OKDHS and Affiliated Computer Services have partnered to increase access to cash benefits that elderly residents may not have been aware of. The initiative, led by OKDHS director of electronic payment systems Lisa Henley, is the winner of the 2009 departmental Quality Award, which recognizes OKDHS projects that provide the best service to Oklahoma’s citizens. ACS partners operationally with OKDHS by administering its electronic payment card program providing state benifits to citizens via a debit MasterCard.
Henley’s team contacted Oklahoma residents who receive funds from the State Supplemental program to make them aware of their available benefits and facilitate distribution of the funds. The innovative eight-week outreach program contacted approximately 800 citizens, connecting them with more than $425, 000 in aid. ACS assisted by providing no-cost services and the necessary information to help the state disseminate the funds expeditiously.
Henly commented, “I want to thank ACS for supporting the program. For the Oklahomans who rely on these benefits, ACS stepped up to help the state make this project run smoothly, ”
Oklahoma is a paradigm of implementation for ACS’ electronic payment card technology. Citizens may access multiple benefit payments on a single debit card, including State Supplemental Payments, child support payments and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.
Joseph Doherty, executive vice president and group president of ACS Government Solutions Group, said “Through the use of ACS’ innovation, Oklahomans have quick and convenient access to their funds, and the state saves more than one million dollars a year by moving away from paper benefits.” He continued, “The program to help citizens recover funds is another example of how OKDHS genuinely cares about the citizens that it works hard to serve every day.â€
ACS is the largest provider of business process solutions and one of the largest IT service providers to government at the state, local and federal level and serves as an operational partner to more than 1, 700 government agencies. Millions of people use ACS services every day, from more than half the nation’s child support payments; 22 electronic payment card programs for state and federal clients, disbursement of government payments and benefits, and nearly 570 million Medicaid totaling more than $50 billion. ACS saves state child care programs millions of dollars annually, services student loans for more than 10 million borrowers, and facilitates more than 75 million online searches for unclaimed property per year.
