Indiana's social programs, less automated more face time

  There has been many problems with the automated system of the FSSA. (http://www.in.gov/fssa/)Indiana's citizens that are on the various programs (medicaid, food stamps, and TANF) have reported missing paperwork, the lack of face to face contact and unqualified call center operatives. The problems got bad enough that the federal government started watching the program.
  Gov. Daniels had set a deadline for improvements as the IBM contract comes to an end today. But an air of hope on Daniel's part has occurred. The system has become a hybrid of the two former styles of operation. The system will still be automated, but there will be face to face contact with trained social work personnel. “Under the hybrid plan, FSSA will replace IBM as the project leader and take over from a second contractor, Crowe Horwath, which had been responsible for working with social service providers in the private system and resolving clients’ problems.
  The agency will add deputy regional managers for each of the state’s eight regions, plus more supervisors to oversee the work of case management teams, FSSA spokesman Marcus Barlow said Friday at a briefing for reporters on the condition that details not be released until today. Each team of five to 10 state and private employees will be assigned to cases in a specific county. Special teams will be assigned to elderly and disabled clients who need more personal attention.” (http://www.indystar.com)
  The new program will be implemented first in Davies, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Warrick and Vanderburgh counties in southern Indiana. “It’s not certain when the hybrid program will be introduced in other regions. The agency wants to ensure that the program reduces errors and addresses problems in the automated system before expanding it”, Barlow said.
  The automated system was introduced to 59 of Indiana's 92 counties to alleviate the spending of funds by the state. About 1.2 million people receive Medicaid, food stamps and other benefits through the state’s welfare program.