The complete text of this report is available in Portable Document (PDF) format.
To view the report in PDF format, you first need to
download the free Adobe Acrobat Viewer. The Acrobat Viewer will launch the file so that
you can see the document on your monitor and then print it. Download Adobe Acrobat.
Download
the Report
|
|
May, 2001 Washington
State
Department of Social and Health
Services
 DSHS Accountability
ScoreCard - July 2000 - July 2003
Citizens will be able to
keep track of the Department of Social and Health Services' effort
to improve services with the Public Accountability ScoreCard
unveiled by Secretary Dennis Braddock. Braddock
said DSHS asked the residents of the state what they think of the
department, listened closely to their answers and responded with
the ScoreCard. The goals in the ScoreCard are tough but attainable
and are consistent with the department's mission to improve
services for vulnerable children and adults, according to
Braddock. "This is a way for DSHS to illustrate our
priorities and to highlight where more attention is needed,"
Braddock said.
Focus groups conducted
throughout the state for DSHS by the Gilmore Research Group
revealed that many people are unaware of the department's services
and accomplishments. The
Gilmore Report also found that "DSHS actions are both the
agency's best friend and worst enemy." Many focus group
members said their positive or negative feelings about DSHS
stemmed from their personal contacts or their family's contacts
with the department. If the contact was good, their opinions were
positive. If the contact was unpleasant, their opinions were
negative. To help hold DSHS accountable, the ScoreCard will
measure progress in key areas over the next three years. Among the
goals:
- Continue to lower the death rate for infants born in
Washington.
- Enroll 49,066 more children in state-subsidized health care
by September of 2003.
- By September 2003, increase by 333 the number of children
moved each year into permanent homes through adoption.
- Help 10 percent more families who leave welfare to earn
better wages in new jobs over the next three years.
- Save taxpayers money by eliminating $22.9 million worth of
fraud and incorrect billings by September of 2003.
- Earn more public trust by continuing to improve the amount
of courtesy and respect we use in dealing with all of our
clients, service providers and vendors.
DSHS will continue to use focus groups and surveys to measure the
department's accountability. Statewide, DSHS delivers services to
1.3 million people, about one out of every five residents. The
rate is much higher in Yakima County where nearly half of the
population, some 103,000 people, are DSHS clients.
|
OPEN MINDS Industry Resources