If you've been to the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services lately, you may wonder what those large signs on the first and second floors at 222 E. Central Parkway mean? Yellow and Green on the first floor. Purple and Orange on the second. 

They’re part of a new system for serving the 7,000 people who come to the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services each month to re-apply for Medicaid, food assistance and cash assistance – as well as those who had missed appointments or have open cases and want to apply for another category of assistance. Consumers must re-apply to ensure the agency has current information about income, resources, job status and residency. 

“This is all about customer service, and improving the flow through the lobbies,” said Kevin Brewer, section chief, Family and Adult Assistance (FAA) 3. 

Database helps manage workflow
The system uses a Microsoft Access database to automate a process that relied on paperwork and e-mail. Tom Sanders of Information Systems developed the database, used by all three FAA sections since early October. 

The process begins when a consumer walks up to a desk in the first- or second-floor lobby and is logged into the database by a clerical worker. The worker selects the consumer’s name from a pull-down menu – and then prints out a piece of paper with the lobby color, appointment number, and instructions (in both English and Spanish). 

Consumers then follow the printed instructions and go to the lobby – Yellow, west side of first floor; Green, east side of first floor; Purple, lobby outside second floor desk; or Orange, through a door to the left of the second floor desk. The Orange area, which formerly held cubicles, has been converted into a lobby to handle larger caseloads during the economic recession. 

Meanwhile, eligibility workers in various case-bank teams accept appointments on their PC’s and go to the designated lobby to get the consumer. 

“We still follow appointment times, but this allows people to be seen on a first-come, first-served basis,” Brewer said. “A big plus is that we can log them in in a matter of seconds.” 

Managers keep tabs on wait times
Supervisors get real-time data that help them monitor and manage consumer flow. They can see how many people have been served by a team or individual, how many are waiting, and the average wait times. 

Brewer stressed that the system is in its infancy. He said features will be added in upcoming weeks. FAA eventually will pilot using the system for first-time intake applications as well as re-applications. 

He noted that the county had looked into purchasing a scheduling system, but it would have cost at least $500,000 plus yearly maintenance fees.  

“We’re really excited about the system that Tom Sanders in IS has created,” Brewer said. “We have been able to cost-effectively automate some of the processes that we did manually, resulting in improved customer service.”