Today the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced they have begun rolling out the new Hybrid Welfare system in the ten counties that comprise the Vanderburgh Region. These counties are: Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Warrick and Vanderburgh.
"This is an exciting day for our clients and for our staff as we begin a new system of approving and delivering services for more than 1.2 million Hoosiers we serve," commented Secretary Anne Murphy. "We listened to our providers, advocates, employees and clients and have combined what worked best in the old system and the modernized system for the Hybrid."
As was previously announced, the Hybrid System will allow for increased face-to-face contact between case workers and clients who desire it, while maintaining the electronic advancements of modernization. To this end, local county office staff has increased, calls to FSSA's 1-800 number (1-800-403-0864) can now be routed to the caller's local county office based on their zip code, and case workers will work in teams to ensure that clients are served in their local county office and fraud, which was prevalent in the old system, will remain low.
The changes which have occurred are as follows:
- Beginning January 18, 2010, calls to FSSA's 1-800 number (1-800-403-0864) from the Vanderburgh Region can be routed to the local county office of the caller.
- Beginning January 25, 2010, case workers in the local county offices increased by twenty (20) with fourteen (14) case workers identified for Vanderburgh County. The remainder were for the other counties within the Vanderburgh Region.
- Beginning January 25, 2010, SNAP (also known as Food Stamps) recertifications are completed in the local county offices.
- Additional changes will be communicated as they occur.
Important points on the Hybrid System:
- A significant change between the Hybrid System and the modernized system is an increased availability of face-to-face contact.
- Local county office staff has been increased by twenty (20) in the Vanderburgh Region.
- Local County Office Team Concept:
- Clients will be served by a team in their county (as opposed to the modernized system where cases may have been handled by employees from around the state).
- Team members will have the ability to assist and access client's cases in the county.
- Teams will allow newer case workers to work with more experienced case workers and learn from their example.
- The two-tiered system will remain.
- The two-tiered system consists of having a different employee approve benefits from the employee that processes the case. This adds more accountability and allows mistakes to be corrected.
- The two-tiered system has reduced claims of employee fraud.
- Clients who wish to talk to one of their team members will have their calls automatically transferred to their local county office rather than a centralized call center.
- Clients will still be able to have documents scanned at the local county office.
- Clients will still be able to call the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System to receive information on their case 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Clients will still be able to apply on the internet and complete their application by using the electronic signature.
- To reflect a shift to a more personalized, locally based system, FSSA will now communicate directly with regional providers and advocates.
- In the modernized system, FSSA contracted outreach and problem resolution. In the Hybrid System, FSSA will communicate directly on a regional basis with providers and advocates.
- Providers and advocates will also receive periodic updates from FSSA on any changes of relevant information.
- Any provider or advocate wishing to be added to the distribution list should click here to subscribe.
- During the roll-out of the Vanderburgh Region, FSSA has established a Vanderburgh Region Hybrid Advisory Group comprised of more than 50 local providers and advocates to give FSSA feedback on the progression of the roll-out.
- FSSA Regional Managers will be responsible for day-to-day operations.
- There will also be a Deputy Regional Manager and additional supervisors to help in the oversight of the local county offices.
- Local County Offices will be equipped to help clients with all aspects of their cases.
- Clients can submit applications and have documents scanned.
- Clients may discuss their case at the local county office.
- Enhanced assistance will be available in a local county office for clients needing extra help
- Employees not staffing the local county offices will staff a Regional Change Center; formally known as the Service Center. The Regional Change Center is being developed to process:
- Medicaid only redeterminations
- Changes related to cases in their region
- Hoosier Healthwise Applications
- Rather than contracting with one entity to manage the vendors as had been done in the past, FSSA is contracting directly with its vendors. This allows FSSA more direct control and management of the contracts and will improve responsiveness and accountability.
- Vendors currently working in the Hybrid System:
- Manpower through Knowledge Services
- Timeline for Hybrid System roll-out to other regions:
- There is no timeline. FSSA will monitor the Vanderburgh Region carefully to make sure the Hybrid System is working well before it begins the rollout of the Hybrid System to other regions. FSSA will determine the next region in which to implement the Hybrid System and will announce accordingly.
Additional Information:
- All other counties will remain under the system they currently have. Clients should access benefits as usual until FSSA announces any changes coming to their county.
- FSSA remains in constant contact with its federal partners relative to the development and implementation of the Hybrid System.
- During the implementation of the Hybrid System in the Vanderburgh Region, FSSA is still working to improve timeliness, accuracy, and the client experience in the remaining regions.
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