1. FOOD STAMP NEGATIVE CASE ACTION
4/5/2017
This should be a bright alert recognizing page to show the importance of the booklet or screen
FOOD STAMP NEGATIVE CASE ACTION
Error Rate Reduction Campaign

2. Message from Philip L. Browning, Director
4/5/2017
Message from Philip L. Browning, Director
As a Department, we have achieved great success in reducing our Active Food Stamp (FS) Error Rate. We are now faced with another challenge and that is to lower our FS Negative Case Action Error Rate.
The FS Negative Case Action error rate results from erroneously withdrawing, denying and terminating FS cases. The FS Negative Case Action error rate for Los Angeles County for FFY 2007 was 17.05% and it is projected that the Negative Case Action error rate for FFY 2008 will once again be high.
Our goal for FFY 2009 is to reduce the FS Negative Case Action error rate to below 8%. To achieve this goal, the FS Negative Case Action Campaign was developed to increase staff awareness of the importance of accurately determining FS eligibility and correctly processing withdrawals, denials and terminations in a timely manner.
I am confident with your ongoing support and commitment, we will accomplish the goal of achieving a FS Negative Error Rate goal of 8% or less.
Thank you for all that you do each day to make a difference and enrich the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles County.
This message is too long for a PP presentation
Leave all wording. Trainer could read highlights, If worker wants to read will they have flyer?
Staff needs to be told why it is so important that cases are correct
What’s is the purpose of this campaign?
Food Stamp Negative Case Action Error Rate (before the last paragraph)
Federal no financial sanctions but will receive bonus from federal if we are below the national level
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

3. What Is A FS Negative Case Action Error?
4/5/2017
What Is A FS Negative Case Action Error?
WITHDRAWALS
INCORRECT
DENIALS
TERMINATIONS
Use a friendly image
Very cute graphic. Should stay in the presentation
Change IMPROPER for
ERRONEOUS
INVALID
INCORRECT
Given an e.g. of each (in a bullet format) on a separate slide
Include when to deny/term or withdraw. Explain what a proper denial, termination or withdrawal is.
Include examples of invalid/valid terminations and denials
Explain difference in withdrawal and denials specifically “Client request”
FS Negative Case Action Error Means…
What is Food Stamp Negative Case Action?
Define how & why. Be specific in explaining why each of these actions could be erroneous.
What IMPROPER means? When is it improper (scenarios)
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

4. Incorrect FS Negative Case Actions occur when we…
Deny the application for a missed interview, but we failed to send a Notice of Missed Interview (NOMI) to the applying household
Deny the FS applications prior to the 30th day after the application date without a valid reason
Cancel the FS application after the participant has completed and signed the application for FS benefits
Fail to sufficiently document in Case Comments, the reasons for the negative actions
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

5. 4/5/2017
Why Do We Care?
Inaccurate or improper withdrawals, denials, or terminations may:
Contribute to hunger, homelessness, and poor nutrition
Prevent individuals and families from receiving the benefits to which they are entitled
Compromise integrity of the Food Stamp Program causing Food Stamp Negative Case Action Errors
Make it real to staff
Add possible consequences e.g. Sanctions, penalties, decrease in funding
Contribute to hunger, homelessness, and poor nutrition of Individuals and families
This page should include the revenue loss as the BIG PICTURE
How does it affect us and the public we serve?
Increased error rate above 8% will cause the county money if penalized
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

6. How Is The Negative Case Action Error Rate Determined?
4/5/2017
How Is The Negative Case Action Error Rate Determined?
 Each month withdrawn, denied and terminated Food Stamp cases are audited by the State from a sample selected by the Federal Government.
 Based on the State review, a determination is made on whether the actions taken by the County were correct or incorrect.
 The Food Stamp Negative Case Action error rate is established by the number of case reviews completed and the number of cases identified in error for a given month.
Include samples of correct and incorrect negative case actions
Let staff know that if FED’s audit a case and State has cited no error, the error can triple
 Federal re-review of a State’s QC negative case action sample is conducted for all States each year to validate State reviews and rank the States in order of accuracy and error rates.
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

7. How Large was the Sample in 2007?
4/5/2017
How Large was the Sample in 2007?
1082 negative cases were reviewed Statewide
305 negative cases were reviewed in Los Angeles County
777 negative cases were reviewed in all other Counties in California
Change colors
Add the percentage next to the numbers
1082 negative cases were reviewed in California
777 negative cases were reviewed in the remaining 52 counties in California
Highlight the impact of L.A county
This is unnecessary – Knowledge of the sample size will not impact in lowering the negative errors
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

8. 4/5/2017
How Are We Doing?
State/LA County Goal 8.0%
State/County Goal
FFY Preliminary National average negative case action error rate is 9.37%.
* FFY 2008 –Preliminary. October 2007 through July 2008
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

9. FFY 2008: What Are Some of The Problem Areas?
4/5/2017
FFY 2008: What Are Some of The Problem Areas?
Denials due to erroneous calculations of monthly gross income
Denials with no supporting documentation or case comments to substantiate the reason for the denial or withdrawal
Denials prior to the end of the 30th day time frame for failure to provide verification
Erroneous terminations due to missing NOMI at recertification
Cases terminated instead of transferred - This point is not clear – Transfer to where?
Show numbers and percentage
Improper case comments
Erroneous terminations due to sanctions e.g. LEADER is terminating cases due to GROW non-compliances, even when participants are 50 yrs older, sanction is being imposed, which is incorrect)
The 3rt point -Denials prior to the end of the 30th day time frame for failure to provide verification- is too general. More explanation of type of error. This statement can be misinterpreted
Erroneous terminations due to missing Notice of Missed Interview (NOMI) at Intake
There is no information regarding withdrawals
Denials/terminations due to applying incorrect policy
Incorrect NOA being sent
Withdrawals not having withdrawal forms in case file
Change order of listing by most important to least
Erroneous terminations due to non-eligibility factors
(e.g. Cases terminated instead of transferred)
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

10. How Can We Make A Difference?
4/5/2017
How Can We Make A Difference?
Provide a copy of a checklist and explain it how to complete it,
Provide AD’s for NOMI denials include NOA’s used for denials/terms

11. We can make a difference with
4/5/2017
We can make a difference with
Departmental Commitment
Heightened Staff Awareness
Ongoing Staff Training
Resource/Reference Tools for Eligibility Staff
Improved Participant Education
Departmental Corrective Actions
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

12. 1. Departmental Commitment
4/5/2017
1. Departmental Commitment
Establish clear expectations
Ensure accountability at all levels
Encourage open communication
Ensure corrective action plans are
implemented and monitored
Recognize staff for error free negative case actions on a quarterly basis
Embolden the last bullet
2. Do this in their yearly evaluations –Save paper and attitude problems between workers
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

13. 2. Heightened Staff Awareness
4/5/2017
2. Heightened Staff Awareness
Reinforce the importance of reducing negative case
actions at all Departmental HSA/ASM III, BWS District
Directors, General Staff Meetings and Unit Meetings.
Establish an effective case review process to identify
and correct inaccurate or inappropriate negative case
actions.
Analyze all data available to determine the root causes of incorrect negative actions identified through QC and other sources.
Post Department Negative Case Action error rates in all District offices.
Reemphasize use of the correct Notice of Action for withdrawals, denials or terminations.
Second Appointments, NOMI
Too much emphasize on staff meeting benchmark “processing timeliness” and in turn hindering & approvals. Workers are taking shortcuts and creating their own workarounds.
Show samples of proper NOA
Should detail root causes
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

14. Food Stamp –Quality Control (Negative) FFY 2008*
4/5/2017
2. Heightened Staff Awareness
Food Stamp –Quality Control (Negative) FFY 2008*
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

15. 3. Ongoing Staff Training
4/5/2017
3. Ongoing Staff Training
Conduct Supplemental Negative
Case Action Training
Conduct refresher Case Opening Clerk
Training
Develop additional training tools:
QC Trivia, Quizzes, etc.
Policy library –easily accessible to staff and updated periodically
LEADER handbook
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

16. 4. Resource/Reference Tools for Eligibility Staff
4/5/2017
4. Resource/Reference Tools for Eligibility Staff
Administrative Memorandum # Food Stamp Negative Error Rate
dated 1/15/08
Anatomy of Negative Case Action Errors
Food Stamp Negative Case Action Review Checklist
ERP Alert Bulletins
Food Stamp Nutrition Planners
QC/QA Newsletters
Portal Denial and Withdrawal Listings
Awareness Flyers
Food Stamp Resource Guide CD
Best Practices
Put down where they can be accessed
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

17. 5. Improved Participant Education
4/5/2017
5. Improved Participant Education
Ensure participants are well-informed
about timeframes and what they must
provide to the Department to verify
their eligibility
Reinforce use of the Verification
Checklist (VCL) on LEADER
Reinforce Participant Rights and Responsibilities
Business Cards
Refrigerator Magnets
Flip Charts
Rights &
R e s p on s i b i l i t i e s
Remove the last bullet point- Lobby PowerPoint
Ongoing staff training: more time effective way to generate VCL on LEADER
Reinforce use of the Verification Checklist (VCL) FROM LEADER
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

18. 6. Departmental Corrective Actions
4/5/2017
6. Departmental Corrective Actions
Analyze Negative Case Action Error trends
Discuss negative case actions at Departmental and District
Corrective Action meetings
Reinforcement Training
Initiate specific corrective actions
Administrative Directives and Memorandums
LEADER Change Requests
Newsletter articles
LEADER enhancements
Automated denial for missed interview at the 30th day
Drop Down box: “Have You Made Case Comments?”
NOMI at recertification (in development)
Increase monthly QCM reviews of Negative Actions to 40 cases
Monitor results and develop/share corrective actions.
Reinforcement Training
Manual NOA’s placed in case
LEADER Enhancements –
Update profiles
LEADER not to term or deny F/S due to GROW Non-Cooperation when participant is ABAWD exempt
NOA preview for EW’s based on action taken on case. NOA’s are not generated until ES has completed authorization causing erroneous NOA mailed out to participants
CCW should not do workarounds to process cases, e.g. Deny in order to rescind just to meet processing deadline
Ensure LEADER is mailing failure to provide liquid resources.
Clarify withdrawal form to be used and the difference between withdrawal Notice and denial NOA. Also, state which withdrawal form should be used
QCM (checklist)
What consists of a correct NOA
Manual NOA’s included in case
QA meetings
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

19. USE CORRECT NOTICE OF ACTION FOR A WITHDRAWAL, DENIAL OR TERMINATION
4/5/2017
Don’t Forget…
 DOCUMENT!
 COMMUNICATE!
 DOCUMENT!
 COMMUNICATE!
 DOCUMENT!
 COMMUNICATE!
USE CORRECT NOTICE OF ACTION FOR A WITHDRAWAL, DENIAL OR TERMINATION
Definition of - Correct NOA
USE CORRECT NOTICE OF ACTION FOR A DENIAL OR TERMINATION
REPLACE: NOA! NOA! NOA!
WHEN IN DOUBT: SCREEN FOR APPROVAL, NOT FOR WITHDRAWAL
State that withdrawal of application, participant will loose right to appeal. Withdrawal’s are only mentioned in the first screen but nowhere else
USE CORRECT NOTICE OF ACTION FOR A DENIAL, TERMINATION and WITHDRAWAL
“WHEN IN DOUBT:
SCREEN IN, NOT OUT!”
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

20. Also remember…
The only valid reason for a FS application withdrawal is Client Request
If an applicant completes and signs an application for FS benefits, the application is not to be cancelled
Incomplete case comments are unacceptable and should be avoided
The County is required to send a NOMI to households that miss their scheduled intake or recertification interviews
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

21. DOES NOT REPLACE And Keep In Mind… AUTOMATION DOCUMENTATION 4/5/2017
Error Rate Reduction Campaign - December 08

22. “TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE”
4/5/2017
“TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE”
At the end of this presentation should be a summary of the improper denials, terminations, and withdrawals