Achievement through MeasurementAn Adult Protective Services Central Intake Example

What this presentation is about...

1.1. A historical context for APS/IHSS Central A historical context for APS/IHSS Central

Intake in Intake in Riverside CountyRiverside County

2.2. The problem and why it needed fixingThe problem and why it needed fixing

3.3. Solutions implementedSolutions implemented

4.4. How the solutions helped to resolve the How the solutions helped to resolve the

problemproblem

5.5. The current state of affairsThe current state of affairs

6.6. How the solutions discussed can be applied How the solutions discussed can be applied

in in myriad contextsmyriad contexts

April, 2011 / Riverside County CIC

• An average of 75 Adult Protective Services and 150 In-Home Supportive Services calls per day

• Six staff allocated

• This equated to thirty-eight calls per worker per day

• 54% of incoming calls were answered timely

• The average wait time per caller was 7:30

The Problem

• Tens of calls dropped per day, largely due to wait

• High potential for elder/dependent abuse and neglect without our knowledge

• Complaints from community partners - not just wait time, but non-responsiveness

• Inadequate staffing

• Lack of funding for additional positions

The Solutions

Data to Compare and Chart Data to Compare and Chart ProgressProgress

Data to Compare and Chart Data to Compare and Chart ProgressProgress

An Analysis of the Working An Analysis of the Working ModelsModels

An Analysis of the Working An Analysis of the Working ModelsModels

2011 Division Priority2011 Division Priority2011 Division Priority2011 Division Priority

TransparencTransparencyy

TransparencTransparencyy

Division Priority

• Because CIC is often the entry point for customers, improving our numbers here was given priority number one

• The progress was visited bi-weekly by all Division managers

• Though the Central Intake manager was given primary responsibility, Region success or failure was seen as Division success or failure

Analysis of the CIC Staffing Model

• The focus shifted from Social Work, to triage

• The decision was made to convert the two vacant Social Work positions into four Social Services Assistant positions

• This model allowed for the Social Services Assistants (SSA's) to answer the In-Home Supportive Services calls, freeing the Social Workers to answer the Adult Protective Services calls

Analysis of the Screener Model

• In April, 2011, there were many different models of Screener effectiveness

• This made it difficult for the Screeners themselves to differentiate and focus

• All were distilled to one measure: Call Handling Time (average length of call per worker)

• Training was held to emphasize the model

Why Call Handling Time?

SimplificatioSimplificationn

ConsistencyConsistency

AccountabiliAccountabilityty

One MeasureOne MeasureOne MeasureOne Measure

Apples to Apples to apples: can apples: can use light and use light and heavy call heavy call volume daysvolume days

Apples to Apples to apples: can apples: can use light and use light and heavy call heavy call volume daysvolume days

Eliminated the Eliminated the sick/vacation sick/vacation variablevariable

Eliminated the Eliminated the sick/vacation sick/vacation variablevariable

Triage, as Triage, as opposed to opposed to Social Work, Social Work, focusfocus

Triage, as Triage, as opposed to opposed to Social Work, Social Work, focusfocus

Model FitModel Fit

Data

• Riverside County is a Solidus eCare client

• Supervisors and managers have access to literally hundreds of spreadsheets, analyzing all aspects of incoming calls

• In the end, two aggregate measures were chosen:

Timely Answered CallsTimely Answered Calls

Average Caller Wait Average Caller Wait TimeTime

Transparency• We soon embarked on an informational campaign

to increase accountability, and to generate awareness

• The aggregate measures were posted in the CIC main corridor, and started being discussed at unit meetings

• Group discussions revolved around increasing the percentage of timely answered calls, and reducing caller wait time: what could staff personally do?

• Individually, the supervisor and staff discussed call handling time relative to other Screeners

• Staff were given a context (where they ranked) and were encouraged to set goals

• An average of thirteen calls, per day, per APS Social Worker

• An average of thirty-eight calls, per day, per IHSS Social Services Assistant

• 93% of calls are answered timely

• Wait times are less than 2:00

February, 2012February, 2012

February, 2012February, 2012

February, 2012February, 2012

Applicable Solutions

Make the Change a Make the Change a PriorityPriority

Analyze Your Working Analyze Your Working ModelsModels

Visit it OftenVisit it Often

Hold Each Other Hold Each Other AccountableAccountable

Develop Measurable GoalsDevelop Measurable Goals

Visit it OftenVisit it Often

Hold Each Other Hold Each Other AccountableAccountable

Develop Measurable GoalsDevelop Measurable Goals

Think of Both the Individual Think of Both the Individual and the Unitand the Unit

Stretch the Limits of the Stretch the Limits of the Tried and TrueTried and True

Candidly Ask, "What Isn't Candidly Ask, "What Isn't Working," and Do Working," and Do Something About ItSomething About It

Think of Both the Individual Think of Both the Individual and the Unitand the Unit

Stretch the Limits of the Stretch the Limits of the Tried and TrueTried and True

Candidly Ask, "What Isn't Candidly Ask, "What Isn't Working," and Do Working," and Do Something About ItSomething About It

Applicable Solutions

DataData TransparencyTransparency

Develop Ways to Measure Develop Ways to Measure and Trackand Track

Supervisors and Managers Supervisors and Managers Should "Live" the DataShould "Live" the Data

Consolidate the Consolidate the Deliverables to No More Deliverables to No More than Three Itemsthan Three Items

Develop Ways to Measure Develop Ways to Measure and Trackand Track

Supervisors and Managers Supervisors and Managers Should "Live" the DataShould "Live" the Data

Consolidate the Consolidate the Deliverables to No More Deliverables to No More than Three Itemsthan Three Items

Share Your Goals, both Share Your Goals, both Internally and ExternallyInternally and Externally

Talk about Successes and Talk about Successes and Challenges Along the WayChallenges Along the Way

Post Your Progress for All to Post Your Progress for All to SeeSee

Share Your Goals, both Share Your Goals, both Internally and ExternallyInternally and Externally

Talk about Successes and Talk about Successes and Challenges Along the WayChallenges Along the Way

Post Your Progress for All to Post Your Progress for All to SeeSee

Q&A

Thankyou