Cut Off

"Based on the current call volume, your hold time is 39 minutes, 11 seconds.  Please hold for the next available representative."  *click*

When I talk about living in solidarity with the people I am serving, I am not joking around.  Despite the fact that I am an educated, literate, capable human being who in fact works for a program that helps people sign up for public benefits and access things like food assistance, if I do not get through to JFS within the next three days, I will loose my food assistance.

ARGGRAGARSRAGAGGGG!!!!!

I even went through a contact I have at JFS to transfer my case from Delaware County.  Since Franklin County is so populated, I am assigned to a different Opportunity Center than where my case got transferred to.  So it's in the right county, I just have to do a Inner County transfer.  I've called at every time of the day and been disconnected due to call volume every time.  I've sternly emailed the center to inform them of this and request a contact that way as well.

It's not working.  I am frustrated.  I have In Service Training for AmeriCorps all day tomorrow, and the next day my mother is dragging my family to Pittsburg to see Celtic Thunder (it's okay Mom, I love them too), so the only time I can go into the office is on the 30th.  The very last day.

If you are a case worker at the North Community Opportunity Center, please call me.  My number is 614.357.6146.  Please give me a chance to interview.  I understand your staff has been cut, your budget has been cut, and more people in the community have been visiting you than ever before because of the state of the economy.  But I am a person.  Who likes to eat.  Let me speak for every other person out there fighting the system and trying to work through all your barriers: give me a chance.  And add more open lines to your phone.  I can wait 40 minutes on hold if it means I can get food assistance for the next 9 months.  Thank you for the work you do.

ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin's Thoughts

I've finally gotten around to transcribing the chicken scrawl I took during the OBB conference from our keynote speaker.  We were lucky enough to have Douglas Lumpkin, the Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, to speak to hundreds of counselors and site administrators from across Ohio.  This is a very important relationship, because the Benefit Bank is a direct line for families to JFS's systems, and many times, service agencies have difficulties dealing with the barriers at JFS.  What a great opportunity for Director Lumpkin to speak directly to our partners and for them to hear his ideas and openness to helping the same people they are trying to help.

He started by warning us that

1. I’m not fun
2. I’m not overly profound... but for everyone in the room I have something in common: that is that I care.

He stated that he values "this partnership (between OBB and JFS).  The Gateway (allowing OBB to submit application electronically to JFS system) has been up for 2 years, taken up to 36,000 applications through."

He describe the role of ODJFS as threefold:

1. Develop and implement policy and procedures
2. Pass out lots of $.  ("Lots of people want to talk to us about that.")
3. Maintain information systems

 I will go ahead and just copy some of the most influential statements that he made during his speech.  I enjoyed it and I feel that the attendees also walked away with a more positive perception of ODJFS.  Here are some excerpts:

You can’t effectuate change and policy without IT.  A real player in this environment, the Benefit Bank is a  platform on the IT platform. 

Challenge:  Help them (they new face of poverty coming in to get help) understand there is no embarrassment in this world.  Individuals coming in that gave help, are now getting help. 

I don’t know that our goal should be to make you desperately poor before we help you.  (Applause)  

We need to have conversations about self-sufficiency and sustainability.  This recession had pointed out one thing about self-sufficiency is really ONE things with three letters: J-O-B.  No one is going to get rich off our SEP program (Subsidized Employment Program).  But we have to give people a chance to start somewhere.

This is one of the worst recessions there’s ever been.  30% cut at JFS, less $, fewer people than we’ve ever had (working).  We need to make sure there’s a clear understanding: in the face of it all, that you can still move forward in a direction to help people.  Do we need more resources?  Absolutely!  Do what we can, where we are, with what we’ve got.

We have to meet people where they’re at.  The conversation that goes beyond this room.  I know you (attendees) work with people in the deepest throes in challenges in trying to make it to the next day.  We're having the same conversation with …community colleges.  So we’re in a positive to help both those who want to get back to work quickly AND help people who have a longer horizon. 

I believe that as a community partners you play a valuable role in meeting people where they’re at.  You help people navigate various systems.  We at JFS are about to embark on bringing up self-service application, similar to what the OBB is turning to.  This is absolutely not competing with the Benefit Bank.  We're taking the vision of meeting people where they’re at.  (remember:) “Everyone’s not at your shop!"

If two people always agree, one of them is always unnecessary.  And I believe everyone in the room is necessary.  Disagreement doesn’t change reality, the ability to have real dialogue about solving real problems.  And I don’t need to demagogue your ideal because I can’t agree.  And I can respect where you come from: you want to help people.

I am open to conversations and ideas that you might have.  My role as director really isn’t to direct, but to enable (community partners).

My philosophy of meeting people where they’re at: Think of call centers (as a way to access public benefits).  So impersonal!  A case worker said to me “you expect a 76 year old who needs Medicaid to do it over the phone?"  I said absolutely not.  I expect that we allow a 22 year old with 2 children to do it over the phone so they don’t have to get on a bus and drag two kids there, don’t have to spend time, so we CAN spend time with 76 year old person.

(Philosophy behind changing how JFS offers services:)

1. There is more than enough need to go around
2.  Meet people where they’re at (some people prefer personal)
3. We don't have any $, so find most efficient way to help people

Not trying to replace personal situations with people who need assistance.  Some people, who if you just point, will make it there.  Enable the world for them too.

Director Lumpkin closed with a telling of the "Starfish Story", and ended with 

In resources/budget issues, be the boy on the beach (in the story), recognize that if you are making a difference to the family in front of you.

Projects, traveling, and a loooong week.

It has been the busiest/craziest week so far on my term.  It is Friday morning, and I already have 36.75 hours logged for the week, thanks in part to a straight 10 hour day on Tuesday. 

Monday started off with meetings at two different Job and Family Services, building partnerships withe the Directors at each and learning how they handle Benefit Bank applications.  It's interesting to see how some people truly see the Benefit Bank as a valuable tool, and some people are very much traditionally minded that using the Benefit Bank isn't even an option.  For example, one of the JFS's we met with would actually want their staff to use the Benefit Bank in their office to help expedite front end processes.  This way they wouldn't have to deal with all the paper applications and inserting the information into CRIS-E (their archaic system).  The applications would be submitted electronically, AND they could help their citizens connect with other resources in the area that they don't administer.  Remember this is the top people at JFS suggesting this for the agency.  The very next day I met with a woman who runs a Free Store (similar to a Goodwill) and a soup kitchen.  Sites like this are usually fantastic, because they very obviously work with low to moderate income families.  The first thing the woman said when I sat down was to the effect of "I understand your program, but I don't think it is necessary here.  You are duplicating services, and we don't want to help people through the Benefit Bank here when we can just send them off to JFS or the other agencies."  Ugh.


One of my other projects is creating a taining supplement for the counselors in each of my county, filled with information straight from the income maintenance workers at JFS on how Benefit Bank clients can work effiicently and successfully with JFS proceses.  So this means visits with the reps in all 15 counties in Central Ohio.  The counties in green are my region   >>>>


What other projects am I working on, you ask?

• Connecting sites with the Rehab Services Commission and Disability Determination ajudicators
• Allows the people who determine disability status can see people living with disabilities "in real life," and not just at a half hour appointment sitting across a desk.
• Meeting with school districts, Family and Children First Councils, and Education Service Centers to get the Benefit Bank in school to fulfill the Family and Civic Engagement reguirements (from the Oh Dept of Education). 
• Do you know a superintendent/guidance counselor, or someone else that would want to talk with me about using the Benefit Bank in their school to help the students receive wrap-around services? 

Clark county Job and Family Services:

I don't want to play favorites, I mean, I love all 15 of the counties in my region.  But how can I help doing a special post when the lobby looks like this? :

Here is a close-up.  All of the little children on the wall of decorated with actual fabric, ribbon, yarn, etc.

They also had adorable little chairs and couches for kids to sit in.  Well, kids and...

Zach does a great job of managing/encouraging/guiding/supervising, and keeping the job interesting and fun.  Hence, plopping in the mini-armchair in preparation for our meeting with the Director. 

Other than a really sweet lobby (that included a friendly receptionist and bottles of water for clients!), Clark county Job and Family Services is a really proactive and involved agency.  They seem flexible in their practices and willing to find solutions to barriers that stop clients from accessing public benefits.  It was great to meet with their Director and staff that work with the Benefit Bank applications, and get practice networking and communicating with our partners with Zach's guidance. 

There is a LOT more traveling in my future for networking and the expansion of the network (example: today I was in Bellefontaine in the morning and Lancaster in the afternoon. Consult a map to visualize this adventure).  At least I'm not driving as much as my colleague Alesha (her blog), who works in the SE region.

Here's to meeting fantastic people all over Ohio, working together to provide resources and help people be self-sufficient!