Assistance program demand puts pressure on workers
By SUSAN M. COVER
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Sunday, July 15, 2007

AUGUSTA -- Lea Kendall is responsible for 677 families who in some way need help from the government.

They may be on food stamps, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. They may be on one or all three programs.

It's up to Kendall to make sure they get just the right amount of money each month -- not too much, not too little.

"It's not an easy job," said Kendall, who lives in Belgrade.

Kendall, 25, is one of 330 state workers in the Department of Health and Human Services who handle nearly double the ideal caseload.

And the federal government has noticed.

A recent review of the state-administered food stamp program issued a warning that if Maine doesn't reduce the number of errors made, the federal government will impose financial sanctions.

"As you know, Maine continues to have the highest error rate in the country," wrote Suzanne Biermann, a federal official. "Although we have seen some minor improvements this year, your 10.48 percent is excessive when compared to the national average of 5.46 percent."

Biermann, a regional administrator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, noted in the report that Maine ranked last in the nation for its 2006 and 2007 payment error rates. If the rates don't go down, the state will be sanctioned in June of next year.

When it comes to caseloads, the system in use in Maine is designed for each caseworker to handle 350 cases. When the federal review was conducted in May, they found caseloads to be 800-850, according to the report that was released last month.

"Maine's caseload size per eligibility worker continues to be one of the highest in the country," the report states.

That's because the state hasn't added staff to keep up with the expansion of the program from 101,589 to 159,598. Staffing levels haven't changed since 1993.

BALANCING ACT

For DHHS Commissioner Brenda Harvey, it's a balancing act between wanting to extend benefits to as many people as are eligible, and keeping an eye on state spending.

In fact, the federal government honored Maine three years ago for doing a good job of getting food stamps to those who qualify. With a 96 percent penetration rate, nearly everyone in Maine who is eligible to receive the federal benefit receives it.

"On the state side, we have an administration, the governor, who's been listening to the taxpayers, and a Legislature that says pare back government," she said. "What our challenge is in DHHS is to live within the resources that are appropriated for the administration of the program while trying to help those same people understand why we have an error rate."

The federal government also praises Maine because caseworkers offer three programs to those who walk in the door seeking help. It's part of the "no wrong door" approach that's designed to keep people who need benefits from having to drive from office to office to qualify for programs.

After filling out a one-page form, an applicant sits down with a caseworker who enters information into a computer program to determine whether they qualify for food stamps, Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

By the end of the visit, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half, the applicant should know whether they qualify, how much they will get, and if they need to provide additional information, such as a pay stub, to prove they are eligible, said Michael Frey, a program administrator at the Augusta DHHS office on Anthony Avenue.

Sometimes, mistakes are made.

WHAT'S AN ERROR?

"It's not fraud and abuse," Harvey said. "It's totally an administrative thing."

One is considered positive -- when the state gives someone more money than they are eligible for. That may happen if a relative moves into a food stamp household, even for just a month, and the state isn't notified of the increase in household income.

Once the error is discovered, the person who received extra money is expected to repay it.

The other is negative -- when the state takes people off benefits before they should. The federal government praised Maine for improving its negative error rate from nearly 14 percent in 2006 to a little over 2 percent in 2007.

"We make the correction as soon as we find out about it," Harvey said.

For those on the front lines, it's hard to hear about errors when they feel they are doing the best they can. Frey said the Augusta office alone handles 23,000 families with 39 staff members.

Each caseworker must do 50 annual reviews per month, handle 12 pieces of mail per day, answer the phone and return phone calls, he said.

One day last week, he expected to have 120 people come through the door, none of whom are supposed to wait longer than 20 minutes for help.

Kendall said they all feel badly about the error rate.

"It's tough to see stuff like that in the paper," she said. "Everyone here works their heart out."

HELP ON THE WAY?

The budget recently enacted by lawmakers allows for 30 additional people to be transferred to the food stamp program as other positions are vacated within the department. But the federal government said that won't get enough people in place fast enough, Harvey said.

"If those people don't retire or change jobs or leave, then we don't have those vacancies to transfer," she said. "We aren't pushing people out the door."

So Gov. John Baldacci recently signed a financial order to add 20 limited period positions in the food stamp program. Those who are hired will do only food stamps, and their jobs aren't permanent.

It's up to the governor and lawmakers to decide whether to allow DHHS to add positions permanently, she said. If they use their resources wisely, they still need 20 to 50 more people, Harvey said.

Rep. Lisa Miller, D-Somerville, a member of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, said lawmakers are aware of the high error rate but did not spend a lot of time discussing it during the session.

She said although members of her committee will be inclined to support increased staffing levels, the Appropriations Committee might not be.

"It will be a difficult sell in appropriations," she said. "Yet we are a low income state and we have a responsibility to manage these federal programs right and manage them so people can access them. We have a responsibility to make it work regardless of our concern about the growth of government."

From Kendall's perspective, growth in government means a more manageable workload. Despite the stress, she finds it to be a rewarding job.

"I go home OK at night knowing for everyone I couldn't help, there were at least a couple people I could," she said.

Susan Cover -- 623-1056

scover@centralmaine.com

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Bunk of Hallowell, ME
Jul 15, 2007 8:32 AM
Contrary to the general publics' opinion, DHHS workers are dedicated public servants. Given proper staffing, the job would get done promptly and with minimal errors. The target population would get the right service, and in the long run, everyone would benefit - eligible reipients would actually receive benefits they are told they qualify for, the workers would get the proper recognition, and DHHS would get praise instead of the endless criticism it receives.

This article makes a point which is easy for the every day citizen to forget - It's easy to sit in our homes and criticize State programs - but we need to look past those programs to the Legislature and Governor's office to see where, and why, the money is being spent. It's our money, ultimately, whether it comes from the State or through the State from the Federal Government. We, the people, need to make the State Legislature responsible to the needs of ALL the people. report abuse
Naran of Kennebunk, ME
Jul 15, 2007 9:07 AM

Correction - there are SOME workers at DHHS who are dedicated public servants. There are plenty of others who spend their days playing solitaire on the state computers.

Social services has become an INDUSTRY - self-serving, self-feeding, and the number one product is dependence, ever more state programs, cost, and workers.

And pardon moi, but like hell there's no fraud. Of course there is.

The answer to the Feds' complaints about Maine's DHHS error levels from Maine State Government will be "hire more workers," instead of tightening up requirements, weeding out the frauds, and increasing residency requirements.

After all, this is DHHS, which can "lose" $148 million dollars and nobody loses their job, or pays for that despicable morass of bad accounting.

Except the taxpayers, that is.report abuse
klondikejim of sanford, ME
Jul 15, 2007 9:58 AM
I agree with NARAN. Anybody who says all state employees are hard working honest individuals isn't being realistic. A certain percent of employees in any business will lie, cheat, steal, goof off, or not earn their paycheck by doing their job. One way to relieve the job shortage would be to reduce our bloated legislature and offer them employment as caseworkers. Another would be to hold managers responsible for their employees and give them the power to fire deadbeats without repercussions or long legal battles. Promoting employees to managerial positions solely based on seniority is a losing proposition. Unfortunately this is the "beaurocratic" way which most industries, unions, and of course govt employees cling to. Another way to alleviate the problem would be to fingerprint everyone who signs up for assistance. This would eliminate duplication and anyone who wants to take "advantage" of these programs while still serving those truely in need. This is probably against the law and would surely bring all B H Ls out of the woodwork to protest. report abuse
Greg of Skowhegan, ME
Jul 15, 2007 11:24 AM
In this state , living off of the DHHS services and defrauding the programs are a life style choice. Using the numbers from this article on case expansion, recipients increase by 57% since 1993. Assuming an average of three (conservatively) people per case and a population of Maine of 1.3 million, this means that over 36% of the population is participating. Four people per case would be 49%!!
The enablers administering these programs often are part of the problem. There is no doubt of this. The fraud and errors are caused by a heavy case load? How about incompetence and job security? These are two of the most protected classes in this state, people on welfare and state workers.
Considering this, is it any wonder why taxes are what they are?report abuse

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