NEWS RELEASE

Date: October 21, 2004
Contact: Stephanie Goodman or Jennifer Harris, (512) 424-6951

HHSC Plan Provides Consumers, Community Groups With Options

By Albert Hawkins, Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner

The state's plan to modernize the way Texans apply for many services, including Medicaid and food stamps, will make the application process more convenient for consumers and will provide community organizations with new tools to support their work.

A local organization will be able to choose the level of involvement in the new system that fits its mission, resources and community's needs. We want to make it easier for a food bank to tell people how to apply for food stamps or a clinic to direct a patient to Medicaid.

Our plan doesn't change the relationship between the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the community-based organizations working with many of the same people we serve. But we will develop new tools, such as online applications, to make it easier for those organizations that already direct people to state services.

HHSC will maintain responsibility for consumer outreach and for processing applications for assistance. Our plan will expand the ways people can apply for services, but it does not change the actual services or the standards that determine if someone is eligible to receive those services.

The new model will allow clients to apply in person, through the Internet, over the phone and by fax or mail. The state will establish call centers to receive and process applications, and consumers will be able to track the progress of their applications through an automated phone system.

In the future, HHSC plans to add the application process for other services, such as the Children's Health Insurance Program, to this system. This is an important part of achieving our goal to better integrate services and provide Texas families with access to a wide array of services through a single point of contact.

The biggest advantage of the new model will be improved access to state services for working Texans, for people who lack transportation or live in remote areas, and for others who have difficulty traveling. For those who want to apply for services in person, field offices will be strategically located across the state so consumers would drive no more than 5 miles for services in urban areas, 15 miles in suburban areas and 30 miles in rural areas.

HHSC is developing a detailed implementation plan that will include training, outreach and education for community organizations that choose to direct Texans to state services. In addition, the state's health and human services agencies also contract with many community-based organizations to provide services ranging from substance abuse treatment to cancer screening. In many cases, these service providers already are required to screen potential clients to see if Medicaid or other such programs could cover the cost of the service being provided. We want to increase coordination with these community-based providers to better “connect the dots” with these existing resources.

Community organizations have a front-row view of the current application process for state services. We look forward to working with community groups as we continue this process, and we welcome feedback from our community partners. We know the information we get from community organizations will help HHSC refine and revise our plan as needed to best meet the needs of Texans.

These organizations know the current system is a one-size-fits-all approach that makes it difficult for many Texans, especially the working poor, to apply for state services. The emphasis must be on providing consumers with greater choice and enhanced options for finding services and benefits.  It's time to change the system to one that works for Texas families.

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