Streamline Eligibility and Intake Procedures

Kraus and Pillsbury (1993) note the difficulties in obtaining services:

"Completing the steps needed to register, gain eligibility for and actually receive services takes significant time and effort--discouraging those trying to obtain services and frustrating those trying to provide them. This process can be especially frustrating when each program requires similar information but uses different definitions and requires different forms of verification." (p. 5)

The following work plan (Kraus & Pillsbury, 1993) shows how one jurisdiction attempted to simplify processes, reduce repetitive and unnecessary tasks, and create linkages with other service providers.

SAMPLE WORK PLAN FOR STREAMLINING INTAKES AND ELIGIBILITY SYSTEMS

Phase One: Overall Planning and Orientation

Create a core team of senior managers.
Create an extended team of staff to support the core team.
Develop measurable goals such as: reduce the time from initial contact to service delivery by 50 percent; reduce the number of intake contacts to one; apply freed intake resources to provide direct services and to gain cost reductions.

Phase Two: Thorough Assessment of Current Process

Document the current process.
- Process flows and descriptions
- Work flows and sequences
- Procedures
- Performance characteristics (volume, time, and number of contacts)
- Resources uses (people, computers)
- Quality and extent of service integration
Involve constituent groups.
Conduct customer and staff surveys, focus groups.
Assess information systems.
Review how other places do similar business and use this as a benchmark.

Phase Three: Developing Alternatives

Use the core team to develop alternatives, using analysis and brainstorming.
Test the alternatives with constituent groups.
Identify benefits and costs, and compare them to goals.
Develop both quick fix and long-term alternatives.

Phase Four: Developing an Implementation Plan

Identify tasks and required resources.
Identify the people responsible.
Use project management tools to sequence the tasks.
Estimate benefits and costs, and relate them to goals.
Focus on quick fixes and long-term solutions.

Phase Five: Implementation

Prepare details of the 're-engineering' work required.
Set up the computer systems design, purchase and install equipment.
Develop the staff.
Convert from the old to the new system.

Source: Adapted from the Fairfax County Intake Process Redesign Initiative." (p. 27)

References