Hi folks, just thought I would share my experience trying to reach our son's DSS worker (simply wanted to confirm that she had received the redetermination form):
1. Letter from worker gives toll free number and worker's extension
2. Toll free number provides several options NOT including a way to use extension
3. Press 2 to enter client's ID, etc, and general info is provided
4. To reach worker, press # which finally enable me to enter extension
5. After several rings, worker's voice mail box is full, "you are being transferred to an attendant"
6. More rings, then a recording: this number is no longer in service, please hang up and dial (the original toll free number I dialed)
2. Toll free number provides several options NOT including a way to use extension
3. Press 2 to enter client's ID, etc, and general info is provided
4. To reach worker, press # which finally enable me to enter extension
5. After several rings, worker's voice mail box is full, "you are being transferred to an attendant"
6. More rings, then a recording: this number is no longer in service, please hang up and dial (the original toll free number I dialed)
No wonder people get frustrated. I sent this account to my legislators with a note about SNAP. My Senator's staff (Beth Bye) actually offered to contact their liaison in DSS on our son's behalf (and learned nothing!). Not sure if your contacts with DSS can help our clients when they get shut out like this, but it sounds like it will be a long time before they get a better system. Meanwhile, this closed circle of futility is really bad.
DSS refers to the State Department of Social Services, the department that administers most programs that assist people in need, including Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and several other programs. I have been hearing for years how DSS has an outdated computer system that slows down the processing of applications.
But this is so much more basic that computer systems. This is about answering the phone! This is about giving people the right contact information in a letter and via the automated attendant. This is about making sure your automated phone system works properly.
At Foodshare, and I'm sure at many businesses, we expect our employees to answer the phone when they are at their desks and free to do so. And we expect them to clear their voice mail boxes daily. Why should we expect any less from DSS workers?
Why should someone who needs services from DSS have to go to their State Senator to get help maneuvering the system?
Phone systems may be more complicated than when I was a kid and we had rotary dials and party lines, but still, why can't we expect the phone system at DSS to work properly?
A response Commissioner Bremby of DSS sent to me:
ReplyDeleteLast fall, the State executed a contract with Deloitte to begin the modernization of our core systems in October 2011. It took 18 months to get a contract executed from the time Deloitte won the right to negotiate.
Last November we had a project kickoff meeting with Deloitte. The Modernization project, known as ConneCT, is underway with the first of three deployments scheduled for late next month. ConneCT will address the telephony issues mentioned in the email you received. We have 12 phone systems for our 12 regional offices, each have exceeded their functional capacity. There are some weeks when the call volume is so great, customers cannot call in and staff cannot call out. We receive some 900,000 phone calls each month. These systems will be replaced by a single system to service the regional offices. Last fall we also launched a pilot integrated voice response system, ahead of the mature system being deployed with ConneCT. The system permits callers to obtain important information without connecting with a worker. In several offices, workers are available to assist depending upon the volume of calls received. This pilot IVR system is not sized to the level of need, but the anticipated volume is being used to size the new system. Last month, I provided a briefing for legislators and their staff to inform them of our progress towards service improvement. A link to the PPT slide deck can be found at the following link -- http://www.ct.gov/dss/lib/dss/pdfs/frontpage/connect_7_17_12_legis_final.pdf
Additionally, by the end of October we will have added 220 eligibility workers to assist with the unprecedented volume of requests for assistance. This administration will have added more human capacity and technological capability in 2 years than DSS has experienced in the last 20.
Thank you for sharing the message with me. I hope that you will be able to help us help this Dad achieve the service needs for his son.