Texas is about to change how tens of thousands of citizens of all incomes and colors interact with the state’s human services systems and access public benefits. Because of their expanded roles in the new systems, nonprofits and faith-based providers had better know what’s going on.

Call Center Clearinghouse at the United Ways of Texas Website
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has just announced the final details of its contract with Accenture to sign people up for public programs.  This is the biggest story in health and human services that you are probably NOT hearing or reading about.  Services to tens of thousands of Texans and billions of dollars in federal funds are at stake.  The expectations placed on community- and faith-based organizations are growing.  United Ways of Texas is committed to providing Texans with balanced and easy to understand information about this monumental transformation as soon as it becomes available. 
United Ways of Texas (UWT) is not taking a position for or against the privatization of eligibility and enrollment services in Texas.  We feel that it is our role instead to provide the public, particularly nonprofit organizations providing direct health and human services, with clear information about Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment and how it might impact Texas communities.  Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment presents enormous new opportunities and challenges to Texas communities.  Only through an open and honest discussion of the realities of this system re-design can we assure that we are best serving the neediest and most vulnerable Texans.  Should you have any questions about our work or resources, please contact Jason Sabo, UWT’s Vice President for Public Policy (512-478-6601 ext.24).

What are call centers? 
Texas is about to privatize how people sign up for CHIP, Medicaid, Food Stamps and TANF (cash assistance).  As these new systems come on-line many local human services offices, currently operated by the State of Texas, will close.  Instead of visiting a state office to apply for benefits, Texans will have the option to instead apply via the Internet, with the assistance of a community- or faith-based organization, or by calling 2-1-1.  Remember, not all local human services offices will be closed.

Why is this transformation taking place? 
Texas is implementing Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment as required by House Bill 2292, approved by the 78th Texas Legislature in 2003. Supporters of Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment highlight the cost-savings, increased accountability, and enhanced use of technology associated with the new system.  Detractors express concerns about possible over-reliance on technology and about the actual capacity of community- and faith-based organizations to fulfill the State’s projections for their role in the new system.

How will this impact my community’s existing 2-1-1 information and referral (such as First Call for Help)
system?
Fear not, the high quality referral services provided by Texas’ network of Area Information Centers will continue without interruption.  Once the new system starts to come on-line 2-1-1 callers will have a choice of being routed to local community resources or benefits eligibility determination services.  Until then, 2-1-1 will only provide good information about local services and volunteer opportunities, not a means for applying for public benefits.
How will my community or faith-based organization be impacted?  In its Business Case Analysis of Integrated Eligibility (p. 41) the Texas Health and Human Services Commission projected that “community organizations and service providers” would provide more than 1 million hours of volunteer labor per year to assist clients in navigating the transformed eligibility systems.  For example, a nonprofit organization providing food assistance will now have the opportunity and responsibility to register clients for Food Stamps, instead of referring them to a state office for benefits eligibility determination.

How will the call centers operate? 
According to HHSC, “The new system will allow Texans to apply for a variety of services – including Medicaid, food stamps, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and long-term care – in person, through the Internet, over the phone and by fax or mail. The call centers, which will provide assistance from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., will receive and process applications and consumers will be able to track the progress of their applications through an automated phone system. The number for assistance will be 2-1-1.”

When will the call centers begin operation? 
According to HHSC, “HHSC will begin phasing in the new system in November when Accenture takes over processing CHIP applications. The CHIP application process, which was outsourced when the program was created in 2000, will be integrated with Medicaid, food stamps, TANF and long-term care as part of the contract with Accenture. The current CHIP call center’s duties also will be folded into the new call centers to reduce duplication of services and make it easier for Texans who are applying for multiple services.”

United Ways of Texas is the voluntary state association for Texas United Ways. More than 70 local United Ways choose to participate in our organization. Our members represent the overwhelming majority of Texans. United Ways of Texas is dedicated to being a non-partisan and neutral convener. For more information on call centers or other public policy issues, visit www.uwtexas.org.