House Human Services Chair introduces an amendment to address plans to eliminate 232 DHS positions
The House Human Services Committee will hear testimony on a proposed House Draft 1 of Senate Bill 2650, which seeks to stop the Department of Human Services (DHS) from closing all but two eligibility offices across Hawaii. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 11 at 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room 329 of the Hawaii State Capitol. Rep. John Mizuno (District 30 -- Kalihi Valley, Kamehameha Heights, Fort Shafter), House Human Service Chair, introduced the proposed amendment.
DHS wants to create an Eligibility Processing Operations Division (EPOD), with one location in Hilo and one in Honolulu, to handle all benefit applications, ongoing cases, and renewals for the entire state. This plan would eliminate 232 eligibility staff.
Proposed HD1 for Senate Bill 2650 RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES:
Prohibits the use of private contractors and vendors for intake and eligibility of welfare or public assistance services in Hawaii until a report is completed by a task force to determine the impact to the 300,000 needy Hawaii residents and whether any federal regulation or policy will be violated by the EPOD proposal. (Part II)
"I am shocked by the proposed plan by DHS to eliminate 232 employees who provide vital services to over 300,000 needy residents," said Rep. Mizuno. "I find that the department failed to inform or work with its employees prior to this proposed plan. The department also failed to study the adverse impact to Hawaii's needy population or determine if such a plan, which took years to implement in Florida, would violate any federal regulations or policies."
Cecilia Perry, from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Washington, D.C., believes that establishing a major operational change without a solid plan is disastrous for the people who rely on DHS's services.
"Both Texas and Indiana hastily instituted call centers with disastrous results for people in need of services," said Perry. "Instituting major operational changes without any concrete plan to test the technology required to set up call centers is a recipe for disaster for the thousands of impoverished people of Hawaii who rely upon these services for their survival."
Sanford Chun, a representative of the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) said that laying off the eligibility workers would "devastate an already severely understaffed department, one of the hardest hit by hundreds of layoffs last year."
"Combine that with an increase in the demand for services provided by DHS as a result of the current economic downturn," continued Chun, "and the state may find itself in non-compliance with federal or state laws, rules and subject to sanctions if eligibility functions are not performed in a timely manner. There is potential for tremendous negative impact and harm to the public served by the department."
DHS wants to create an Eligibility Processing Operations Division (EPOD), with one location in Hilo and one in Honolulu, to handle all benefit applications, ongoing cases, and renewals for the entire state. This plan would eliminate 232 eligibility staff.
Proposed HD1 for Senate Bill 2650 RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES:
Prohibits the use of private contractors and vendors for intake and eligibility of welfare or public assistance services in Hawaii until a report is completed by a task force to determine the impact to the 300,000 needy Hawaii residents and whether any federal regulation or policy will be violated by the EPOD proposal. (Part II)
"I am shocked by the proposed plan by DHS to eliminate 232 employees who provide vital services to over 300,000 needy residents," said Rep. Mizuno. "I find that the department failed to inform or work with its employees prior to this proposed plan. The department also failed to study the adverse impact to Hawaii's needy population or determine if such a plan, which took years to implement in Florida, would violate any federal regulations or policies."
Cecilia Perry, from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Washington, D.C., believes that establishing a major operational change without a solid plan is disastrous for the people who rely on DHS's services.
"Both Texas and Indiana hastily instituted call centers with disastrous results for people in need of services," said Perry. "Instituting major operational changes without any concrete plan to test the technology required to set up call centers is a recipe for disaster for the thousands of impoverished people of Hawaii who rely upon these services for their survival."
Sanford Chun, a representative of the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) said that laying off the eligibility workers would "devastate an already severely understaffed department, one of the hardest hit by hundreds of layoffs last year."
"Combine that with an increase in the demand for services provided by DHS as a result of the current economic downturn," continued Chun, "and the state may find itself in non-compliance with federal or state laws, rules and subject to sanctions if eligibility functions are not performed in a timely manner. There is potential for tremendous negative impact and harm to the public served by the department."