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Department of Human Services
Dept. of Human Services

Director's Message

January 20, 2006

 

To: DHS employees

From: Dr. Bruce Goldberg, DHS Director

 

“For myself I am an optimist -- it does not seem to be much use being anything else.”

Sir Winston Churchill

 

Legislative Emergency Board

The department appeared before the Legislative Emergency Board this week to among other things, update lawmakers on our projected budget shortfall and to present a plan to address it. I'd like to provide you with a quick summary of what I presented.

As I have shared with you before, it is projected that DHS will be out of balance by $172 million by the end of the biennium. Given that the economy is improving and it appears that the state has the revenue available to manage the department's current projected budget shortfall, the Governor is proposing a plan of enhanced management and available revenue to bring DHS into balance by June 30, 2007. As you know, there are many variables that impact both the DHS budget and revenue streams -- federal policy changes, demographics, and the economy. As such, we need to re-evaluate progress at clearly defined intervals and be prepared to institute additional measures if we are not meeting expenditure and revenue targets.

The plan is based on six principles that include:

  • A balanced budget by June 30, 2007
  • Ensure fiscal accountability through careful management and tracking of revenues and expenditures
  • Preservation of services to the greatest extent possible
  • Frequent monitoring of caseloads, program performance, policy and fiscal data
  • Transparency and accountability
  • Collaboration with legislature, federal government, service providers, stakeholders
In summary, the management actions the department proposed included work we are currently doing with the state controller to examine the department's accounting processes, internal controls, banking and cash flow management. A report on these activities is due in March.

We are also taking many other management actions including:
  • Reviewing our forecasting models and are proposing oversight of our forecasts by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) analysts.
  • Establishing a workgroup to monitor caseload changes that includes four legislators that will meet with the department regularly.
  • Reviewing eligibility standards to ensure we are getting the right services to the right people. 
  • Looking for efficiencies department-wide including ideas from staff, providers, and stakeholders.
  • Improving financial management and accountability by bringing in additional expertise and setting up an advisory team of financial experts from the private sector.
By taking these steps, working together with legislators, stakeholders, and others, the department's budget can be balanced by the close of the biennium. We will report our progress and revised estimates of both DHS budget and available revenue to the Legislature and the public at each Emergency Board.

In the end however, we must all remember that this not simply a budget exercise; our work involves the lives and well being of people, families and communities. With the combination of prudent program management and fiscal accountability, the Governor, the Legislature, and the public will have confidence that the department is meeting the needs of Oregon's most vulnerable citizens in the most efficient and effective manner and that future investments of resources will serve the public good to the greatest extent possible.


 

Medicaid Management Information System

The department continues to make progress toward implementing a new Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS), to replace the more than 25-year-old outdated, inefficient system DHS has been using.

The department has reviewed most of the 1,700 system requirements needed, working with business experts from each cluster. That work is expected to be finished on schedule at the end of this month.

Work has also begun on the technical design of the system and creation of the day-to-day procedures needed to efficiently use the new system. More than 400 staff from various clusters have contributed to this important work -- and we appreciate your efforts.

To familiarize yourselves with our MMIS Replacement Project, please visit its Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/admin/mmis/index.shtml; and make sure to read the first edition of the project's newsletter, appropriately titled Progress, located at http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/admin/mmis/docs/newsletter/0512.pdf

The success of the MMIS project continues to be a priority for our department's future and should help us continue to move forward in being more efficient and effective in delivering services to Oregonians in need.
 

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.

 

If you have a disability and need this message to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us, or call (503) 947-5107. You can also fax your request to (503) 373-7690, or call (503) 947-5080 for TTY service. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.
 
Page updated: September 21, 2007

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