13-18 Reporting When Customers Stop Receiving Services

Purpose

Ensure we accurately report when customers stop receiving services.

Background

It is important to record accuate service and outcome data for customers because we use this data to mange and monitor our service and to assess our performance.    TIST and WorkInTexas.com serve as the permanent case files for our customers and all information enteed must be clear, concise, comprehensive, and accurate.   In the past we have had difficulty accurately recording service for a customer when the service extends over a period of time.  We have left significant numbers of customers in services beyond planned end dates, not closed a service timely, and “lost” customers who appear to be actively engaged with us.   To ensure we are accurately reporting what we do and that we are providing customers with a high quality service, we are making some changes to how staff record service.  

Recording Service

Contractors must ensue that Workforce Solutions staff:

• only record services in TWIST and WorkInTexas.com when actively working with a customer;
• only record services provided to a customer;
• accurately record service dates in TWIST and WorkInTexas.com; and
• close a service when the customer stops receiving the service. (Includes closing out open service records with the correct service end dates and completion reasons.)

 Much of the service Workforce Solutions offers extends past one day.  Managers must make sure that staff active works with customers throughout the entire period of their service – and that staff accurately records that work.  This includes making sure that staff close a service timely after a customer has finished or is no longer actively engaged with Workforce Solutions.

Regular Contact

Staff must maintain regular contact with a customer who is in any service that is planned to extend more than 30 days.   We maintain regular contact to make sure that a customer is making progress toward her employment goals and finding our service useful and helpful.    with a customer means that staff is in direct, two-way contact with the customer at least monthly:

• "Direct, two-way contact" means a customer actively responds through some means (i.e., e-mail, text, phone call, fax) indicating her continued engagement in our service.

NOTE:      Automated responses, such as an outgoing voice mail message or an out-of- office notification, do not qualify as an active response from a customer.

• To verify attendance and progress in work experience, employment, or training and education, documentation received from an employer or training provider, including by e-mail or fax, is acceptable and constitutes direct contact with the customer.
• Customers who are required to submit documentation to prove cooperation (i.e., TANF and SNAP recipients) are in direct contact with staff.  Receipt of documentation of participation hours is direct contact.
• When recording contact with customers, staff must comply with Counselor Notes guidelines distributed in Issuance WS 13-03.

Job Search Assistance

Effective immediately record all, TWIST Service 12 - Job Search Assistance as a one-day service except for customers tagged in TANF/Choices and SNAP. For customers not tagged in TANF/Choices or SNAP, staff should deliver job search assistance at any time the customer requests it.  Staff however must record that service at the time the customer requests it (i.e., on that day) and for a one day duration only.

Training Customers

Customers with Workforce Solutions scholarships may have a different contact schedule, as part of the agreed employment plan.  These customers must report as agreed and must always report the results of their training at each step of the funding process.

• Issuance 13-12 Managing Financial Aid/Continued Funding details the requirements for customer reporting.
• Each scholarship customer signs an award letter agreeing to fulfill her responsibilities for continued funding. 
• Call Center staff confirms a customer complied with her agreement before authorizing additional funding.
•  Staff must close the TWIST training service as of the last day the customer was in training.  Use a Data Integrity Request when you do not receive timely information.
• Staff may wait until funds become available to contact customers in TWIST service 11 - Planned Gap in Service if the customer is waiting for scholarship assistance, and does not want another service.

Reviewing Existing Records

There are many customers (not tagged in TANF/Choices or SNAP or receiving scholarship assistance) currently in services with extended planned completion dates. 

Staff must contact these customers to determine if the customer wants continued assistance from us.

• If staff cannot contact the customer or if the customer reports she does not want additional assistance from Workforce Solutions, close the service.  For example:
  • A customer started a job search service on May 1.  Staff will attempt to contact the customer. 
  • If staff cannot contact the customer, close the service as of May 1 (the last day the customer received a service).  Staff may have to submit a data integrity edit.
  • If staff contacts the customer and the customer reports she does not want additional assistance from Workforce Solutions, close the service as of May 1 (if that is the last day the customer received a service).  Staff may have to submit a data integrity edit.
  • If the customer responds that she is still looking for work and wants us to help her find a job close the existing job search service and open another one day job search service each time you help the customer.
• If the customer reports she is actively participating in a service other than job search record the contact with the customer in counselor notes.

The review of customers with extended planned completion dates must be completed by July 15, 2013.

Action

1. Make sure that managers, supervisors and staff understand the requirements of this issuance and develop processes to comply with this issuance.
2. Implement requirements for recording of one day job search assistance service and timely direct contact as soon as possible.
3. Complete review/closure of records with extended planned completion dates in accordance with guidance presented above by July 15, 2013.
4. Develop and publish regular reports through tracking units to measure on-going compliance. 

Questions

Staff should first ask questions of their managers or supervisors.  Direct questions for Board staff to the staff web Q&A at Contract Management in the Staff Resources.

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