The State has provided extensive benefits for you. In return, we ask that you share our mission and philosophy. We are here to provide opportunity to Alaskans in need. This is a task that requires extensive organization. By learning our policies and procedures, we can best serve our community.
The Management Administration Procedure Manual (MAP) is developed by the office of the Chief of Field Services to provide detailed direction in administrative practices to Field Supervisors and Managers. Each office should have a copy of the map manual.
Other procedures available in the map manual include (but are not limited to) monitoring client complaints, civil rights complaint procedures, dealing with disturbances, responding to emergency situations, confidentiality and disclosure, and telephone and voice mail policy. All employees are encouraged to refer to the map manual for procedures.
We utilize many manuals that delineate our rules and regulations. Please use them, and study the updates. Both HSS and DPA manuals are used in your position. Your supervisor will know which manuals will be most pertinent to your position.
How We’re Organized
The Division of Public Assistance is a large and diverse organization of over 400 people spread across the state.
DPA is organized into seven sections under the Juneau-based Director's Office. They are Field Services, Policy, Information Technology, Program Integrity and Analysis, Children’s Programs, Budget, and Admin Services.
The Office of the Director
The Director oversees all the activities of DPA and is responsible for coordinating the activities of DPA with other divisions within the department and with partner agencies that also provide services to public assistance applicants and recipients. It is the director’s responsibility to guarantee that DPA meets its mission and follows its guiding principles Staff in the director’s office provide a liaison with the legislature, are responsible for public relations and communications, and help to administer and manage DPA’s budget.
Field Services
Staff in Field Services provide services and aid directly to people who temporarily need public assistance to care for their families. They interview clients to determine if they are eligible for aid and authorize the payment of benefits. They help families to develop plans to become self-sufficient and, whenever possible, help families to get the support services, like child care, they need to become independent.
Over 400 staff across the state work together to provide public assistance and supportive services to almost 13,000 Alaskan families. Many of these people are case workers who work with Fee Agents to assist people in rural communities. Field Services includes staff who support the case workers. They provide training, conduct fraud investigations, collect claims, and measure the performance of DPA’s programs and staff.
Policy
The staff involved in this function are responsible for developing the rules for all of DPA’s assistance programs. They interpret state and federal laws to insure that program policies treat people equally. They work closely with Field Services and System Operations to insure that program policies are understandable and easy to implement.
Information Technology
Each month thousands of checks, medical coupons, food stamp identification cards, and notices are issued automatically by DPA’s computer system, the Eligibility Information System, which we call EIS. Each case worker enters thousands of bits of information into EIS every day. Staff in the System Operations unit manage DPA’s EIS computer system.
Network Services is the unit that maintains the division's computers and networks.
The Communications and Web Team is the unit that is in charge of communications efforts including marketing campaigns, television and radio ads, and publications. It is also in charge of web development, including the division website, DPAweb intranet, and many customized web applications.
Children's Services
This section oversees child care assistance services and the Child Care Assistance Program, which administers the PASS I, II, and III child care programs, plus child care facility licensing.
Program Integrity & Analysis
This section provides management oversight to Food Stamp Quality Assessment, Continuous Improvement Action Unit, Contract Services Quality Assurance, Fraud, Benefit Recovery and the Research Unit.
Budget
This section provides management oversight to budget staff and accounting techs, including our new team at the Anchorage Childcare Program Office.
Administrative Services
This section manages our new Human Resources Unit, Grants Administration, Training Coordination, and Procurement. Staff Development & Training (SD&T), a part of the Administrative Services section, is charged with training our staff to work with the public. As a new employee, you can expect to attend training sessions that are tailored to your job duties and assist in your professional development.
The Office of the Director, program and policy development staff and some units providing field services are located in Juneau. The Chief of Field Services, Information Technology and other units providing field services are located in Anchorage.
DPA has regional offices located in Fairbanks, Juneau, and Anchorage. There are also district offices located in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, Bethel, Ketchikan, Kenai/Soldotna, Homer, Nome, Kotzebue, Sitka, and Wasilla. In rural communities that do not have district offices, DPA contracts with Fee Agents to help people in their area apply for public assistance.
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