Starting today, people receiving assistance through Freeborn County’s Department of Human Services will notice some changes in how their cases are being processed.

Human Services Director Brian Buhmann said, with a 15 to 20 percent increase in caseloads, the department has decided to move toward a team approach in handling cases. Prior to this, when people came in to apply for assistance, they would meet with the same person on each step of the process — everything from screening to reviews to final processing.

Beginning today there will be two teams, each made up of five or six people, to handle cases.

Freeborn County Eligibility Supervisor Dennis Roelfsema said there will be one team for dealing with families — anyone with children under 21 who receive food support or health care benefits — and then another team for dealing with adults without children or for single adults.

Roelfsema said the team members will rotate responsibilities every few weeks. One person will answer calls, one person will meet with consumers to determine eligibility, one will review and so on.

He said the process will help cases move through faster, and there should be higher accuracy with more eyes looking at each file.

“Hopefully once the clients get through the initial change, it will overall be more efficient,” Roelfsema said.

It will also help the employees not to get burned out, and if someone is on vacation, there will be other people available who can answer questions about a file.

Separate from the teams, there will still be a couple eligibility workers for the Minnesota Family Investment Program, for childcare and for out-of-home placement for children.

Roelfsema said across Minnesota there are 20 to 30 counties already working in the team approach to some degree.

“Once they get used to it, all the other counties indicate consumers like it,” he said.

Buhmann said the switch is ultimately a way to address the growing number of cases without hiring additional staff.

Other changes

• Roelfsema said the department is also looking into an imaging system that can scan all paperwork into a system. This would get rid of having a lot of loose papers and would lessen the chance of paperwork getting misplaced.

• Starting Oct. 1 — the beginning of the federal fiscal year — many people receiving food support standard utility allowance funds will see an increase in benefits.

Buhmann said benefits will increase from $305 to $402 a month.

• Another change is taking place for manage care organization providers.

Buhmann said beginning Nov. 1 consumers receiving prepaid medical assistance or Minnesota Care will have to choose between two providers who they would like to receive their coverage through — Blue Plus or UCare.

South Country Health Alliance will still be the provider for consumers receiving Minnesota Senior Care Plus, Minnesota Senior Health Options, and Special Needs Basic Care.

Roelfsema said people will not have to change their doctors.