As the new Director of Public Assistance, I am proud to celebrate this special week with you and acknowledge the hard work of public assistance staff in helping Alaskans in need. This is a great time to reflect on all the successes of the past year and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead.
I am deeply impressed by the competence and expertise I have already encountered among our DPA staff. I look forward to taking part in your efforts to continuously serve Alaskans in need with quality, professional service. I also plan to follow Tony’s example and get out in the field and meet all of you who make such a positive difference in each community.
I have a great appreciation for the work you do every day to provide services to people, whether they are “internal” or “external” customers. In the past few years you have moved thousands of Alaskans from welfare to meaningful jobs, cut the caseload, and saved the state millions of dollars in the process. You are instrumental in helping families break the cycle of welfare dependence, which is truly remarkable.
I am especially pleased to say “thank you” for a remarkable year of quality improvement. Alaska’s average Food Stamp error rate for FFY04 is currently at 5.2%, a direct result of the continuum of corrective action initiatives implemented over the course of the last 18 months. These efforts included the “Better Than Average” accuracy awareness campaign and the investment in staff training and mentoring, case reviews and the establishment of the Quality Assessment Review Committee, implementation of Local Councils, the management redesign, and creation of the Program Integrity Unit.
Through all this change and all these accomplishments DPA staff continue to do an outstanding job in performing our most basic functions of getting benefits out on time to families who rely on us to support their basic needs. These tremendous successes are directly attributable to the dedication and hard work of the Public Assistance workers at all levels and sections of the organization.
Again, thank you for your high level of service you have provided to Alaskan families.
Keep up the good work and take time to celebrate your successes with your co-workers during Public Assistance Appreciation Week. Have a great day!
Katherine Farnham
Director