This week the Food and Nutrition Service is sending a letter to Governor Parnell congratulating the State of Alaska for “ … achievement in obtaining both a payment error rate and a negative error rate that are below the national average…” In fact, Alaska’s payment error rate of only 2.15% placed us 9th in the nation for payment accuracy and garnered yet another SNAP High Performance Award; this one for $232,898!
Our field staff is commended for their outstanding work in meeting the challenge of improving program performance and integrity. I am in total awe. In the face of almost scary growth in our Food Stamp cases, the dramatic changes in our work processes, and so many other challenges our field offices faced last year, they were still able to put DPA and Alaska at the top of the pile. However, we cannot underestimate or fail to acknowledge the tremendous contribution of Quality Assessment Team 2 (Bob Rose, Christina Clark, Jimy Evans, Melissa Mosier, Jennifer Williams, Terri Matthews and Trina Richards). Their diligence in reviewing cases with an eye to supporting and justifying the case actions taken by ETs was instrumental in accurately representing DPA’s SNAP performance and putting us in the Top Ten!
And it’s not just about food stamps. Performance was outstanding across the board in 2010. The annual payment accuracy rate for APA was 99.8% in federal fiscal year 2010. 99.8%; that’s incredible and it was an improvement over the very impressive 98.7% accuracy rate for FFY 2009! The payment accuracy rate ATAP is equally laudable with 97.4% for active cases and an excellent negative case accuracy rate 98.0% in FFY 2010.
My thanks to all of the field and QA staff directly responsible for this outstanding performance. Thanks also go to staff throughout the division for their ongoing commitment to our mission and vision and their invaluable contributions that help make this stellar performance possible. Can there be any doubt that DPA is the best?
Ron Kreher, Director
Division of Public Assistance