1 DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014 Toni...

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1 DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014 Toni Johnson Conroy December 5, 2014 Presented to Washington Coalition on Medicaid Outreach (WCOMO) Courtyard Marriott Tacoma 1515 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA

Transcript of 1 DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014 Toni...

Page 1: 1 DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014 Toni Johnson Conroy December 5, 2014 Presented to Washington.

1DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014

Toni Johnson Conroy

December 5, 2014

Presented to

Washington Coalition on Medicaid Outreach (WCOMO)

Courtyard Marriott Tacoma1515 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA

Page 2: 1 DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014 Toni Johnson Conroy December 5, 2014 Presented to Washington.

2DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014

EBTIn fiscal year 2014, ESA issued more

than $1.6 billion in basic food benefits to more than 595,000 Washington families.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) praises Washington’s EBT card monitoring system as “exemplary”. We have a 99.67 percent accuracy rate for the first 10 months of federal fiscal year 2014.

Contrary to news reports earlier this year, the audit found no instances in which household members used an invalid Social Security number to obtain benefits. It also notes a significant decline in the number of replacement cards issued and no transactions at prohibited locations

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3DSHS | Community Services Division | ESA | Customer Service Contact Center September 2014

News

In 2014 Washington ranked second highest in the nation for services and supports DSHS provides to older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers.

 The scorecard measures how

successfully the states care for vulnerable and older adults by offering long-term services and support systems.  

 The ranking was announced by the

AARP in its 2014 scorecard.

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NewsDepartment of Social and Health

Services (DSHS) secured a $3.9 million federal grant, to provide critical recovery support services to 450 people over five years. With these services DSHS can more fully support people with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders in their recovery goals.

  Grant Mental Health in the Spokane

Regional Support Network, and Columbia River Mental Health in the Southwest Washington Regional Support Network, will implement the project, known as Washington Becoming Employed Starts Today (BEST).

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News

The state Department of Social and Health Services has received approval from Gov. Jay Inslee to spend up to $30 million to purchase mental health treatment services for some of the 200 patients involuntarily detained outside of certified evaluation and treatment facilities due to overcrowding. (8/2014)

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DOMA Decision

Because of the recent Supreme Court ruling, effective July 28th, there will be a change in the way we view same sex marriages for Basic Food benefits.

Legally married couples now includes legally married same sex couples.

Additionally, on June 30, 2014, the state of Washington converted existing same sex domestic partnerships to legal marriages so this rule change applies to those couples as well.

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DOMA Decision

Medicaid like the Basic Food program is no longer prevented from recognizing same-sex marriages for determining eligibility for these programs. Eligibility for Classic Medicaid is now identical for same-sex couple households and opposite-sex couple household.

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Questions?

Comments?

Toni Johnson Conroy, MPACommunity Relations ManagerCustomer Service Contact CenterCommunity Services Division | ESA | DSHS5712 Main Street SW, Suite 100, Office  161Lakewood, WA  98499509.638.9437 (C)Email: [email protected]