Editor's note: Over the years, Northwoods has expanded its footprint across Ohio, ultimately partnering with the state in 2018 to implement enterprise document management to transform human services delivery in all 88 counties. Read more about that work here.
Technology offers the dream of innovation. Unfortunately, organizations are not always lucky enough to take full advantage of technology advancements because of budget woes or lack of staff.
That’s why Northwoods is so grateful to be researching community partnerships and technology innovations with 23 Ohio counties in the Canton District through a grant from the Ohio Local Government Innovation Fund (LGIF).
Through the grant, Northwoods and the 23 forward-thinking county departments of job and family services will study how human services program beneficiaries could more easily submit verification documentation, either electronically or by visiting a community partner agency. Right now, recipients are required to submit documents in person or through the mail to at their local JFS.
The Canton District collectively receives an estimated 16,400 applications each month. Each application requires an average of five verification documents be submitted. Caseworkers spend an average of 30 minutes working on each application. A key goal of the study is researching if electronic document submission can cut that time in half, giving caseworkers time back to spend more time with clients instead of paperwork.
Only the outcome of the research will tell us if a new document submission process is feasible, or if it will save caseworkers time, improve customer service, and save agencies money. But imagine the possibilities. Client wait times? Down to minutes. Clients don’t have transportation? Verify eligibility from your kitchen table. Forgot to bring a form to the agency? Stop by your local library and send it electronically.
Northwoods is thrilled to kick off this project and see what innovation dreams we can help turn into reality.
See related Northwoods news release, “Northwoods and 23 Counties Awarded $100,000 Grant”
About the Canton District
The Canton District of the Ohio Job and Family Services Director’s Association is made up of 23 County departments in East Central Ohio including Ashland, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Knox, Licking, Mahoning, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Portage, Richland, Stark, Tuscarawas, Washington, and Wayne.
Technology offers the dream of innovation. Unfortunately, organizations are not always lucky enough to take full advantage of technology advancements because of budget woes or lack of staff. That’s why Northwoods is so grateful to be researching community partnerships and technology innovations with 23 Ohio counties in the Canton District through a grant from the ...