Cross-Program Service Delivery, EMPOWERed with a Modern Platform
Through generous state and federal funding sources, there are a plethora of health and human services programs that provide safety nets to prevent crisis for citizens. From social welfare programs to healthcare services, from educational initiatives to community outreach programs, there are countless resources available to help people improve their lives. Despite the abundance of programs and services there are many people who struggle to access the help they need. There are millions of people receiving public benefits who are eligible for services across multiple programs, but most are not receiving all of those services. Unfortunately, agencies are resource strained, and facing a multitude of operational challenges, making it difficult to address this and many other discrepancies.
One of the key challenges that citizens face when trying to access services is navigating the complex web of programs and systems that exist. Each program has its own set of eligibility criteria, application processes, and guidelines for accessing services. This can make it difficult for individuals to determine which programs they qualify for and to know what steps they must take to apply for them. Citizens in need spend a great deal of time, expense, and frustration repeatedly providing the same information and the same documents to determine eligibility. This disjointed process results in a lack of confidence and trust, and a very poor experience for the citizen.
Legacy technology solutions can further exacerbate these challenges. Most state and local agencies are using antiquated systems which have been built in silos, meaning that data is isolated and difficult to access. Silos, by design, inhibit data sharing and thereby prevent meaningful cross-program collaboration. Additionally, this kind of technology often has high maintenance costs, drains resources, decreases operational efficiency, and can be a barrier to constructive business strategy and decision making. In Health & Human Services, the use of legacy systems is not only costly for the agency, but harmful to clients, preventing them from receiving the benefits that they need and are entitled to.
To address these challenges, many organizations are now exploring ways to serve people across programs. This approach involves developing coordinated systems and processes that allow people to access multiple services and resources through a single point of contact. Bringing together different programs and services under one umbrella can streamline access to support and improve the overall experience for citizens seeking assistance. These modern service delivery models require innovative and robust technology to maximize the modernization effort and the impacts achieved.
CITI’s enterprise-ready HHS platform, Empower, can help by breaking down the barriers created by legacy systems and their silos. Built on a foundation of core domain experience gained through deep engagement and collaboration with clients and end users, Empower supports programs including Child Welfare, Foster Care, Child Care, TANF, SNAP and Head Start. The Empower Eligibility Rules Engine can be quickly configured and applied to support eligibility determination and assisted decision making in case management, helping citizens access the services they need and helping agencies solve operational challenges.
With Empower, agencies achieve an economy of scale that reduces duplicative technology solutions, leading to greater efficiency and cost savings. By pooling the resources and expertise, organization can also develop more comprehensive and integrated services that better meet the needs of their clients.
Breaking down silos can foster productive collaboration between organizations and agencies. This powerful collaboration can lead to greater innovation, programmatic insights, knowledge sharing, and improved outcomes for clients.
Implementing CITI’s enterprise solution, Empower, is an auspicious next step for agencies that are adopting cross-program service delivery models for five key reasons – time to market, standardization, client experience, interoperability, and security. Rapid deployment delivers results for the agency quickly. The single platform solution is easier and more cost effective to maintain than a legacy system and gives the agency a 360-degree view of their client, allowing efficient and effective service delivery across programs. Interoperability ensures seamless integration with existing technology infrastructure, and dynamic, customizable, data-specific workflows promote security of information shared through the value chain.
Whether replacing all solutions at once or approaching modernization from an incremental renewal approach, Empower provides the foundation required to improve the experience of your workforce and clients. With Empower, you can start with one program and expand over time. Regardless of where you begin, Empower makes a difference, improving service delivery from the inside out.
We are living in an age where nearly anything is possible through technology. It’s time to put these struggles and the technology that causes them in the past. Designing cross-programmatic service delivery models supported with modern technology platforms helps agencies replenish resources, improve operational efficiency, and ensure that clients know about and effectively receive the benefits they are eligible for. Designed with a holistic care model at the forefront, Empower does just that, and is built to ensure that, ultimately, client needs are met, outcomes improve, and communities are strengthened.