Yet, for some advocates, particularly those involved with long-term care and nursing homes, the layoffs a month in advance of implementation raise serious concerns. Department of Administration announced that 70 state workers were being laid off, first in a media advisory, then in a detailed news briefing. Department of Human Services, the new software system may also serve as an exit door: last week the R.I. Was this a coincidence?īut, for some state workers, mostly social workers and their supervisors at the R.I. 13 – primary day for the 2016 elections in Rhode Island. The launch of the new state-of-the-art technology system, which earlier this year had been re-branded as Rhode Island Bridges, is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. Whether it be for health care under Medicaid, EBT cards for food benefits under SNAP, cash assistance, child care or long-term care services and supports, the new software system comes with the promise by government officials that it will provide seamless integration to make it “easier and more convenient” for Rhode Islands to apply for and track their benefits, and to enable benefits to be delivered more quickly.Īt the same time, perhaps equally important, the state will have access to “real time data” to tighten down on any duplications, waste and fraud, to determine who is eligible and when they may no longer be eligible for benefits, according to state officials. Īs ConvergenceRI reported: The common entry point for poor, needy and frail Rhode Islanders who qualify for government services and benefits will soon be a single online portal, supported by a new software system, what is known as the Unified Health Infrastructure Project, or UHIP, which cost some $364 million to build and install, paid for by mostly federal dollars. The future was bright, according to Department of Administration officials, who detailed that the new software system would come with projected cost savings of some $15 million in FY 2017 and $40 million in 2018, not so much from decreases in labor costs but from decreases in waste and fraud and great efficiencies in business systems practices. Department of Human Services, discussing the proposed layoffs of 70 state workers related to the implementation of a new single online portal for processing eligibility of benefits. Department of Administration, and Melba Depeña Affigne, director of the R.I. Here is the reporting by ConvergenceRI about a news briefing held by Michael DiBiase, then the director of the R.I. Department of Human Services go back to the botched launch of UHIP, the Unified Health Infrastructure Project, in September of 2016, six years ago. The roots of the problems with staffing the R.I. Murray was joined by Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, and Sens. 5, 2022, to highlight the problems, as reported by Uprise RI. Melissa Murray, who held a news conference on Jan. Department of Human Services office on Pond Street in Woonsocket had been closed for in-person services for 22 months, since the onset of COVID, according to Sen. In turn, the backlogs in services due to vacancies at DHS, Gunnip said, have led to delays in obtaining SNAP benefits for food security, child care benefits, health insurance coverage, and cash assistance. In the month of December of 2021, the DHS call center had received approximately 575 calls per hour, resulting in 82,299 calls, according to the DHS Call Center Data, as reported by WPRI. Matt Gunnip, president of SEIU Local 580, and Rafael Martinez, president of AFSCME Local 2882, complained that the state had not yet filled some 78 frontline worker vacancies that were funded in the current state budget, dating back to June 1, 2021. Department of Human Services followed a news conference held by two unions at the Pawtucket DHS office on Wednesday, Feb. Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary Womazetta Jones, has been appointed as “acting director” in wake of Blue’s pending departure. Yvette Mendez, the chief of staff for R.I. Blue had replaced Courtney Hawkins, who had resigned earlier. McKee in May of 2021, announced her resignation, effective at the end of February. Dan McKee’s administration can try to stitch them back together.Ĭelia Blue, the interim director appointed by Gov. The gaping holes in the safety net for the most vulnerable Rhode Island residents keep unraveling faster than the Gov. The current disarray is a function of terrible investments made in UHIP, putting technological fixes over investments in human capital
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