RD313 - Progress Report: Implementation Plan for Web-based Eligibility System - October 2010


Executive Summary:
DSS oversees the operation of benefits and services programs that are administered by 120 local departments of social services (LDSS) across the Commonwealth. Many of the Commonwealth’s most critical services are included in these programs, including administering social safety net programs, protecting children and adults from abuse and neglect, providing subsidized child care that allows parents to work, collecting child support to improve the lives of children, licensing adult and child care facilities to ensure safety, and encouraging work through workforce development services.

The economic recession facing Virginia has had a significant impact on the LDSS workload. Specifically, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) caseload has increased by over 60% since July 2007. This means that one in every 10 Virginians now depend on SNAP to meet their nutritional needs. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) caseload has increased by over 17% since July 2007, currently numbering over 37,000 cases, and the Unemployed Parent Program caseload has doubled to over 2,400 cases. In addition, over 827,000 individuals currently receive Medicaid benefits.

The current automated eligibility system for the benefit programs of SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid, called the Application Benefit Delivery Automation Project (ADAPT), is built in an aging technology called Maintaining and Preparing/Producing Executive Reports (MAPPER). MAPPER contains over 10,000 automated rules. Although program changes mandated by either federal or state legislation require adjustments to ADAPT, the MAPPER technology is difficult to program. Thus, the current delivery model of benefits and services is highly dependent upon paper and manual processes, limited data sharing, and aging technology.

While caseloads have grown, funding for staff has not increased. Even though ADAPT is not an easy system to program for changes and efficiencies, DSS has worked to assist LDSS staff to manage caseload increases through implementation of several efficiencies to streamline the work effort:

• Telephone interviews – allowing workers to conduct interviews via telephone, and manage their workload, eliminating down time from missed appointments;

• Client declaration of SNAP resources instead of requiring hard copy verifications;

• Adding comment screens in the eligibility system (ADAPT) so verifications can be documented within the system; and

• Electronic data matches with the Social Security Administration for citizenship verification.

Established planning processes for new technology require documentation to be submitted for approval by federal partner agencies. System development requires approval from both the federal partner agencies and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). DSS received federal approval for a Planning Advance Planning Document (PAPD) that documented pre-planning efforts to evaluate potential technology enhancements, coupled with business process changes to improve the delivery of benefits and services.

Evaluation of incremental technical enhancements, knowledge gained through the PAPD activities, evaluation of streamlined business processes and alternatives, and funding constraints support incremental investments to address modernization of the eligibility system. Based on the results of the PAPD, an Implementation Advance Planning Document (IAPD) requesting funding approval to implement a Customer Portal was submitted to the federal partners on September 13, 2010. Documentation for implementation of the Customer Portal has also been submitted to VITA for development approval. Currently, the project has been approved for preliminary planning. At this time, no approval for development has been received from the federal partner agencies or the Commonwealth’s Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Because a major information technology project requires approximately a year of planning and documentation, DSS believes implementation of a new web-based system for the determination of eligibility to replace ADAPT will be a lengthy task, taking at least three years. The scope of such a project would not allow the Commonwealth to quickly realize any real cost savings until after full implementation. DSS recommends an incremental approach be used as the plan to centralize, web-enable, and streamline eligibility determination.

Recognizing that the delivery of services and benefits occurs at the local level, DSS partnered with LDSS to develop the PAPD activities. Work groups comprised of local and state staff were formed to conduct research of other states’ technology, document, and review deliverables for the PAPD. Local department directors also served on an oversight committee for the PAPD activities. In addition, discussions were held with representatives from the Virginia League of Social Services Executives and its affiliates regarding the Customer Portal. Federal partner agency representatives were contacted to discuss the options for a Customer Portal prior to submission of the IAPD.

A steering committee including representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, VITA, DSS, League of Social Services Executives, Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), and Department of Planning and Budget (DPB) met in 2009. At that time, it was determined that there were no funds to support full replacement of the current eligibility system with a web-based one. DSS has continued to explore ways to develop a replacement system in an incremental way. As the proposal for a Customer Portal developed, DSS consulted with DMAS and members of the VITA Architectural Review team to ensure that development of a Customer Portal can meet the technology requirements for the anticipated expansion of Medicaid. DSS will continue to work with its partners - local, state and federal - to develop a plan for incremental implementation and investment in technology to address enterprise needs and eligibility determination. Because the language requiring this report was deleted in the 2010 Appropriation Act, this is the final progress report.