DSS chief: Reorganize services, save funds

• By SARAH CHACKO
• Capitol news bureau
• Published: Sep 7, 2009

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The transfers of health, work force and child welfare-related services in and out of the state social services agency are being recommended as ways to increase government efficiency.

Department of Social Services’ Secretary Kristy Nichols outlined key recommendations to the Commission on Streamlining Government last week.

The focus is on modernizing and reducing the size of the department, improving access to services, transferring programs to appropriate agencies and spending money on programs that have proven results, she said.

The department, called DSS, oversees public assistance programs, like food stamps, child abuse investigations and protection, and services for people with disabilities.

“We know how many people are enrolled, we know how much service we’re providing to them, but, to the extent that we know that we’re moving people into self-sufficiency, that children are safer, that their well-being is better provided for, I can’t say that we know that today,” Nichols told the Streamlining Commission.

On average, the department’s staffing ratio is one manager to every five staff members, Nichols said. The national average is one for every eight.

While employees who deal with child abuse and neglect may need a different ratio, “It does appear we have room to streamline in the management division,” she said.

One solution is to impose job freezes or make reductions as more of the department is automated and programs are consolidated, Nichols said. She suggested that freezes first happen in middle management.

“We would make a serious mistake if (we) start reducing our workforce and focus on frontline staff, which I think is a common occurrence,” she said. 

DSS plans to have its enrollment process automated through a call center and Web site by June 2010, Nichols said.

Related to that is the recommendation to merge the eligibility and enrollment processes for programs in both DSS and Department of Health and Hospitals, called DHH. The two serve similar clients and they have asked for a common point of access to public assistance, Nichols said.

The idea needs more research into the consolidation of staff, potential savings, and which agency would handle the process, she said.

DSS is also working with DHH and the Louisiana Workforce Commission to divvy up programs within Louisiana Rehabilitative Services, called LRS, which offers assistance to people with disabilities.