union

This blog is not going to preach about joining the Union....but I must say that if you are not a member of the Union, you should be.

 

Historically, many employees feel like that because we do not have the right to bargain or strike, that there isn't anything the Union can do for us.  However, I must say that I implore anyone reading here is NOT a member of the Union to realize and understand that the Union is working very hard to get this Agency back.  They work with your State Representives in getting client services back to acceptable levels and work to save your jobs.

 

I wasn't a member of the Union for many years due to the fact that I was unaware of what the Union could do for ME specifically.  However, I've come to realize that what is good for me is good for everyone and vice versa.  If the Union can, for example, sway State Reps who were previously ALL FOR privatization to rethink their position, this is a huge positive.  They are hard at work all the time making phone calls, making visits, dealing with whoever they possibly can to help others on the outside see the light of what has happened with the contract with Accenture.  We, front line staff, knew all along that the push to privatize was never going to work.  We said it from the very beginning.  State Reps had no idea of the amount of work we really did, and all they saw was Hawkins and Co. say they were going to save Texas millions of dollars.  Nevermind the fact that pre-Accenture, Texas was GETTING millions from the Feds in enhanced funding ALREADY.  The Enhanced Funding Bonuses that were being paid to Texas were the direct result of Advisors ensuring that cases were worked accurately and timely. 

 

If you haven't already, click on the link to the Union and just read up on it.  Consider it.  There IS power in numbers.  Imagine if the entire agency was part of the Union- this would increase the amount of money the Union needs to lobby FOR us.  If you are already a member of the Union, I encourage you to become a member of COPE. 

 

If you aren't a member now and would like more information, leave a comment....I'll do my best to find out what you need.

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Timeliness/Delinquencies

Can anyone shed light on what is going on in your area as far as exceptions being given to worker staff who are experiencing delinquencies due to the overload of applications? I read in a comment in another post that someone wasn't getting exceptions? How can that be? If an application is not scheduled until the 30th day (for example) it was going to be delinquent before the worker even touches it!

Are you getting exceptions? If not, what are the reasons being given? If not, are you being held accountable on your evaluations for the delinquencies?

Opinion: Don't Throw Good Social Services Money After Bad

Staff Editorial
Lufkin Daily News
7/14/2006

 

There was plenty of skepticism beforehand as to whether privately owned call centers could effectively handle the state's public assistance enrollment program.

 

So far, the performance of Texas Access Alliance – the group of companies awarded an $899 million, five-year contract to handle benefit enrollment – has done nothing to inspire confidence that the plan will work.

 

In fact, there has been no "performance" to judge, because the program has not yet been instituted. Problems with technology, personnel and training caused the state to delay the rollout of the program that would turn over the enrollment process for those seeking food stamps, Medicaid and welfare. They also delayed the layoff of at least 1,000 state employees due to the inability of TAA to get the program up and running.

A group of 60 legislators, among them Democratic state Rep. Jim McReynolds of Lufkin, have written a letter asking the state to cancel the program, according to a Wednesday story by Cox News Service.

 

McReynolds is one of 48 Democrats and 12 Republicans asking Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins to cancel the contract due to the inability of Accenture, the "anchor" of the TAA program, to get the program up and running.

 

Hawkins had already halted the statewide expansion of the new eligibility system "until concerns can be resolved," but the group of legislators is now recommending the contract be canceled. They appear to be of the opinion that it's better to cut the state's losses now, at $103 million, than to continue with a company that has been so far unable to produce on a single "deliverable."

 

A group of 30 legislators, all Republican, has written a letter in support of the contract, although they did approve of Hawkins' decision to delay the expansion.

 

We agree with McReynolds' group. Accenture has been given plenty of time, and money, to produce something other than excuses. They have not.

 

We've already said that we disagreed with the state's plan to turn over the system to call centers. If there are to be any savings, and that's yet to be proven, we don't believe it would be enough to justify the loss to those who depend on the system.

 

However, if the decision has been made to go to such a system, then they should at least be assured of some degree of success.

 

The present contractor hasn't been able to deliver that assurance.

 

We shouldn't throw $796 million in good money after bad.

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