DPA really is a team of outstanding employees and it is a real pleasure to see some of our co-workers recognized at the State-level.

Please join me in congratulating the staff of the Heating Assistance Program for their honorable mention as an exceptional performance team. Every year the HAP faces a tremendous volume of applications that starts right at the outset of the program year. They probably receive close to 2,500 applications a month, but despite that demand they never stop thinking of the households they serve.

One month ago staff from the Southeast Region (SERO) and support units participated in the Division’s second Kaizen event (virtually on the anniversary of the first LEAN/Kaizen event held at the Gambell Office). Representatives from each of the region’s three offices and the Heating Assistance Program spent an intense 5 days to develop a different way of delivering services to Alaskans in need. They explored new ways of looking at our business, our customers, and the products and services they deliver every day to thousands of Alaskans in their region.

Congratulations DPA!

Today we received word from USDA that Alaska has been awarded another Food Stamp (SNAP) performance bonus award for having the best program access in federal fiscal year 2009. That's two years in a row! Below is the press release from the USDA which announces our achievement.

As most of you know, the Department of Administration (DOA) denied ASEA’s request to appeal and reconsider the recommendations of the Eligibility Technician class study. That response can be found at http://www.afscmelocal52.org/content/view/622/478/.

Yesterday, June 29th, Ellie and I met with Nicki Neal, Director of the Division of Personnel (DOP) and Pat Morrissey, the Human Resource Specialist II leading the ET/WDS class study. We were joined by DHSS Assistant Commissioner Elgee, Miriha Scalf, DPA’s Administrative Operations Manager, and Maritt Miller, the DOP Human Resource Manger that oversees the DHSS Management Services center.