Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Time: 2:10 - 3:10 pm
Room: Monarch Room H
The presentation on COMPASS will address the strides made in streamlining the pre-screening and application process for a number of social and human service applications, focusing on integrating healthcare access and delivery, across Department of Public Welfare, Education, Insurance and Aging. Also addressed will be the collaboration efforts undertaken to assure buy-in by all stakeholders.
COMPASS also benefits the worker productivity in accepting applications electronically, and helps the tax payer and the citizen by allowing citizens access to these governmental services, and to the community partners by providing a power user access.
Presenters:
Michael L. Coulson
Director
Bureau of Support
Office of Income Maintenance
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Michael Coulson is the Director of the Bureau of Program Support (BPS) in the Office Of Income Maintenance (OIM) of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW). In Pennsylvania, the Office of Income Maintenance is responsible for the administration of the cash (TANF and GA), food stamp, LIHEAP, Employment and Training Programs, and IV-D Child Support programs, as well as the determination of eligibility for medical assistance programs. The Bureau of Program Support performs the budget, procurement, personnel, audit coordination, office services, telecommunications and system support functions needed to administer these programs.
The system support functions include:
Managing the Client Information System (CIS), IEVS, the LIHEAP system, AIMS (employment and training tracking system) and COMPASS (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s on-line Application for Social Services). Project management is performed by BPS using the Department’s Office of Information Systems only for coding.
Managing EBT, which includes contractor oversight and direct County Assistance Office support.
Managing the IV-D Child Support System, PACSES, with no support from the Department’s Office of Information Systems. Using a combination of state staff and contractors, the bureau maintains PACSES, SCDU (PRWORA required central collection and disbursement unit), New Hires, and FIDM (financial institution data match).
Providing site security and network maintenance for approximately 14,000 PCs in 180 locations throughout the Commonwealth.
Mr. Coulson has been with the Department of Public Welfare for 26 years and has been Director of the Bureau of Program Support for 18 years. Mr. Coulson is first vice- chairman of Information Systems Management affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA-ISM). Mr. Coulson is also chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coalition of EBT states (MARC), which includes PA, NJ, MD, VA, DE, District of Columbia, and NY (associate member), and serves on the Strategic Expansion Workgroup and the Education and Marketing Committee, of the NACHA EBT Council. Mr. Coulson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University.
Patricia H. Stromberg
Deputy Commissioner for CHIP and adultBasic
Twenty years of Senior Level experience in management of complex government programs (e.g. Children’s Health Insurance Program, adultBasic Insurance Program, TANF, Medicaid, Food Stamps, LIHEAP, Refugee Assistance)
Directed the successful transition of CHIP from a modestly funded State Program to a State and Federal partnership (enrollment increased from 55,000 to over 132,800 during tenure)
Directed the implementation of the adultBasic insurance program for low-income adults (achieving peak enrollment in just eight months of operation)
Testified before Congress and State Legislature on a variety of issues
Participated in development and analysis of major government policy and legislative initiatives (e.g. welfare reform, State Children’s Health Insurance Program)
Participated in multi-state task force (e.g. Co- Chairman of the National SCHIP Technical Advisory Group, member of National Covering Kids Policy Advisory Group)
Work Experience:
Deputy Commissioner for CHIP and Adult Basic Coverage
Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
May 1998 to Present
This position is responsible for the statewide administration of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that provides comprehensive health care coverage to children in families with income under 235% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG). CHIP is a so-called “stand alone” insurance program that is separate and apart from the State’s Medicaid Program. Services are provided through contracts with seven managed care organizations. Key accomplishments occurring during my tenure include:
Enrollment increased from approximately 55,000 enrollees to over 132,800 (July 2003)
A comprehensive marketing strategy was developed and implemented
Program benefits were expanded to meet the needs of children with chronic health care needs
Program eligibility limits were expanded to assure program access to even more children
Successful program integration with Medicaid was accomplished to assure access to health care coverage for all low-income children
This position is also responsible for the administration of adultBasic, the newly implemented basic health insurance program for adults between the ages of 19 and 64 with household income less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. Applications for this new program were made available in April 2002 and the first month of coverage began in July 2002. Peak enrollment (based upon available funding) occurred by February 2003.
Director, Bureau of Policy
Office of Income Maintenance
Department of Public Welfare
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
September 1987 to May 1998
This position is responsible for the development and implementation of design and requirements for programs serving low-income families. Major programs include:
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Major responsibilities include: making recommendations legislative and policy initiatives, analyzing the impact and outcome of implementation efforts; advising the Governor and other key government officials on a variety of program matters; preparing written instruction in the form of regulation and program manuals for use by local service delivery agencies. Key accomplishments during my tenure include:
- Welfare reform planning, legislation and implementation accomplished
- Expansion of Medicaid services to children and the disabled implemented
- Outreach for Medicaid services implemented
- Electronic benefits transfer (EBT) for income maintenance programs (cash assistance and food stamps) implemented
- Employee participation and education/training initiatives implemented
Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
August 1982 through September 1987
This Senior Management position is responsible for the management of the Department’s administrative hearing office including a staff of hearing officers and supporting professional and clerical staff. Examples of subject matters of jurisdiction include: fair hearing for public assistance recipients (per the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Goldberg vs. Kelly), provider terminations from the Medicaid program, child abuse report expungement matters, nursing home and hospital payment rate disputes. Conduct of hearings is accordance with the Commonwealth’s Rules of Administrative Practice and Procedure (Title I of the Pennsylvania Code). Key accomplishments occurring during my tenure were:
- Implementation of a statewide system of telephonic hearings
- Development and implementation of a computized system of hearing scheduling and tracking
- Training of all hearing officers by the National Judicial College
Miscellaneous Experience
Manager and Supervisor- Office of Income Maintenance, Department of Public Welfare
Caseworker- Dauphin County Assistance Office, Somerset County Assistance Office
Dennis M. Brown
Chief
Client Information System Development and Maintenance
Bureau of Program Support
Office of Income Maintenance
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Dennis Brown is the Chief of the Client Information System Development and Maintenance Section within the Bureau of Program Support (BPS) in the Office Of Income Maintenance (OIM) of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW). In Pennsylvania, the Office of Income Maintenance is responsible for the administration of the cash (TANF and GA), food stamp, LIHEAP, Employment and Training Programs, and IV-D Child Support programs, as well as the determination of eligibility for medical assistance programs. The Bureau of Program Support performs the budget, procurement, personnel, audit coordination, office services, telecommunications and system support functions needed to administer these programs.
Mr. Brown’s responsibilities within the Client Information System Development and Maintenance Section include:
Managing operation of the Client Information System (CIS), an integrated system supporting automated eligibility for TANF, State General Assistance, and Food Stamp programs. CIS also supports Medicaid and TANF related Childcare. Overseeing all system maintenance and enhancements.
Project Manager, COMPASS (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s on-line Application for Social Services). Managing all phases of the system development lifecycle, contractor oversight, and direct Client and County Assistance Office support. COMPASS Project management is performed by BPS using the Department’s Office of Information Systems only for coding.
Project Manager, Medicaid Eligibility Determination Automation Project (MEDA). MEDA is a major CIS development project with the goal of adding Standard Filing Unit and Medicaid Eligibility Modules to the existing CIS system. MEDA Project Management includes oversight of all phases of the system development lifecycle, contractor oversight, and cooperation with the Department’s Office of Information Systems staff for completion of the Detail System Design, Coding, and Unit Testing project phases.
Mr. Brown has been with the Department of Public Welfare for 31 years and has been Chief of the Client Information System, Development and Maintenance Section of Program Support for 5 years. He has more than 22 years experience with automated eligibility, EBT, and EFT systems and 8 years direct field experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker. Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from The Pennsylvania State University.
