SNAP APPLICATION PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
Six Sigma Project Report Out Scott Anderson, Zach Kromer, Amy Doup Auditor of State March 11, 2013
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SNAP BACKGROUND
SNAP Mission: To disburse food benefits to qualifying Ohioans.1
SNAP Structure: SNAP Process: SNAP Performance:
2
1 AOS Definition
SNAP BACKGROUND
SNAP Mission: To disburse food benefits to qualifying Ohioans.
SNAP Structure: State Supervised, County Administered.
SNAP Process: SNAP Performance:
3
SNAP BACKGROUND - STRUCTURE
4
State Supervision
County Administration
County Administration
County Administration
County Administration
County Administration
County Administration
County Administration
SNAP BACKGROUND
SNAP Mission: To disburse food benefits to qualifying Ohioans.
SNAP Structure: State Supervised, County Administered.
SNAP Process: Application Intake, Verify Eligibility, Disburse Food Benefits.
SNAP Performance:
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SNAP BACKGROUND - PROCESS
6
Verify Eligibility
Application Intake
Disburse Food
Benefits
Ongoing Client Notifications via Mail
1 2 3
SNAP BACKGROUND
SNAP Mission: To disburse food benefits to qualifying Ohioans.
SNAP Structure: State Supervised, County Administered.
SNAP Process: Process Applications, Verify Eligibility, Disburse Food Benefits.
Performance: ????
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PROBLEM STATEMENT
SNAP Process has room for efficiencies. <LEAN Solution>
SNAP Program performance is not being systematically measured in Ohio. <Six Sigma Solution>
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Team conducted process mapping in 4 counties across the State.
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LEAN ANALYSIS – PROCESS MAPPING
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Application Submitted
(Food Stamps/ Medicaid/Cash)
75%Mail/Hardcopy
Drop box/Fax-Print
25%Online via E-
Gateway
Date Stamp Applications
Send Applications to Screening Unit
Separate Application
- voting page- application
Signature?
Send Form Letter Back to Client to
Sign
AYES
Screening- Auto Open
- Auto Date Stamp
Enough on App to Clear?
Call Client to Gather More Info
B
NO
YES
NO
2%Benefit Bank and Social Security
Mail/Drop box:- 1 day to receive
Fax:- 2 days to receive
Sent to e-gateway
- Non-Expedited- No Recertification
Prepared By: Ross Klosterman
Hamilton County
A Enough on App to Clear?
Put Through Clearing Process
Sort by Application Type:
- Cash/Medical/Food Stamps
Clear each SS #(IQIG)
Is SS# Already in the System?
Check Each Case # for Being Open
(IGCP)
Open Case?
Check for Medical Coverage
(IQEL)
Medical Coverage?
C
B
YES
NOYES
YES
Call Client- will put local
address if address issue 120/250/day
election
NO
Time to Arrive:Online/Mail/Drop box: 1 day
Fax: 2 days YES
NO
Create and Register Each
Child and Mother with a Case #
NO
PAIN POINTROMPIR Driver- Individual ss #
Case Worker Classification(Delay)
Day 2-3C Open Case?
Register in CRIS-E (to clear in e-
gateway)
Create New Case Number
Application # Created(ARAD)
- Name of Client- Address
- Date Stamp
List All Household Members
(ARIR)
Statewide Check for Clearance ID Match?
Option of New Individual to CRIS-E
Registration Ends in CRIS-E(ARCR)
Add Notes to (ARRC) Case #
Open Case Notes (CLRL)
Schedule Client Appointments
(AMS)- We Call
- they can’t call in
Client Comes in or Calls (20 min/case)
All Documents Received?
List Sent to Client
Docs put in system (on-base)
13 Days to Escalate if not Touched
Case Worker will Review Pending Status Everyday
Application Approved or
Denied
Notices of Approval/Denial
from State
NO YES
Day 9
Day 19
NO
NO
YES
65% Show Rate When Come In
Phone – 20% Approved
Walk-In – 75% Approved
YES
Have 10 Days to get back Docs (1 week normally)
Will shorten to hit 30 day cycle if needed
5 Business days for Appointment
55 to 60 per day that is scheduled out of 250
CRIS-E Cycletime
6 min – 15 min2.3 people per app
2 people staff
County Mail City Mail
Day 4
Slowness of system for processing
- Matching characters is pain point
Scioto County <Process Name>
File
Zilla
(FTP
)E
-Gat
eway
Fax
Mai
lD
ropo
ff
Front desk Ticket Wait in lobbyMeet with
customer service representative
Reroute ticket
Wait or sent appointment letter
Sent appointment letter
Create record in JFS Solution
Open mail
IntakePut into document imaging
Pulled by central processing Screen/register
Documents pushed to
document imaging
Worked by dedicated staff Notifies Screener
E-Gateway ScreenedClick on info sheet
Application generated in
CRIS-E
A
Review open case Print applicationDeny application in CRIS-ENew or Open?
Open
Sent to intake for screening
Pull out of system queue
Interviewer walks to lobby
No Wait
Wait
BNew
D
C
A
Answer phone?
Appointment letter 10 days
out
Appointment set
Phone interview?
Pull from system queue
Pull from system queue
Show up?
Notice of missed interview
Complete interview
Call clientSeparate scheduled Client Answer?
Notice of missed interview (NOMI)
letter
No
Yes
Yes
Technical assistant calls
clients for appointment
New or Open?
Register individuals
Review open case
New
Open
B
No
Yes No
Yes
DC
No
E
E
All documents?
Case Determination
Checklist given or sent to client
Returned all documents?
Scan documents at central location Scans to E-Copy Add SS # and
Index documentsDictate interview in
CRIS-E
Send email to unemployment to
verify
10 Days for client to return documetns
Yes
No
Wait 11-12 days to check for
documents
Approved
Check on day 30 before approve/
deny
Partial/No documents received
All documents received
All documents received?Yes
No
Run driver with reason code to
deny
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Franklin County Process Map
E-G
atew
ayM
ail
Fax
Dro
poff
Client signs log
Front desk worker screens
log (in order received)
App reviewed by screener
(expedited/FS/Medicaid?)
Scan documents in
Phone call is made
Register client based on what info
is available
Fax arrives in e-mail box (worked
by designated person)
Appt letter sent
Documents pushed to
document imaging
Dedicated worker for E-Gateway
pulls applications off
Group receives mail and splits
based on program/purpose
Wait?
NOMailed
appointment letter (10 days out)
Option to walk in again
Register Client
Application routed to proper unit (dependant
upon minor childnren)
Assigned to case
manager
Worker goes to
lobby to get client
Client completes initial interview
with case workerClient in lobby?
Case worker calls client for initial interview
Complete phone
interview and run SVRQ (24-
72 hrs)
Client available?
No Answer
Send notice of appt (10 days) through mail
Checklist pulled off of NW forms-completed
electronically and mailed-added workers email address to send docs
Phone # available? Answer?
Appt letter sent
Application routed to proper unit (dependant
upon minor childnren)
Assigned to case
manager
App reviewed by screener
(expedited/FS/Medicaid?)
Screen documents in
Scan/transfer verification docs
and apps into imaging system
App reviewed by screener
(expedited/FS/Medicaid?)
Register Client
Application routed to proper unit (dependant
upon minor childnren)
Assigned to case
manager
Automatic ARAD created
Notify E Gateway case worked on and manually deny
take off list
If duplicate case, manually deny
with special coding in CRIS-E and
update info
<Process Name>
Em
ail
Dro
poff Scan/transfer
docs into imaging system
Receive verification docs via email/drop
off/fax/mail
Utilize NW search tools to route to case
Eligibility determined off
of required documents in file by day 30
Documents put in electronic workflow for eligibility worker-worker
responsible for ver docs in NW off of their email
account
Goal: 5 days to process all documents as they are receivedWorkers have 1 processing day a week for documentation
? Placed in CRIS-E screens with
missing verifications
All required docs in?
No@ 20 days CRIS-E send a
notice of missing documentation with all
required areas marked with a ?
Worker monitors center email
account
Correct center?
Forward to correct center
Route to registration See Blue Box in Mail for next
steps
Franklin County
Cuyahoga County
Dro
p-O
ffE
-Gat
eway
Mai
l
Applications divided out
Appt letter mailed with checklist & return envelope
Schedule intake slot
Application pulled from system by
dedicated worker
Sent to be cleared and registered in
CRIS-E
CSA-Call Applicant (if no
phone # but, email address-can email
client)
Appt letter mailed with checklist & return envelope
Client answers?
Assign to worker next in rotation
Schedule regular intake slot
Appt letter mailed with checklist & return envelope
CSA scans application into
NW systemNotify registration
Notify registration client is not waiting
CSA clears for current/recent
activityApplicant waiting?Application
received in lobby
Assigned to worker for initial verification call
Client is registered in CRIS-E
Screen for expedited
Client is handed appt letter with
checklist
Appt letter mailed with checklist & return envelope
CSA scans application into
NW w/ sticky note client not waiting
Client answers?
Schedule regular intake slot
Conduct client verification and
expedited screening
Conduct client verification and
expedited screening
Conduct client verification and
expedited screening
Appt letter mailed with checklist & return envelope
Schedule intake slot
Notes:Cuyahoga operates neighborhood centers, if an application comes into the wrong center (via zip code) it is scanned into the shared NW system and put into the correct center’s workflowIf an applicant has listed an email address only, the appointment letter will be emailed to the client.
Mail received at central mail center
Schedule regular intake slot
Client answers?
Assign to worker next in rotation
Application pulled to be cleared and
registered in CRIS-E
Schedule intake slot
Appt letter mailed with checklist & return envelope
Conduct client verification and
expedited screening
CSA-Call Applicant (if no
phone # but, email address-can email
client)
Applications scanned into NW system workflow
Cuyahoga County
Team conducted process mapping in counties across the State.
Process mapping revealed 2 areas of opportunity: 1) Mailing of client notifications. 2) Verification (proof) of client eligibility.
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LEAN ANALYSIS – PROCESS MAPPING
MAILING OF CLIENT NOTIFICATIONS
WASTE (MUDA) Ohio’s SNAP program
spends millions in postage costs from client mailings.
PROBLEM Ohio’s SNAP program
does not currently have the IT infrastructure in place for mass email notification.
SOLUTION Send Notifications to clients
electronically via email.
SOLUTION The Office of Health
Transformation can incorporate this capability into the new benefits eligibility system.
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MAILING OF CLIENT NOTIFICATIONS
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Estimated Annual SNAP Notices 1 2,312,690
Estimated Annual Paper Cost 2 $1,103,384.36
Adoption Rate Paper Notices Avoided Estimated E-Notice Cost Net Savings
10 Percent 3 231,269 $2,771.40 $107,567.04
40 Percent 3 925,076 $4,560.00 $436,793.74
55 Percent 4 1,271,979 $3,539.40 $603,322.00
Annual Savings Estimation
Team conducted process mapping in counties across the State.
Process mapping revealed 2 areas of opportunity: 1) Mailing of client notifications. 2) Verification (proof) of client eligibility.
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LEAN ANALYSIS – PROCESS MAPPING
County Eligibility Workers spend the bulk of their time verifying proof-of-eligibility along several dimensions, including:
Identification Earned Income Unearned Income Shelter Expense Utility Expense Child Care Expense
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ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION
ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION – CURRENT STATE
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What if this process could be reduced to a single step?
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ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION
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1. DATA BROKERING 2. WORKFLOW
Crawls 30+ available electronic databases containing eligibility information.
Consolidates electronic data into a single screen for caseworker use.
e-Find [Electronic Data Brokering Portal] Functionality
EFFI
CIEN
CIES
GAI
NED
• Eliminates mailing. • Eliminates scanning. • Reduces burden on the
SNAP beneficiary who now does not have to provide paper documents.
• Eliminates separate document lookups.
• Reduces caseworker data entry error.
• Eliminates need for follow-up with client due to missing paper documentation.
ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION - SAVINGS
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General Assumptions
SNAP New Applications 669,646
eFind Development Costs $2,200,000
Case Worker Annual Compensation 45,000
Hours per FTE 2,080
Pay Rate Inflation 3%
Scenario Minutes SNAP
Baseline - Extrapolating Utah's Results to Ohio Annual Savings 3,621,883
Reduction in Minutes per New Application 15 Payback Period 0.61
5-Year ROI 163%
Conservative - (Time Study of ID, SSN, Unearned Income) Annual Savings 1,207,294
Reduction in Minutes per New Application 5 Payback Period 1.82
5-Year ROI 47%
Aggressive - Real-time Enrollment Annual Savings 6,519,390
Reduction in Minutes per New Application 27 Payback Period 0.34
5-Year ROI 296%
•Replace snail mail with email. •Annual Savings = $603,322
1. e-Notification
•Replace paper verification with electronic verification.
•Annual Savings = $3,621,883
2. Data Brokering
Portal
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LEAN SOLUTION SUMMARY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
SNAP Process has room for efficiencies. <LEAN Solution>
SNAP Program performance is not being systematically measured in Ohio. <Six Sigma Solution>
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Quality Control
•Error Rate •County-by-County
Costs
•Cost-per-Application
•Derived through caseworker time spent per Application.
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SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS In the current state, Ohio’s SNAP program can measure neither…
Current State QC “look-back” desk review to determine error rate. Determines overall Ohio error rate. Uses a sample of 1,020 cases (out of 600,000+)
Major Shortcoming: the sample is not large enough to draw inferences into the error rates of individual counties.
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SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS – QUALITY CONTROL
SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS – QUALITY CONTROL
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF JFS SAMPLES DRAWN (2011)
Cuyahoga County 212
Franklin County 130
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lake County 19
Muskingum County 17
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Van Wert County 1
Noble County 0
State Median 15
State Range 0 to 212
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Q: How to determine adequate sample size for a county? A: Reverse-engineer the t-test. So sample mean = population mean… …for a desired confidence interval: Rearrange to determine sample size (n)
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SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS – QUALITY CONTROL
Minimum county sample size given our known parameters in the SNAP program:
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SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS – QUALITY CONTROL
E (Max Error we Tolerate) 3%Sigma (Population Std Dev) 7%Confidence Interval 95%Associated t-score 2.262n= 27.86
In the SNAP program… Variable Unit Cost = Cost per Application Cost per Application = (Caseworker time per case *
Caseworker wage) In a manufacturing setting, this would be the
cost to produce their “widget.” Recommending: The CRIS-E replacement be
designed to capture this unit cost in the counties.
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SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS - COSTS
SIX SIGMA ANALYSIS – FUTURE STATE WITH COST AND ERROR RATE
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0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
County X
Timeliness %
Error Rate %
Avg. Minutes to CompleteApplication
Process ImprovementIntroduction Date