Best Practices: Case Opening to
Account OpeningRosemary Gray, Supervisor II - Alameda Co DCSS
Cherie Taylor-Dodge, Supervisor II - Alameda Co DCSSAmelia Rosas, Section Manager - Sonoma County DCSS
AGENDA
• Overview of Practice Indicators
• Case Opening with an Existing order to First
Payment
• Case Opening to Order to First Payment
• Connecting All the Pieces together
• Measuring Success
PRACTICE INDICATORS
Goals PracticeIndicators Title Source Frequency Status
G-3 22
Average Number of Days from Case Opening to Order to First Payment
Q-1033 AnnualMonthly
Updated with December 2015 data for FFY 2015 and December 2015 data for FFY 2016.
G-3 25
Average Number of Days from Case Opening with an Existing Order to First Payment
DA-52 Annual Only
No change since last release date.
G-3 42
Percent of Cases with an Order at Case Opening that Paid Within 60 Days
DA-52 Annual Quarterly
No change since last release date.
INTAKE TEAM
The Intake team is part of the Pre-Order Section. The team consists of:
• 1 Child Support Program Manager• 1 Child Support Supervisor II• 1 Child Support Assistant III (Lead)• 8 Child Support Assistant II
INTAKE PROCESS
Service Requests• From the LCSA SR Tool, we select all tasks (CM114 and
CM119, CM120, CM121, and CM122) along with Calworks, Foster Care, and KinGap cases for uploading.
• Service Requests (SR) are uploaded to our Work Assignment and Tracking Tool (WATT) and assigned to all staff by the lead.
• We run the CM120 Macro prior to assigning SRs.
• Staff can retrieve their assigned SRs from their User List.
IV-D APPLICATIONS
• Applications are assigned daily via the Work Assignment and Tracking Tool (WATT)
• Applications are assigned to all Intake staff
• Staff rotate the duty of assigning applications
• Applications received from VIOLA are assigned to the worker via task (CM134, CM135, or CM092)
PROCESSING THE REQUEST
• Verify aid information in Calwin
• Review Calwin for companion cases (Foster Care)
• Verify NP’s address, DOB, SSN
• Verify employment information for NP
• Search for existing orders
• Update participant demographics
• Create case or reject SR
PROCESSING THE REQUEST
Research Tools:• DMV• MEDS• CalWin• CalWeb (Imaged documents)• The Work Number• Accurint• Crims/CII• Domain• Google
INTAKE RESEARCH GUIDECSE - Prior to Initiating a Case CSE – After Initiating a Case
1. Calwin (check aid status, participants, and run Np’s name/SSN)2. Webfiles (as needed)3. Run SSN and name for all participants to determine if they exist in CSE4. Search for a POP when appropriate5. Search LDA 6. Check for duplicate participants
1. Update demographics for Np and Cp2. Update identifiers3. Generate task when applicable4. Generate log entry
NEW CASE REOPENER (Remove closure indicators)Np Known to CSE Np’s SSN and DOB are KnownLocated Unlocated1. Locate Tab 1. DMV 8. Call Cp2. Domain 2. Accurint 9. Webfiles3. Work Number 3. MEDs 4. Crims/CII (If no active employer) 4. Crims/CII 5. MEDs (If no active employer) 5. Domain6. DMV (Role Reversal- New NP) 6. The Work Number
7. Quick (if np lives o/s)
Located per cross-reference case/Cp Unlocated1. Locate Tab 1. Locate Tab2. Domain 2. Accurint3. Work Number (if there is no c/o) 3. MEDs4. MEDs (If no active employer) 4. Crims/CII5. Crims/CII (If no active employer) 5. Domain6. Quick (If np lives o/s) 6. The Work Number
7. Quick (if np lives o/s)
Np Not Known to CSE (SSN & DOB are Known) Np’s SSN is Unknown1. DMV2. Accurint (If not located via DMV or Cp)3. Domain4. MEDs5. Crims/CII6. The Work Number7. Webfiles
Located per cross-reference case/Cp Unlocated1. Locate Tab 1. Phone call to Cp (refer to script)
2. Domain 2. DMV3. MEDs (If no active employer) 3. MEDs4. Crims/CII (If no active employer) 4. Crims/CII
5. Accurint6. Domain
Np Not Known to CSE (SSN is Unknown) Np’s SSN & DOB are Unknown1. Phone call to Cp (refer to script) 4. Crims/CII2. DMV 5. Domain3. MEDs 6. Webfiles4. Accurint
1. Phone call to Cp (refer to script)2. Accurint (cross check Cp’s address)3. DMV (per information provided by Cp)4. Domain
Np Not Known to CSE (SSN & DOB are Unknown) UPDATE (There is an open case for mom, dad, and child/ren)1. Phone call to Cp (refer to script) 4. Domain2. Accurint (cross check Cp’s address) 5. Webfiles3. DMV
Located or Assigned to Locate Unlocated (Pre-Order w/SSN)1. Locate Tab 1. MEDs 2. Locate Tab
3. Crims/CII 4. Work NumberUnlocated (Post-Order) Unlocated (Pre-Order No SSN)1. Locate Tab 1. No research – Log entry only
CASE ASSIGNMENT AT CASE OPENING
Np is Unlocated
Pre-Locate
Pre-Order Team 3
Pre-Order Team 1
No Court Order
CASE ASSIGNMENT 2015
In 2015, 26 % of the new cases were referred to accounts at case opening.
1440
2615
787
83
1105
498
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
1
Pre-Locate
Pre-Order Team 1
Pre-Order Team 2
Pre-Order Team 3
Post-Order
SAS
STATISTICS
5560
5471
5534
5420
5440
5460
5480
5500
5520
5540
5560
5580
1 2 3
New Cases
2013-2015
2015
2013
2014
FORWARDING ORDERS TO FINANCIALS
IMAGED ORDER• Task to Financials
HARD COPY
• Forward with Routing Slip and Task
ORDER IS UNAVAILABLE
• Request copy of order and assign to Pre-Order Team 2
END OF MONTH
• Hand deliver order to Financials
FINANCIALS TEAMSUPPORT ACCOUNT SPECIALIST (SAS)
• SAS is made up of 2 leads, 10 caseworkers and 4 case assistants
• SAS is broken down into 4 teams of 2 caseworkers and 2 floaters
• Work assignments are rotated amongst the teams on a weekly basis
RESPONSIBILITIES
SAS Caseworkers:
• Open Accounts
• Prepare Audits/Reconciliations
• Credit Direct Payments
• Process Amount Changes/Account Adjustments
• Load Court Orders (referred by Intake)
• Update Public Assistance History
RESPONSIBILITIES
(Continued)• Close Accounts• Adjust Collections and Process Suspended
Collections• Conduct Early Intervention on new and
reopened cases with an existing order • Credit Reporting• Public Assistance Tasks (OVP Errors, CM Tasks)• Other duties as assigned
THE FINANCIAL WORKER
FINANCIALWORKER
Decision making
Problem solving
Autonomy
Purpose driven
Add charging Instructions
ACCOUNT OPENER REVIEW PROCESSIdentify, Resolve, and Open
• Interpret or seek clarification on the orders if they are ambiguous
• Initiate contact with CP’s to clarify issues
• Open the account current month, if no direct payment statement provided with application for services
• Review and request closure of Non-IVD cases
• Verify and update all participants aid status
THE REVIEW PROCESSIDENTIFY, RESOLVE, AND OPEN
• Research and request for additional information (i.e. court orders, direct payment statement, etc…)
• Contact the IV-A worker to resolve any issues on the IVA side
• Send for registration, NRPS, Paternity establishment, if needed
• Load court orders
• Add employer information, if necessary and generate income withholding order
THE WORK FLOWGETTING THE JOB DONE
Rotation AssignmentsRotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3 Rotation 4
1. Suspense Coll/Disb (1-day)2. SAS-Suspense (2-3 days)3. Audits (20 days)4. OVP-12
Court Support/F&S (2-days)1. Defaults2. MODS3. Docket Moves4. BR001 & FM009
SAS-PRE/Intake (2 days)1.Load Order w/Acct Opener 2.LG008, & LG009 3.LG0010 & LG0114.CM115, CM116 & CM130
1. ED-Emancipation (10-days)2. ED-Voluntary Closure (2-days)3. SAS-Closures (2-days)4. AN011-SAS (20-days)5. IT002 – (20-days)6. SAS-PA 7. OVP-9
Jan 4-Jan 8 Jan 11-Jan 15 Jan 19-Jan 22 Jan 25-Jan 29 Feb 1-Feb 5
#1 Team D #1 Team A #1 Team B #1 Team C #1 Team D
#2 Team A #2 Team B #2 Team C #2 Team D #2 Team A
#3 Team B #3 Team C #3 Team D #3 Team A #3 Team B
#4 Team C #4 Team D #4 Team A #4 Team B #4 Team C
THE OBJECTIVE OF EARLY INTERVENTIONINCREASING COLLECTIONS WHILE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Emphasis is to:
• Establish a relationship• Educate on the child support program• Answer general questions• Solicit and gather information• Prevent the further accumulation of arrears• Request a payment
EARLY INTERVENTION
Criterion:• Conduct on all new and reopened cases with an
existing order
Vehicle:• Telephone contact• Written correspondence
EARLY INTERVENTION
Process Requires Staff to:• Make multiple telephone attempts• Send Early Intervention letter on all cases • Answer Tier I and Tier II type questions• Verify and update participant demographics• Issue a PIN number• Ask for and take payments • Generate Review and Adjust, if appropriate
CHALLENGES TO THE ACCOUNT OPENING PROCESS
• Ambiguous and/or Incomplete orders• Employer unknown• Learning Curve of staff• Effectively managing the communication with the
case participants• Telephone numbers unknown or disconnected
EARLY INTERVENTION RESULTS
• Telephone calls were made on over 70 percent of the cases opened with an existing order
• Live contact with the Non-Custodial Parents was made over 50 percent of the time
• We reduced the number of days of the initial contact with participants to within 3 days from case opening.
• Participants are “very appreciative” for the information and opportunity to be heard, according to staff’s feedback
CASE OPENING TO ORDER TO FIRST PAYMENT
Determine the time between Case opening, the establishment of an Order and
the collection of payment.
Case Opening OrderMonetary
Order to First Payment
AVERAGE DAYS FROM CASE OPENING TO ORDERTO FIRST PAYMENT - PI #22
4960
Average Days from Monetary Order to First Payment
Sonoma Statewide
143208
Average Days from Case Opening to Any Order
Sonoma Statewide
SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES
Some of Sonoma’s Successful Strategies:
• Functional Case Work • Communication • Specific Techniques in Intake, Establishment
and Early Intervention Teams
INTAKE
Specific Techniques
• Assistance with applications
• Case set up/clean up
• Co-locate – Non-Welfare application option
• Access to local Court images
• Interview with both participants
ESTABLISHMENT
• Discuss calculations when preparing the S&C/PJ• Off-Guideline alternatives to reach an agreement on
non-welfare cases • In office serve/Stipulation • S&C/PJ out for service with appointment schedule• Serve/Stipulation NCP in court or jail• Strive for Stipulation but always keep all options
open • First payment with the final judgment
COMMUNICATION
Successful Stipulation
Pick up the phone
Give direct line
Talk to parties
Be proactive in the negotiation
process Don’t be afraid to ask a Non-Welfare CPs if they
will deviate from guideline
Be patient and understanding
Don’t give up! It takes more than a few phone calls to
get your agreement
EARLY INTERVENTION
• Contact NCP to advise order has been filed and payment is required
• Contact employer• Update employer, IWO and NMSN information
• 30-day task reviews to monitor payments • Special Enforcement Reviews (SER) on cases that
stop paying
OBSTACLES
• Lapse time in training new staff
• Wait times with the courts
• Wait times with process server
INSPIRE A SHARED VISION
• Support aspirations
• Solicit ideas and listen
• Ownership and Commitment
• Creative risk taking – Think Outside Of The Box
COMMUNICATION
• Regular team meetings
• Regular meetings with individual staff
• Transparency
• Acknowledgement/Recognition
STAFF ENGAGEMENT
• Include staff in planning and implementation• Reinforce the positive• Capitalize on strengths • Autonomy• Establish attainable goals• Enable staff to act• Celebrate accomplishments
AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS FROM CASE OPENING WITH AN EXISTING ORDER TO FIRST PAYMENT - PI #25
5342
63
Average Days from Case Opening to First Payment
Alameda Sonoma Statewide
25.3 27.135.6
Percent of Cases without Payment
Alameda Sonoma Statewide
PERCENT OF CASES WITH AN ORDER AT CASE OPENING THAT PAID WITHIN 60 DAYS - PI #42
52.1
60.9
40.3
Percent of Cases with an Order at CaseOpening that Paid Within 60 Days
Federal Fiscal Year 2015
Alameda Sonoma Statewide
.
Cherie Taylor-Dodge Supervisor II - Alameda Co DCSS
[email protected] - 925-468-9323
Rosemary Gray Supervisor II - Alameda Co DCSS
[email protected] - 925-468-9255
Amelia Rosas Section Manager - Sonoma County DCSS
[email protected] - 707-565-4151
Please be sure to complete the session evaluation.