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screenings (7)

Screening for benefits: EarnBenefits is live!

Posted by Roger Senserrich - CAHS on February 3, 2010 at 10:00am
Remember EarnBenefits?It is a program that CAHS is implementing, in partnership with other organizations, to make benefits more readily available for people that need them. EBO is web-based application that helps case managers and intake workers screen clients for ten benefits simultaneously, allowing them to have quick access to more services. You can find more information on the software here, in a previous blog post.We have big new today, as the system is finally alive and running! This means that people that goes to one of our partner organizations to ask for help applying for some DSS or DCF program will be able to get screened and get the paperwork filled automatically, having everything ready to apply.Where can you refer your clients? Right now, these are our locations:Junta for Progressive Action (GNHC profile)Christian Community Action (GNHC Profile)Catholic Charities / Centro San JoséIf you give me a desk and a computer with an internet connection, I will be doing screenings furiously too; so call me a line if you need this service.Right now we can scan for eligibility (and fill most of the forms) for six benefits: WIC, Husky A, Husky B, SNAP, EITC and energy assistance - and more programs are coming soon. So if you need a place to refer a client to help him get Food Stamps, you know where to send them - or you can drop me a line so I come to help as needed.Join the GNH Community EarnBenefits group for updates if you want to know more.
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Improving access to programs: EarnBenefits is coming!

Posted by Roger Senserrich - CAHS on January 15, 2010 at 9:30am
Starting February, CAHS and three partner organizations will start rolling out a very powerful new tool to help low-income families become more self-sufficient: EarnBenefits Online (EBO). EBO is web-based application that helps case managers and intake workers screen clients for ten benefits simultaneously, allowing them to have quick access to more services.How does EBO work?For a client, EBO will look like the following.1. Sit down with the case worker and describe their household situation: income, family members, assets, housing situation, etc.2. The case worker will introduce the information on the computer as they talk, and hit a button.3. EBO will give a list of all the benefits the client (or a member of the household) can apply to, as well as information on where he needs to go and what he needs to bring.4. The case worker can then hit "print", and EBO will fill an application with all the information automatically and give it to the client, so he can bring it to DSS or the appropiate agency.The whole thing is completely transparent, very easy to use and fully automatized; the eligibility requirements are all handled by EBO. The software is web based, so the only thing the worker needs is a computer with Firefox and an internet connection - and a printer with plenty of paper!EBO will screen for SNAP, Husky, TANF, SAGA, EITC, WIC and Medicaid, amongst other benefits, when fully deployed. Think on the amount of time clients and case workers will safe.Who is going to offer this service?CAHS is proud to announce our partners for Greater New Haven:Junta for Progressive Action (GNHC profile)Christian Community Action (GNHC Profile)Catholic Charities / Centro San José (and someone should help me convince them come to GNH Community!)Starting February, this fine sites will be screenings for benefits using the EBO software. If you give me a desk and a computer with an internet connection, I will be doing screenings furiously too; so drop me a line if you need this service. Contact them (or myself) for more information of availability and referrals - we are still working out the details, so suggestions, encouragement and ideas are more than welcome.Interested in EBO? Want to help?We are still looking for sites and partners. If you think your case workers will get a lot of use of this tool, please drop us a line! Tracy Helin is the person to talk to in this regard; I am available for questions as well.We really want this to be useful, so please, talk to us! We want to screen people, we want to help them get benefits. We want to help!Join us at the EarnBenefits GNHC Group
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Improving access to benefits to those who need them

Posted by Roger Senserrich - CAHS on December 11, 2009 at 1:00pm
Update: We will be taking applications until Thursday if needed. We are really looking for more partner organizations in New Haven specifically, by the way. We had a life demo of the application yesterday, and it is wonderful. If anyone has questions, please call me. I can even drop by to show it.EarnBenefits demo________________________Just a quick reminder for all you folks out there about Earnbenefits, a new tool that CAHS is going to launching next year.We all know how hard is to direct people to apply for the state and benefits they are eligible for. The requirements are confusing, the applications are too long, and it is hard to keep track on what they need to do. We are rolling out an online application to actually try to solve that; a screening tool that keeps track of all requirements, fills the application in full and prints out instructions on what documents the client needs to bring to DSS, VITA sites or DCF.We are looking for partners to deploy this tool. We will offer support, some financing for expenses and training. You can find the RFP here. The deadline for it was today (December 11), but if we get applications say, on Monday or Tuesday, we will definetely have a look.Which leads me to the next point, of course: if someone needs help doing screenings, the outreach team of CAHS in New Haven (aka me) is more than glad to help. I am available for coming and talking with clients about benefits; SNAP right now, and more benefits as Earnbenefits rolls out. Contact me if you need more information on either screening or the RFP.
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RFP: Improving Access to Work Supports through Online Screening

Posted by Roger Senserrich - CAHS on November 3, 2009 at 8:30am
CAHS is starting a new and very exciting program in the coming months: EarnBenefits.EarnBenefits is an online screening took created by Seedco that allows us to screen a client for 8 to 10 benefits at once. Basically we are able to sit down, ask a few questions, and get a list of all the benefits they can apply. The software then automatically fills and application with the client information, a list of all the paperwork they need to include and the benefits they will get, and prints them. You will only need to make the copies of the documents needed and have it send to DSS.We want to have a good team of service providers using this tool, so we are looking for partners. We are offering funding, training and support to put everything in place and running; the idea is that case workers will be able to use EarnBenefits to screen clients quick and efficiently, getting all the paperwork ready in a few minutes, and make life easier to our clients.Check the full RFP and information bellow:EarnBenefits Partner RFP-Final.docImproving Access to Work Supports through Online ScreeningEarnBenefits InitiativeRequest for Partnership ProposalThe Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS), a statewide advocacy, outreach, and public education nonprofit organization, seeks proposals for partnership from direct service providers for an initiative to improve access to work supports for low-wage residents. Improving access to work supports is a powerful strategy for promoting job stability and economic advancement among low-wage workers. CAHS will contract with Seedco to adapt its widely-used electronic benefits tool, EarnBenefits, and work in five or six Connecticut cities with community partners to enroll 1,500-plus residents in work support programs annually. Those community partners who are approved will be granted free access to the EarnBenefits screening tool, and will receive training from CAHS staff on how to improve benefits screening through the newly developed electronic system.This project has been made possible through a partnership with the following funders: Fairfield County Community Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, and The William Casper Graustein Memorial Fund.Selected applicant organizations may be eligible to receive grants of up to $5,000 in program support. Please be prepared to submit an itemized budget with your proposal.EarnBenefits is a web-based product developed by Seedco, Inc., a nonprofit workforce intermediary based in New York City. EarnBenefits is used to guide clients through the online application process and allow them to apply for multiple benefits at the same time. Working with a trained counselor at your local partnership organization, the prospective applicant can use EarnBenefits to learn about a number of work supports they may be unaware of, receive an estimated dollar value of those supports they qualify for, and even re-certify for those supports they already receive. EarnBenefits will automatically fill out multiple applications, which your counselors/staff then print for the applicant to take and apply at relevant agencies. EarnBenefits will then track the application.For full details, download the RFP:EarnBenefits Partner RFP-Final.doc
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EarnBenefits - New sites for benefit screening open

Posted by Roger Senserrich - CAHS on April 26, 2010 at 7:55am
A couple of months ago, CAHS launched EarnBenefits Online (EBO), a new program to help people all across Connecticut get access to the public benefits programs they are eligible to receive. You can get more information on how the program works here, in our GNH Community Group.

To the three initial partners in New Haven (Christian Community Action, JUNTA and Catholic Charities) we are adding this week two more: New Life Corporation, in Ella Grasso Blvd, and the Workforce Alliance, that will offer this service at the OneStop centers in the GNH area. New Life should be able to start screening before the end of the week, with the OneStops coming online early May.

So if by any chance you have a client that wants to know if he or she is eligible for Medicaid, SAGA, SNAP or any of the programs on the DSS alphabet soup, and they need someone to fill the application for them and lend a hand with the paperwork, you know where to refer them:

- Christian Community Action
- JUNTA
- Catholic Charities (Centro San José)
- New Life Corporation
- (soon) One Stop Career centers.

Right now, EBO screen and fills applications for twelve benefits, including SNAP, Husky, Medicaid, TFA, SAGA and Care 4 Kids. We all know that the applications are gigantic - and EBO makes the whole process much easier.

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