Karlla Howlett supervises
the new Family and Adult Assistance Call Center

A supervisor smiled as she took one of the 1,400 daily calls to the new Family and Adult Assistance (FAA) Call Center at the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services. A woman had called to thank Heather Lohmann, an eligibility technician who processed her case.  

“She wanted to say ‘God bless you’ for processing her food stamps,” said the Call Center supervisor. “She stated she really needed food for Thanksgiving, and she is grateful for the help she received.” 

The Call Center started as a pilot project in Family and Adult Assistance (FAA) 3 in early 2007 as part of efforts to improve customer service. The center’s coverage began expanding in June to serve more clients. By September, the unit was taking calls for all three FAA sections.

“About the same time the windstorm hit,” Supervisor Karlla Howlett said. Hundreds of people gave the center a major test with questions about emergency programs to help them replace spoiled food. 

Nineteen eligibility technicians staff the center, including 10 part-time. They take calls to (513) 946-1070 about food stamps, Medicaid and Ohio Works First (OWF) cash assistance. They work in cubicles along the southeast wall of the second floor at 222 E. Central Parkway.

Center staff look up case information and record changes using a database they access on the agency’s Intranet. They record information such as address, household, income or resource changes. The data goes to a Change Processing Unit for verification and processing. 

In the past, clients called eligibility technicians directly with changes. Workers would find their workflow interrupted by calls and/or need to devote much time to handling voice mail messages. Clients would have to wait to learn about action on their cases. They sometimes made followup calls, filling voice mailboxes to capacity. Others couldn’t leave messages.

“If ET’s (eligibility technicians’) phones are not ringing, they have more processing time,” Howlett said. “If we can answer questions or tell people about resources, that gives the callers the services they need and brings relief to the ET’s.” 

The number of calls has increased from about 11,000 in July to 19,500 in October. Wait times have decreased as more staff has joined the center and became experienced with the process. (Clients must wait on hold, except for medical providers and community partners who can leave a voice mail by hitting Option 7.) 

“We get a lot of questions,” Howlett said. “And changes – address, babies, resources, income… We get to them as fast as we can. We have a great group that’s constantly learning. They accept challenges and look for serving people in the best way they can.” 

Each full-time technician fields about 90 calls a day. 

“As soon as you hit that button, there is a call,” Howlett said. “There is never any break.” 

Clients such as the woman who offered the compliment appreciate that they get to talk to a person and get their questions answered. Consumers are very understanding about the wait time, said Kevin Brewer, FAA 3 section chief. Typically, there is a high call volume at the beginning of the month which leads to longer waits.   

“We’ve gotten a number of thank yous from people who say that we’re able to explain things on a normal level so they could understand,” Howlett said. “Especially from elderly people with medical questions. We bring it down to a level so they can understand. They are way more appreciative.” 

Wardlow said eligibility technicians appreciate that the center has freed them to more efficiently process cases. 

“Especially with more and more cases due to the economic slowdown,” she said.  

The timing for a fully staffed Call Center couldn’t be better.