| During 2002, staff from the Garden City Area developed a service delivery model which would consolidate staff into “Service Centers”.
The efficiencies gained by consolidating staff would allow the area to expend resources on community capacity building in counties where an office has closed. As a result, customers would receive at least equal if not better access to service than under the current structure.
In August, 2002 the proposed Garden City service delivery model was shared with the Office of the Governor as an example of the creative way SRS was dealing with the financial environment. Governor Graves and his staff were very supportive of the model and inquired if it could be implemented statewide.
When the Governor’s allotment was announced in November 2002, one of the reduction strategies included local office closures of 12-20 offices state-wide in FY 03 and the closure of 25 offices state-wide in each of the FY 04 and 05.
Plans were soon developed to redesign the agency’s service delivery process to include four phases: improving customer service and access, closure of local offices, developing and testing new service delivery models, and realignment of management regions. This phased approach was endorsed by Governor Sebelius as well, allowing the agency to continue implementation of this redesign effort. By October 2003, 26 local offices had been closed state-wide, with plans to close 37 additional offices by June 2005. To continue to meet the needs of Kansans and improve customer service in all counties, plans were developed to provide community access points by partnering with various community entities. In addition to the planned office closures, the Secretary announced in October 2003, the reduction of the agency’s management regions from eleven to six during state fiscal year 2005. This consolidation would be part of the Department’s ongoing efficiency and service delivery redesign process. The need for enhanced community partnering (capacity building) became apparent as the agency began its work with developing access points; as a result, this team was repurposed as outlined below.
Team Purpose:
The team will identify and address issues related to integration of services and the role of community capacity building, both internal and external, relating to service delivery redesign.
Expected Outcomes:
1. The team will continuously promote the active practice of customer-focused integrated service delivery.
2. The team will discover, develop, and evaluate tools available for community capacity building and assess their appropriateness for incorporation into the SRS process of building community capacity. In addition, this team will develop strategies and infuse the necessity to increase capacity building of SRS staff located in both regional offices and central office. The team will strategically plan the maintenance of a process for skill building with communities, partners, and state/local government, and SRS staff to support service delivery redesign and SRS lines of business.
3. The team will provide evaluation and feedback on community capacity building strategies as requested by SRS Leadership.
Constraints/Assumptions:
• Team will focus efforts on encouraging SRS staff to be change agents in their offices and in their communities.
• Team will focus efforts on a cultural change within the agency as SRS explores innovative ways to conduct business.
• Team will partner with other state, local or county governmental entities.
• Team will have support of SRS Leadership, CO Policy Directors, and Regional Directors.
• The team will coordinate with Deputy Secretaries (Shively and Howard) to integrate recommendations more completely throughout the organization.
• The team will coordinate with the Regional Directors and CO Policy Directors to incorporate community capacity building strategies into service delivery redesign and regional office consolidation implementation plans.
Authority:
The team will report directly to SRS Leadership, making recommendations for approval.
Timeframe:
September 2003-June 2005. This timeframe will encompass the timing of implementation of the regional office consolidation process. The team will determine the frequency of meeting.
Recommended Team Members:
The team will be comprised of members representing central office, SRS field offices, and representatives from SRS contracting agencies.
Members include:
Lori Alvarado, HCP (Co-chair); Marlene Shellenberger, ISD (Co-chair); Jim Robertson, CSE; Bernie Doel, Org Development; Myrna Stephens, Org Development; Clarissa Ashdown, HCP; Kelly Peak, HCP; Lea Ann Curtis, ISD, Debbie Mesecher, KNI; Julie Lemons and Gina McDonald, SRS North East Region; Cyrilla Petracek and Kevin Steele, SRS South Central Region; Lorrie Bezinque and Peggy Kelly, SRS KC Metro; Anita Cooper, SRS South East Region; Gloria Markuly, SRS Wichita Region; Marilyn Braun, SRS West Region, and Dr. John Calbeck, Garden City Regional Prevention Center.
The team will determine the need for sub-committees.
(Revised Dec 2004) |
