Austin powers Texas aid eligibility

A new e-government solution in Texas will help caseworkers determine eligibility for state assistance.

American Management Systems recently signed a $4.9 million, one-year contract with the state Department of Human Services (DHS) to design the Web-based “Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System” (TIERS).

The new solution, which will integrate multiple existing systems, will support the management and operations of the department’s many assistance programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid and Food Stamps. In all, it will integrate eligibility determination across more than 50 programs, providing a consolidated case profile. That means, for instance, if a person needs Medicaid, Temporary Assistance and child care, he or she would visit a single worker who could decide eligibility across all the programs.

In a press release, AMS says the new eligibility system will “dramatically change” the way in which citizens interact with the Department of Human Services. Caseworkers will have access to an enterprisewide, customer-facing solution to improve services to Texas families and children. The Department of Human Services’ 12,000 caseworkers will be able to provide services to needy Texans more effectively, according to AMS.

On its Web site, the Texas Department of Human Services says the TIERS project was created by the 76th Texas Legislature to improve the delivery of social service programs the agency administers. The project's primary goals include the replacement of several outdated automation systems with one state-of-the-art integrated system and changes in the agency's business processes to improve accuracy and the delivery of services to millions of Texans.