Public Benefits Portal

1
Public Benefits Portal

• A Concept
• May 25, 2001

2
What If...

• Homeless providers signed kids up for health
  insurance on the spot?
• Families enrolled in free lunch programs and
  applied for foodstamps at the same time?
• You could apply for child care assistance at a
  community center or neighborhood library?
• A job seeker at an Employment Security office
  could sign up for reduced utility bills?
• Seniors could apply for weatherization services
  and foodstamps at a local Senior Center?

3
Technology is helping!

• State (1) online CSO (2) childrens medical
  application (3) worksource centers
• City (1) Safeharbors (2) Kids Get Care and (3)
  E-Seattle Initiative
• Community (1) Crisis Clinic Online Resources
  (2) Parent Power
• Others?

4
But there is much more to be done!

• Many government agencies use the Web
  extensively already, but the government must
  avoid creating a confusing maze of programs
  presented at an array of disjointed Web sites.
  At this early stage, e-government, including the
  state and local levels, is a loose-knit mix of
  ideas, projects, and affiliations that are often
  uncoordinated and sometimes redundant.
• -Senator Joe Lieberman commenting on a proposed
  bill to put more government services online.
  5/1/2001

5
A Solution

• A single face to federal, state, local, and
  non-profit public benefits available to both
  constituents and out reach workers.

Not a matter of if but when...
6
What Resources are available to accomplish this?
(1)

• A prototype DSHSs On-line CSO enjoyed strong
  community support and heavy usage by key
  institutions. Also demonstrated capacity to
• Shorten application processing time
• Simplify access to assistance programs
• Free staff resources spent processing
  applications

7
What Resources are available to accomplish this?
(2)

• An infrastructureThe States Department of
  Information Services has built an e-government
  infrastructure
• Created a technological infrastructure to allow
  for collaborative, safe, and secure electronic
  transactions.
• Digital academy to train government agencies on
  how to develop standardized re-usable
  applications.

8
What Resources are available to accomplish this?
(3)

• An active and willing local partner
• Ambitious online applications in progress for
  access to local services--Safe Harbors, Kids Get
  Care, Parent Power, Crisis Clinic.
• Local programs serve same populations in need of
  services from DSHS and ES.
• Huge local infrastructure available to
  accommodate online access to services

9
What Resources are available to accomplish this?
(4)

• Know how
• State and the City topped the Center for Digital
  Governments ranking of governments using
  technology to improve the delivery of services to
  their constituents.
• Bold vision for integrated e-government and track
  record of accomplishment is attractive to private
  sector partners.

10
Proposed functionality

• A single portal on the Internet
• Present information about a wide array of
  available public benefits
• A screen to determine likely eligibility
• Turbo Tax? - like interview feature to apply
  for multiple public benefits
• Potential to confirm enrollment

11
Diagram
12
Design Considerations

• System should be designed to be open and modular
• Agencies will own and control their own content
• Benefit providers commit to self administer
  eligibility requirements and on-line eligibility
  determination

13
Offer levels of Service

• Framework should offer participating
  organizations a tiered service level
• Organizations should be allowed to participate at
  the level they are comfortable
• Moving to a higher service level increases
  benefits and responsibilities.

14
Agency Benefits and Responsibilities
15
The time is right (1)

• Opportunity to leverage reputation as leaders
  in e-government for private sector support will
  diminish as time passes.

16
The time is right (2)

• Technology is maturing that allows agencies to
  participate without overhauling existing systems
• Web services (XML, SOAP, UDDI)
• Data integrating middleware
• Authentication gateways (State DIS)

17
The time is right (3)

• Major pieces are planned or already in place
• Crisis Clinics Community Resources Online
  (http//www.cityofseattle.net/crisisclinic/)
• The Childrens Alliance Parent Power application
  (http//www.washingtonparentpower.org/)
• DSHS online CSO (https//wws2.wa.gov/dshs/cso/intr
  oduction_1.asp)
• Kids Health 2001(http//www.kids-health-2001.org/
  )
• The City of Seattle owns a great web site name
  http//www.publicbenefits.org/

18
The time is right (4)

• Acting collectively at this early stage will
  allow us to build a more powerful system and save
  costs
• A stitch in time saves nine...

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Key Considerations

• Privacy
• Security
• Ownership
• Management
• Simplicity

20
Critical Success Factors

• Top level executive and technical sponsorship
• Top tier project management
• Control of scope
• Private sector participation
• Support and integrate existing projects
• Broad community support

21
Next Steps

• Continue to build momentum...
• Informational web site
• Business Plan
• Network with additional potential partners (DIS,
  DSHS, Employment Security, Safe Harbors, and
  community agencies)
• Develop funding options