fy18 highlights - marylandmdod.maryland.gov/documents/cs ar - fy18 mdod fi… · web viewthe...

Maryland Department of Disabilities FY18 Annual Report

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIESCustomer Service Annual Report

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This document is available in accessible formats by calling 410.767.3660


Maryland Department of Disabilities Governor’s Customer Service Initiative

FY18

The State of Maryland pledges to provide constituents, businesses, customers, and stakeholders with services in the following manner:

Friendly and Courteous: We will be helpful and supportive and have a positive attitude and passion for what we do.

Timely and Responsive: We will be proactive, take initiative, and will try to anticipate your needs.

Accurate and Consistent: We will always aim for 100% accuracy and be consistent in how we interpret and implement state policies and procedures.

Accessible and Convenient: We will continue to simplify and improve access to information and resources.

Truthful and Transparent: We will advance a culture of honesty, clarity, and trust.

Resolution: We will inform constituents clearly and concisely and provide assistance in a timely manner.

Mission of the Maryland Department of Disabilities

Changing Maryland for the better by promoting equality of opportunity, access, and choice for Marylanders with disabilities.

Vision of the Department

The Department of Disabilities is committed to the promise of a Maryland in which all people with disabilities have the knowledge and influence to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

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Maryland Department of Disabilities

217 East Redwood Street, Suite 1300, Baltimore, MD 21202

mdod.maryland.gov Social media: @MDDisabilities

[email protected] 410.767.3660

Secretary Carol A. Beatty [email protected]

Deputy Secretary William J. Frank [email protected]

Deputy Assistant Secretary John Brennan [email protected]

Barb Cooke, Dir. Communication & Outreach [email protected]

Nan Brittingham, Dir. Constituent Services [email protected]

James McCarthy, Executive Director, MTAP [email protected]

Kim McKay, Constituent Service/Outreach [email protected]

Maxine Morris, Prog. Manager Attendant Care [email protected]

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Table of Contents

FY18 Highlights 5

Recognition Given to Employees 6

Leadership Analysis of FY18 and Summary of FY19 Approach 7

Detailed FY18 Results and FY19 Plans 8

Voice of the Customer – Survey Results 8

Customer Service Training 10

Customer Inquiry Response Times and Overall Time-to-Resolution 10

Customer Contact Centers 10

Timeliness of Responding to Customer Inquiries 10

Best Practices 10

Plans for Improvement 11

Improving the Customer Experience from Multiple Perspectives 11

Making Agency Services Available Online 11

Processing Times for Customer Transactions 11

Adjusting Hours to Meet Customer Demands 11

Social Media Usage to Improve the Customer Experience 12

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FY18 Highlights

The Maryland Department of Disabilities continues to engage constituents in answering the Customer Experience Survey in reference to the department.

● All staff have the link attached to their email signature. ● The link is available on the “About Us” page of the department website. ● Staff follow up on constituent calls or other contacts with a reminder about the

survey.

The Maryland Technology Assistance Program (MDTAP) tracks customer satisfaction with their services along with the number of assistive technology loans accessed yearly as an indicator of programmatic success.

● MDTAP received “very satisfied” ratings from each program. Staff Keyonna Baker and Tanya Goodman consistently receive “very satisfied” comments on the Customer Experience Survey.

The Attendant Care Program (ACP) provides financial reimbursement to assist individuals with severe chronic or permanent physical disabilities who require attendant care services to direct their own care and select their own service providers. Reimbursement may be available for attendant care services that are provided in the home, school, workplace, or other community locations.

● ACP sent a satisfaction survey to all participants. Customer Experience Surveys are consistently returned with ratings of more than 90% “very satisfied.”

The Communications Department has expanded to include a Constituent Services and Outreach Specialist to improve engagement with our constituents.

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Recognition Given to Employees

The Governor created the Governor’s Office of Performance Improvement (GOPI) by Executive Order in 2015. He and Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford are focused on improving Maryland agencies through transparency and accountability, making state government more efficient and responsive to taxpayers, and ensuring Maryland taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

Maryland Department of Disabilities works with the Governor’s Office of Performance Improvement to measure and manage performance information. We are committed to communicating performance information internally and externally and implementing performance and process improvements.

● Our staff are recognized immediately when a customer experience survey is received. An email is sent to the staff person, his/her supervisor, and department leadership highlighting how the staff provided exceptional customer service.

● Customer service is an agenda item during each staff meeting and recognition is shared publicly here.

● Our Director of Constituent Services regularly follows through and closes the loop to be sure constituents received a response to their inquiry.

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Leadership Analysis of FY18 and Summary of FY19 Approach

A Note on Customer Service from Secretary Carol A. Beatty

The Maryland Department of Disabilities coordinates delivery of services to individuals with disabilities across the state. The department works collaboratively with sister agencies to provide advocacy and guidance that ensures the State delivers services in the most integrated settings possible. We strive to consider the diverse needs of all when making decisions impacting Maryland citizens. The department focuses on independence

and full community participation through the programs it coordinates: accessible housing, employment, transitioning youth, community living, technology assistance, barrier free living, emergency preparedness, and transportation. Our priority is provision of effective supports necessary for a diverse workforce to fully participate in our state’s economy.

We support constituents as they navigate through state, local, and private sectors to have their needs met and their concerns addressed. Our department prioritizes outstanding constituent support and we ensure each staff person views customer service as a primary responsibility. Our fully dedicated Constituent Services Director, Nan Brittingham, has years of experience and shares her knowledge—much of her expertise is based on the relationships she has built with other state and local governmental employees.

In 2018 we built on the knowledge realized in 2017 to enhance our services. Better understanding the needs of those we serve informs our strategic planning as a department and allows us to make informed decisions about resource allocation and policy. Continuous improvement of services to the disability community in Maryland is our goal.

All of our staff have been trained in providing excellent service to a constituency with diverse and often complicated needs. Over the past year our department has consistently scored in the top 15 departments for customer satisfaction based on constituent surveys. Our MDTAP staff regularly receive shout outs for excellent customer service in the surveys. Our department is proud to carry forward Governor Hogan’s call for continuous quality improvement of services to the disability community in Maryland.

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Detailed FY18 Results and FY19 Plans

Voice of the Customer – Survey Results

MDOD Customer Experience Summary

We are working with GOPI to analyze traffic to the department website. This will yield information that guides modifying frequently requested information to make it more easily accessible electronically. At the same time, we recognize that when constituents call out of desperation and frustration, listening empathically cannot be replaced.

Here is specific feedback we received from the customer surveys:8



This constituent was looking for information:

Our leadership team reviewed design, content, timeliness of updates, ADA compliance, and other website elements. We are now in the process of making improvements. Our newsletter also continues to serve as a proactive method of communication with direct links to news and valuable topics. This helps ensure our constituents find the resources they need. Our intent is to continue listening to customers and internal recommendations to make agile, iterative updates to the website in FY19.

This parent was looking for support for her disabled son:

This constituent needed help getting an accessible van to transport her severely disabled daughter:

Attendant Care Survey Summary

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Here are examples of constituents comments from the ACP survey:● “Many thanks and appreciation for the Attendant Care Program.”● “Please process recertification and timesheets processed electronically, or

automate.”● “Increase the reimbursement rate”

Customer Service TrainingCustomer service is on the agenda at each all-staff meeting, held every other month. New staff have an orientation session with the Director of Constituent Services to discuss the department’s customer service plan. Staff are taught that who our constituents are can vary: advocacy groups, service providers, state residents, other state agencies or departments. Our staff are coached to thank all callers for contacting us. We transfer calls to others when possible so that callers are connected directly. Most importantly, staff are encouraged to be understanding--constituents are frequently desperate by the time they call us.

Customer Inquiry Response Times and Overall Time-to-Resolution

Our Director of Constituent Services has built relationships throughout the state and in individual counties. On average customer inquiry calls are responded to within 24 hours. Due to the complex nature of the situations many of our callers request assistance with, it may take 2-3 days to reach resolution. We let callers know that it may take time for us to find the best resource to meet their often complicated needs. We strive to provide each caller with a name and a phone number. Finding the best resource to refer them to in their community often requires research on our part.

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Customer Contact Centers

Our staff share responsibility for managing customer calls. We have a designated customer service liaison. She has established relationships within State government and across the community. Our liaison works tirelessly to move issues to closure. Where appropriate, calls are referred to the designated policy director in the department.

Timeliness of Responding to Customer Inquiries

Best PracticesWe continued to answer and respond to customer inquiries in a timely manner. Our Director of Constituent Services regularly checks back with constituents to ensure they received a response. Our goal is to give each caller a name and a phone number of someone who can assist them with their request. MDOD does not provide direct services. Our constituents frequently call in a desperate frame of mind regarding “quality of life” concerns. It is not uncommon for us to stop a meeting to take a call. Constituents whom we have assisted in the past frequently keep our contact information and call back when they need further assistance even when it is not a “disability” issue.

Plans for ImprovementMDOD will invite DNR and Veterans Affairs to collaborate on journey mapping of a recent customer experience incident where people with disabilities were required to pay to enter Sandy Point State Park to participate in an accessible boating event. This would be a pilot type assessment and could lead to additional journey mapping analyses of more complicated issues.

Improving the Customer Experience from Multiple Perspectives

Making Agency Services Available OnlineWe are aware that our website has some accessibility deficits. We are working on assessing and improving our website. MDOD is working with GOPI to install metrics on the MDOD website by September 1, 2018. We are also analyzing using WAVE--a website accessibility evaluation tool. The results will be analyzed and changes made to

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the website based on the information gained. Our intention is to provide a website that meets the highest accessibility standards and shares information that our constituents can access easily. In response to constituents’ requests, we are updating our website to permit online application, renewal, and submission of hours for the ACP program.

Processing Times for Customer TransactionsPhone calls and emails are responded to within 24 hours.

Adjusting Hours to Meet Customer Demands

Our social media channels are monitored and comments are responded to within 24 hours, as are phone and email inquiries. Additional information and metrics can be found in the chart below.

Social Media Usage to Improve the Customer ExperienceThis year our agency hired a Constituent Services and Outreach Specialist to improve engagement with our constituents. One area of focus is social media usage and the specialist is responsible for content on both the MDOD and MDTAP Facebook and Twitter accounts. The position was filled in the last quarter of the fiscal year and our use of social media has increased. We use social media platforms to inform and engage with our constituents about important issues and events.

For the coming fiscal year, we plan to add more interactive features to our pages as well as increase the number of videos. We are also planning a series of staff member highlights to help constituents better understand various roles and the overall mission of the department.

Maryland Department of DisabilitiesFacebook Metrics

Followers (end FY18) Daily Page Reach Daily Page Engagement

2924 647 87

Most Popular Facebook Posts

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Post Reach Impressions

Governor ADA Proclamation 4991 8344

Sesame Place Autism Center 4607 6494

Together We’re Better 4283 8332

Twitter Metrics (FY 18 monthly averages) 2000+ followers*

New Followers Mentions* Impressions*

33 21 16,000

Most popular posts

*Engagement for this account grew steadily over the fiscal year; mentions doubled from beginning of the

year and impressions increased by 50%.

Maryland Technology Assistance Program13



Facebook

Followers (end FY18) Daily Page Reach Daily Page Engagement

875 53 8

Most Popular Facebook Posts

Post Reach Impressions

MD Becomes 1st State to mandate police disability training

1497 2350

Quadriplegic Driver Uses Tech to drive car

426 663

Twitter Metrics (FY 18 monthly average) (670+ followers)

New Followers Mentions Impressions

14 10 4000

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Press Release Excerpts

Maryland Expands Employment Opportunities for People with DIsabilitiesBALTIMORE, MD – April 26 -- Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, Maryland Higher Education Commission, and Maryland Department of Disabilities, announce a new partnership with the National Governors Association (NGA). Maryland is one of five states participating in the NGA Learning Lab on Building Inclusive Talent Pipelines for People with Disabilities. “Maryland is proud to be one of only five states participating in the NGA Learning Lab's Building Talent Pipeline for People with Disabilities,” said Governor Hogan.

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Ethan Saylor Alliance will Prepare and Support Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Serve as Educators for Law Enforcement

BALTIMORE— May 24 -- The Maryland Department of Disabilities awarded Loyola University Maryland $43,961 to pilot its innovative project, “Learning to Lead: Training Self-Advocate Educators for Law Enforcement.” Under this award, Loyola University Maryland (Loyola), the Municipal Police Academy - Prince George’s Community College and Best Buddies Maryland will team up to pilot a replicable and sustainable model to recruit, hire, train, and supervise individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD). These individuals will serve as educators alongside law enforcement and other public entities throughout the State of Maryland.

Governor Larry Hogan, University of Maryland Announce New Center to Advance Workforce Readiness for Youth with Disabilities

Governor Marks 28th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities ActANNAPOLIS, MD – July 30-- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, together with the University of Maryland (UMD), today announced a new center at UMD designed to improve college and career outcomes for students and youth with disabilities.The Center for Transition and Career Innovation for Youth with Disabilities (CTCI), housed in the University of Maryland College of Education, will foster partnerships among university faculty and local, state, and national agencies and organizations to promote research, improvements in practice, and supportive

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governmental policies that advance workforce readiness for youth with disabilities.Governor Hogan made the announcement at an event in Annapolis where he presented a proclamation honoring the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The governor was joined by Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol A. Beatty, representatives of Maryland stateagencies, University of Maryland College of Education Dean Jennifer King Rice, disability advocates, local business owners, and members of the community.

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