A Case Study of Sonoma County’s economic Assistance Service Center

Alameda County Social Services Agency's Economic Benefits Department (EBD) is exploring ways to use its current technology, finances, and human resources to improve its caseload management and work efficiency. As a result of caseload increases and a limited availability of staff, EBD is experiencing difficulty with caseload management. This case study aims to explore if Sonoma County's Economic Assistance Service Center (EASC) could be a viable model for Alameda County's EBD. Sonoma County's EASC uses a telephone center and task-based case management. Through observation and dialogues with both managers and staff at the EASC, it is clear that the service center model is a better process than the individual caseload assignment model. The service center concept has more flexibility and produces greater efficiency in the prioritization, assignment, and completion of tasks. Customer calls are answered more expediently, and tasks generated by those calls are completed in a timely manner. It is recommended that Alameda County's EBD establish banked caseloads for its ongoing cases and implement a task-based case management process. It is also recommended that Alameda County's Call Center add eligibility functions to its current services.