Food Stamp Employment and Training (FSET) and Optional Workfare (OW) Programs

Effective February 1, 2008

One-Stop Service Tracking (OSST) System

Automated Notification Process

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Agenda

Definitions

Overview Using a Flow Chart

The Automated Referral Process

The Automated Notification Process

The Automated Conciliation and Sanction Process

Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

Critical Reminders

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Definitions

Notification of Mandatory Participation (AWI-FSET 0004 Auto)

The Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) will automatically print and send the Notification of Mandatory Participation (AWI-FSET 0004 Auto) letters for when a case is referred in the OSST system

NOTE: Transfer To-Dos will not initiate that automation process. Program staff will be required to review the cases with a “Transfer-To” and a “Transfer From” To-Do for case action

Program staff will need to take the appropriate actions

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Automated Notice of Mandatory Participation

What will the Initial notice say?

How does the One-Stop / Service Providers contact information get printed on the notice?The notice has data fields imbedded in it ready to pre-populate data found in OSST upon printing.

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Definitions

Notice of Failure to Comply (AWI-

FSET 4165 Auto) AWI will automatically print and send the Notice

of Failure to Comply (AWI-FSET 4165 Auto) letter for noncompliant FSET participants in OSST that have not responded to or followed the special directions on the Notification of Mandatory Participation (AWI-FSET 0004 Auto) letter.

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Automated Failure to Comply Notice

What does the Initial notice say?

How does the One-Stop / Service Providers contact information get printed on the notice?The notice has data fields imbedded in it ready to pre-populate data found in OSST upon printing.

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Definitions

Automated Sanction Request The OSST system will automatically request sanctions for

noncompliant participants that have not responded to the Notice of Failure to Comply (AWI-FSET 4165 Auto) letter, or that had no case manager intervention, and was referred after February 1, 2008.

Automated Case Closures Automatic case closures for noncompliant participants who

have not responded to the Notification of Mandatory Participation (AWI-FSET 0004 Auto) letter or the Notice of Failure to Comply (AWI-FSET 4165 Auto) letter and has shown no compliance before the sanction was imposed.

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How the Automation WorksThe OSST system will mail a Notification of Mandatory Participation to participants of the FSET and OW program if the participant has been referred by the DCF through the FLORIDA interface or the interface has initiated a move from one area to another (as indicated below).

The notification will be mailed for the following cases:

•A new FSET/OWP case is created;

•A case that was previously closed is reopened;

•If an open case has been transferred between regions or counties;

•If an open case has been transferred between a non-operating unit to an operating program unit; and

•If an open case has been transferred from the WT program to FSET/OWP.

NOTE: Cases in red were not effective February 1, 2008. Case managers need to act on transfer To-Dos.

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How the Automation Works Cont’d

If the participant complies with the notification process according to the Notification of Mandatory Participation, program staff must end the Notification Letter activity with an Actual End Date and Outcome. Program staff will be responsible for following up with the program participant, entering data in OSST and responding to any new To-Dos posted on the case.

If the participant does not comply with the Notification of Mandatory Participation within ten days of the mailing date, the automated process will initiate the conciliation process. Program staff are not required to start the conciliation process.

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How the Automation Works Cont’d

If the participant complies according to conciliation requirements, staff must terminate the conciliation process according to guidance. Program staff will be required to follow up with the program participant.

If the participant does not respond and take the course of action required to terminate the conciliation process, the AWI will continue through the automated process by requesting a sanction.

The automation process will request the sanction, confirm any closure/sanction To-Do generated through the interface and close the FSET/OWP case.

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Reason for Automating the Referral Process

Decreased annual federal funding

General Revenue (GR) shortfalls

Increasing FSET caseloads

High volumes of noncompliant participants and the administrative work involved with sending noncompliant participation notices

Better quality of service for participants who agree to comply with program requirements

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The Automated Referral Process

The OSST system is sent a large file every night through the interface with the Department of Children and Families’ data entry system, the Florida On-line Recipient Integrated Data Access (FLORIDA) system

The information is interpreted through the interface process and “To-Dos” are created to notify program staff of actions to take on cases

Program staff are sent To-Dos to take actions on new cases, reopened cases, and cases that have been moved

Before February 1, 2008, program staff were required to mail orientation notices or letters in an attempt to engage the new, reopened or transferred participant

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Effective February 1, 2008 A Notification of Mandatory

Participation (AWI-FSET 0004 Auto) will be sent to participants whose cases are

Created in OSST because of information received in the FLORIDA interface

Are reopened in OSST because of information received in the FLORIDA interface

The Automated Notification Process

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The Automated Notification Process

The automated process will confirm all “New Case” and “Reopen” To-Dos generated from the FLORIDA Interface

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The Automated Notification Process

The letter will be generated through the automated process and mailed by Pitney Bowes mailing services

A series of actions will be taken in the OSST system to demonstrate the automated process has been initiated

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The Automated Notification Process A new activity, FSET Mandatory Participation Notice

(599), has been created to document the process in the OSST system

This will assist program staff with identifying cases in the automated notification process

The Notification Activity (599) will be posted on the Skill Development screen

With an Actual Start Date

With an Anticipated End Date

The Notification Activity (599) posted on the Skill Development screen indicates that the Notification of Mandatory Participation letter was mailed

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The Automated Notification Process

If the participant does reports to program staff according to the instructions on the Notice of Mandatory Participation, the program staff must terminate the Notification Activity on the Skill Development screen

The entry of an Outcome and End Date on the Notification Activity will terminate the automation process

Program staff will be required to follow up with the program participant according to program requirements and guidelines

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The Automated Notification Process

If the participant does not contact or report to the service provider as instructed on the Notification of Mandatory Participation,

Program staff must not terminate the “Notification Letter” activity on the Skill Development screen

The lack of an “Outcome” or an “Actual End Date” will trigger the automated conciliation process

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The Automated Conciliation Process

If the participant does not comply as requested in the Notification of Mandatory Participation Program staff does not end the

“Notification Letter” activity on the Skill Development screen

OSST will automatically initiate the conciliation process AWI will mail a Notice of Failure to

Comply and Possible Sanction

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The Automated Conciliation Process

The failure date and failure reason will be added to the Alternative Plan screen to reflect the failure

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The Automated Conciliation Process

If the participant meets the requirements to terminate the conciliation process By complying, providing good cause or

for some reason that qualifies as “Other” Select the “FSET Conciliation” hyperlink Enter the “Next Step” by selecting

“Complied,” “Provided Good Cause,” or “Other”

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The Automated Conciliation Process

Enter the “End Date” and a “Description” according to guidance and local operating procedures.

Once program staff has intervened, the program staff is required to continue following up with the program participant. The automated process is terminated.

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The Automated Sanction Process

If the participant does not respond to the conciliation notice

Program staff should not end the conciliation with a “Next Step,” “End Date,” and “Description,”

The AWI will continue through the automated process by requesting a sanction.

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

The name of the program contact, phone number and address on the Notification of Mandatory Participation is based on information entered by the RWB or OW program Administrative Entity on the OSST Security Maintenance screens

OSST security personnel can upload information regarding orientation sessions or other specific directions to the Notification of Mandatory Participation by updating the OSST Security Maintenance screens, unit description field

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

Upload special instructions that will be printed on the Notification of Mandatory Participation

The special instructions will appear on the Notification of Mandatory Participation letter based on the Region/County/Unit the case is assigned in the OSST system

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

Go to the “Green Screen” or the OSST Main Links Page

Log on to the Security Maintenance screen for the production version of OSST

Select the hyperlink titled “Security Maintenance” under the CASETRACKING SITES column

Select the maintenance screen for the “Production Environment” by selecting the “Security Maintenance” hyperlink next to “Production.”

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

To enter the Security Maintenance site for the OSST Production Environment, the user must enter the appropriate “User ID” and “Password”

Select the tab “Login”

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

Move the cursor over the tab titled “Maintain Units” to activate the dropdown feature

Select the “Unit Search” option in the dropdown by

moving the cursor and highlighting “Unit Search”

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

Enter the applicable region in the box titled “Region ID”

Enter the applicable county in the box titled “County ID”

Select “Search” at the bottom of the screen.

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The screen will refresh to display a list of units in the area region and county selected

In the example below, the region has several units associated with the County ID “1”

The information associated with these units must be updated to ensure the correct name, address, phone number and other contact information displays correctly on the notices issued through the automated process

To update the contact information and enter special instructions, select the “Unit ID” number’s hyperlink

Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

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Updating Contact Information in the OSST system Cont’d

Select the tab titled “Edit Unit Details” at the bottom of the screen

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

Update the Unit Name, Address line 1, Address line 2, City, State and Zip Only enter the first five numbers of the zip code Please enter a phone number in the line titled “Phone” and a fax number in

the row titled “Fax.” The information saved will be printed on the automated notices sent to

program participants based on the Region/County/Unit in which the case is assigned

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

To include special instructions in the Notification of Mandatory Participation notice, add the language in the Unit Description box under the Unit Details section of the screen

Enter the instructions between two asterisks (*)

For example: *Orientation is conducted Monday-Friday at 9:00 AM at the address provided in the letter. Please attend an orientation before the ten-day deadline provided in the letter to remain in compliance. If you cannot attend orientation, call immediately.*

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Updating Contact Information Included on the Notices

The instructions must be no more than 250 characters. This includes spaces and punctuation marks

If the instructions are not between two asterisks as shown in the example above, the instructions will not appear on the notification

Note: do not use more that one asterisk on each side of the desired text

Remember to select “Save” once all the pertinent information has been updated

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Critical Reminders The OSST system will mail a Notification

of Mandatory Participation to participants of the FSET and OWP program if the participant has been referred by the DCF through the FLORIDA interface or the interface has initiated a move from one area to another (as indicated below). The notification will be mailed for the following cases:

A new FSET/OWP case is created

A case that was previously closed is reopened

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Critical Reminders Cont’d

If the participant complies with the notification process according to the Notification of Mandatory Participation, program staff must end the Notification Letter activity with an Actual End Date and Outcome. Program staff will be responsible for following up with the program participant, entering data in OSST and responding to any new To-Dos posted on the case

If the participant does not comply with the Notification of Mandatory Participation, the automated process will initiate the conciliation. Program staff are not required to start the conciliation process

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Critical Reminders Cont’d

If the participant complies according to conciliation requirements, staff must terminate the conciliation process according to guidance. Program staff will be required to follow up with the program participant

If the participant does not comply according to conciliation requirements, staff should not terminate the process on the Alternative Plan screen. The automated process will initiate a sanction

Program staff are required to follow up with any cases that were open prior to February 1, 2008. The automated process will only impact cases that are created, reopened or transferred (as outlined above) on or after February 1, 2008

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Future Enhancements

In a future phase of the automation process, the OSST system will initiate the automated process when an OSST case is transferred between regions, counties or from a non-serving unit to serving unit

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Questions?

Please Contact:Delores Coachman(850) 245-7411Delores.Coachman@flaawi.comOr:Daniel Harper(850) 245-7430Daniel.Harper@flaawi.com