2001-02 Ketner Award winners

The NCACC would like to announce the winners of the 2001-02 Ketner Employee Productivity Awards Program. Ralph Ketner, co-founder of Food Lion, Inc., donates $10,000 each year to reward outstanding county employees for their successful productivity initiatives.

This year marks the Association’s 11th year in organizing the program. To date, the program has attracted 956 project applications representing more than $77 million in savings to our counties.

Each year, the Association’s president appoints two review committees made up of commissioners, managers, county staff and IOG representatives — one committee considers applications from managerial staff and one reviews those submitted by line staff.

The review committees met Thursday, June 27, 2002, to consider all eligible applications for the 2001-02 Ketner Productivity Awards Program. Based on the committees’ review, the following county employees were selected as having submitted the best productivity enhancements.

Each employee or team of employees will receive $1,000 and a certificate of recognition at the Second General Session of the Association’s Annual Conference in August 2002. To ensure that the local media is informed of the employee’s achievements, NCACC staff will send press releases describing the employee’s productivity initiative to local media outlets.

Foster-child database
Brent Deter, Buncombe County

Buncombe County’s Brent Deter created a foster child placement database that revolutionized the department’s capacity to track, measure and monitor both programs costs and case progress. The database also monitors each caseworker’s performance.

Deter designed, implemented and manages the database, dubbed Kids2. This comprehensive database allows the Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide a managed care approach that focuses on both cost management and program outcomes. The system includes each case history and a log that identifies caseworkers and charts appropriate timelines. It also schedules multi-agency reviews of all high cost or high management cases and automates and tracks expenditures. A new custody form allows direct entry of children into the system at the point of custody. Furthermore, it has the capacity to track and monitor court reports and other related activities.

Because the Kids2 program monitors all of the required benchmarks for the children as well as functioning as a utilization management tool to monitor cost, the average monthly county dollar cost for foster placements was cut by nearly 42%. The monthly decrease from an average of $37,862 in FY 00 to $15,885 in FY 02 was due to the systemic monitoring and management function performed through Kids2. Additionally, the database has allowed for flexible management funding and has saved the DSS $221,000 over the last 5ive years. These monies have been reinvested into children through post adoption services, the Families Together Crisis Support for Foster and Adoptive families, parent education classes and psychological and family assessments for families.

Those reinvestments and other enhancements of the Kids2 computer program have produced a 74% family/community based placement rate for children in FY 02 versus a 53% placement rate in FY 00. Court decisions in adoptions have also been facilitated by using Kids2. This has caused a 199% increase in adoptions from FY00 to FY02.

Employee Training Curriculum
Renee Dickson and Carolyn Miller, Chatham County

The Chatham Leadership Academy is a comprehensive training curriculum for Chatham County employees interested in developing their skills as County employees and leaders. The primary focus of the leadership academy is to ensure that supervisors are equipped with the skills they need to manage an effective workplace. However, almost all courses are open to non-supervisory personnel.

In addition, courses are open to employees that are not enrolled in the Academy.

The comprehensive curriculum encompasses five sections: General, Planning Skills/Promoting Change and Innovation, Communication and Presentation Skills, Effective Leadership and Supervision and Legal Requirements. Employees have three years in which to complete the curriculum, though it is possible for students to finish in 18 months.

All participants must complete the core courses and 18 hours of electives. Classes are offered at different times to accommodate employee schedules and classes are typically taught in two to four hour instruction modules. Courses are relevant to everyone in the organization regardless to their level of responsibility. There are courses in Principles of Supervision and Conflict Resolution as well as in Technical Writing and Basic Math.

Employees that successfully complete the curriculum are certified as a Chatham County supervisor. The certification is mandatory for new supervisors with less than two years of supervisory experience.

Using an average of $0-$35 per hour for a contract instructor for computer instruction, the cost savings total nearly $3,000 per session. There are three sessions per year.

Medication Distribution Improvements
Joy Southerland and Julianna Parish, Guilford County

The Medication Assistance Program (MAP) of the Guilford County Department of Public Health provides prescription assistance and medication management to patients in the Greater Greensboro area whose household income are below 140 % of the Federal Poverty Level and who have no form of prescription insurance coverage. MAP ensures these patients have consistent access to their medications for the chronic diseases of asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

MAP has proven that providing prescription medications to low-income individuals suffering from these illnesses improves quality of life while actually reducing total healthcare utilization and costs.

MAP operates by allowing patients to obtain their medications from any community pharmacy that handles electronic claims processing through the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM). A card issued by MAP works like any other insurance card that covers prescription medications. MAP makes monthly payments to the PBM at a competitively negotiated rate for the cost of all medications dispensed by all community pharmacies, and the pharmacies are reimbursed via the PBM as they would with any insurance plan.

In March 2002, 78% of the medications dispensed were done so at no cost to the patients, because many of them were obtained free of charge from the manufacturers. Since the program’s implementation, patient satisfaction has improved and more productive utilization of staff time has reduced program costs.

Human service transportation improvement
Mecklenburg County Dept. of Social Services

Mecklenburg Transportation System (MTS) of the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services has become a premier entity for human service transportation. Through mobility management, MTS eliminated the need for each department to operate a transportation program. Collaboration between MTS and Greyhound Bus Lines resulted in the development of the Veterans Medical Assistance Transportation Service Program (VMAT).

MTS’ commitment to viable transportation solutions caused the establishment of several Mecklenburg Region governing/advisory entities: The Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC), Charlotte Area Transportation System (CATS), The NCDOT Out-Of-County Medical Transportation Tack Force, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and Community Transportation Service Plan (CTSP).

These organizations and planning groups influence the development and implementation of new needs-based transportation and expand existing services for target populations through the Mecklenburg Transportation System and throughout the Mecklenburg Region.

MTS successes have come in many forms as the focus is in the provision for solutions, cost effective results for transportation problems and issues. They look to refine the work process, develop and utilize award winning automation, use public and private vehicles to maximize customer service for Intra and Out-of-County Medical Services and work with community communicators to inform the Metrolina Area training staff about work with specialized populations.

Day Treatment Center for delinquent youth
Richard Christian, New Hanover County

The New Hanover County Day Treatment Center (DTC) was initiated as an alternative to detention for adjudicated youth, as a result of the sky-rocketing cost of detention placements and care. The DTC provides 10 to12-hour treatment services for youth who have been adjudicated delinquent by the court and who are appropriate candidates for detention or training school. Its purpose is to provide these youth opportunities to remain in their homes while simultaneously receiving treatment services, at a lower coat to the county than would occur if these youth went to detention.

The program provides both an educational as well as clinical component, and provides services from 7:30 a.m. to either 6 or 8 p.m., depending on the day of the week. Three certified teachers provide North Carolina standard curriculum academics from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Essentially, the DTC offers a variety of much-needed services for New Hanover county that are not offered by the detention center, however it does so at a much reduced cost. The cost-per-day for a youth in detention is $144, $72 of which is paid for by the county. In contrast, although the employees of the DTC are New Hanover County employees, only $100,000 of the roughly $300,00 the county pays for detention came to the DTC program; the rest of the program is funded by grants.

Resolution of liquid oxygen supply problems
Joe Lord and J.R. Lowe, Cleveland County

Cleveland County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) experienced numerous service problems with liquid oxygen tanks over the last couple of years. Timely delivery and tank refilling were beginning to affect the department’s effectiveness. Over holidays and during severe weather, shipments were frequently placed on hold as operations were shut down. In some cases, shipments were backed up as long as two weeks.

Suppliers would even substitute steel tanks in the place of aluminum tanks, which created greater problems. This doubled the weight of the tank, and tanks were necessary on almost every call.

Joe Lord and J.R. Lord introduced a new system. The old format called for tanks to be shipped from Shelby to Gaston and then on to Charlotte, and once refilled, returned to Gaston. Then back to Shelby.

Now, with the purchase of their own transfilling system, the EMS department can refill all 160 tanks in less than three hours. On-duty paramedics fill the tanks during there down time from running calls. The purchase of the transfilling system cost $35,000. With depreciation, over seven years the system will have saved over $17,500, and that’s not counting the time saved.

Upgrading communications using wireless technology
Gary Reece, Shane Thomas and Kristy Lanning, Haywood County

Haywood County offices are disbursed over a small geographical area. Communication between these offices is extremely important to the required functions of the county. Previously, they were communicating over phone lines at speeds of 64k, and often times less. Connections were greatly unreliable.

The wireless project introduced by Gary Reece, Shane Thomas and Kristy Lanning provided an increase in speed, productivity and reliability for county departments. Offices are now communicating at speeds up to T1.

Outsourcing of the project has been estimated at $85,000, which translates to $63,000 in cost savings.

Water Treatment Lagoon Cleaning
Thomas MacGillivray, Seth Brown and Anthony Colon, Onslow County

The Dixon Water Treatment Plant began operation about five years ago. It currently processes an average of one and one half million gallons of drinking water per day. During that time, however, the filtering lagoons have never had the filtered, collected sludge and treatment by-products removed.

The operators devised a cost-saving method that saved the County thousands of dollars. They used a sump pump with a vacuum attached to suck sludge from the bottom of the lagoon into a sanitation dumpster. The three-day project took physical work from all three employees. One vacuumed, one shoveled to break up the sludge and one spread the sludge out in the container. Once completed, the backwash water was turned back on in the lagoon. The process will not have to be completed again for five years.

Mailing criminal process notification
Lauretta Ramey, Karen Cox and Melissa Butcher, Surry County

Due to the volume of calls the Surry County Sheriff’s Office were responding to, the service of warrants and criminal subpoenas had begun to suffer. Lauretta Ramey, Karen Cox and Melissa Butcher suggested mailing postcards to individuals, requesting them to report to the Sheriff’s office to pick up their outstanding summons or warrants.

The number of warrants being served has increased by allowing the sworn officers to concentrate on other issues, such as citizens avoiding service. The cost to the taxpayer is reduced due to the reduction in the use of an officer’s time. The associated vehicle costs involved in delivering warrants is obviously reduced as well.

Time-wise, the savings per warrant average one hour per warrant, which equals $37.50 an hour. Considering the officer’s time and vehicle use, the total cost savings for taxpayers comes to $3,937.50.

Wheels for Work Program (tie)
William E. Mathews, Orange County

The Wheels for Work car donation program was established to acquire donated vehicles from Orange County citizens, businesses and governmental agencies for placement with low income, working families in desperate need of work-related transportation. Since its inception, 35 vehicles have been placed with eligible families.

After a lengthy study into the plight of low-income families, the Orange County Commission for Women determined that the lack of transportation was a major obstacle in securing and retaining employment. Furthermore, no viable programs existed to assist with individual transportation needs. Existing public transportation systems were severely strained to provide transportation service to all areas of rural Orange County.

Vehicle recipients make a modest, no interest loan payment for 24 months, allowing the program to recover approximately 50% of the average retail value of the vehicle. These funds are then used to make essential repairs to the vehicles in the program.

The main goal of the program is to enable clients to remain employed and not revert to the welfare system because of a lack of transportation for work.

Formation of Tax clinics to prepare returns
Forsyth County Dept. of Social Services

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of the basic public policy tools used to address poverty. The Forsyth County Department of Social Services began to focus on tax policy to increase clients’ knowledge of money management and to help clients learn that “work pays.” The Department formed a partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help low-income people use tax credits and deductions as a strategy to increase income and build assets.

The Department offered tax clinics helping individuals and families prepare simple returns and focusing on encouraging the use of the EITC. Over 200 returns were prepared in four locations throughout the county. About 20% of taxpayers received the EITC.

Resources used for the project were primarily staff. The IRS provided training at no cost to the county.