DSS improves document delivery
Monterey County, Calif., has implemented a new document distribution application to help improve services at the Department of Social Services.
"The Department of Information Technology was tasked with providing more efficient and integrated methods for distributing reports across all nine locations of the Department of Social Services (DSS)," says Virgil Schwab, IT director at Monterey County. "Previously, the DSS relied on paper-based information that was first printed, then compiled and hand delivered via courier to the appropriate location. This fragmented and manual process presented significant challenges to effective communication between DSS offices, which impacted the service levels to benefit participants."
Based on a recommendation from another California municipal government body, Monterey County officials chose Xenos infoWEB software to create the electronic benefit distribution system and expedite the delivery of detailed reports and statistical information to county employees. The ability to transform paper records into electronic reports is said to reduce the cost and time associated with paper report distribution. The solution consolidates information from incompatible systems and makes it available for Web viewing on demand, reducing the need for printed reports, and thereby saving the county more than $100,000 a year in paper and toner supplies alone, according to a press release from Xenos.
"Use of the system within the county is growing through word of mouth, and the users are driving its adoption," says Schwab. "Because of the rapid implementation and ease of use, the solution has quickly expanded to encompass additional documents associated with welfare and childcare programs, Medi-Cal card benefits, general assistance, school book documentation and transportation assistance reports."
The solution enables the county to extract, publish and disseminate business reports across departments, and delivers the information to any standard Web browser, allowing employees to view the data in a familiar environment.