DPSS ePolicy

To convert existing policy to new writing style only – No concept changes

What changed?

1. To expand service capacity, the Department of Mental Health (DMH) reorganized the clinicians by Regional Teams composed of seven to eight clinicians each. One clinician will be assigned to each General Relief (GR) district office daily. Other program clinicians will be working remotely.
2. Mental health assessments will be offered at the GR district offices for applicants and participants who are homeless or do not have a telephone or access to a computer. GR applicants and participants who have access to a phone or a computer and GR Intake Customer Service Center (CSC) applicants will be offered telephonic assessments.
3. Dedicated Exchange Distribution List (EDL) email accounts were set up for all 14 GR district offices for the transmission of the referrals for mental health services and related documents expediting the process and improving service delivery.
   
   Note: Changes are shown highlighted in gray throughout the document.
    

The Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) has a long-standing policy to provide priority and expedited services to GR applicants/participants with mental health disabilities. Individuals who have or appear to have a mental health condition are assisted through the application process on a priority basis. In an effort to streamline this policy, the Mental Health Assessment (MHA) process includes the following enhancements:

1. Implemented a team approach for referrals where applicants/participants will have increased access to services.
2. Implemented a centralized Department-wide mental health appointment system using the Microsoft (MS) Outlook calendar;
3. Assigned a designated Mental Health Scheduling Clerk (MHSC) to manage the MS Outlook calendar and to assist with the MHA operations at each GR district office; and
4. Integrated the District Navigator in the process to assist with needed mental health services at the front line.
    

In 2018, the MHA Triage process was piloted at the Rancho Park district office successfully. Consequently, the MHA Triage process was adopted as part of the new Model Office Concept, to improve customer service and service delivery by expediting the MHA referral process for GR applicants/participants with mental health conditions.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, MHAs were suspended, and the Department put in place several waivers to ensure GR applicants/participants received uninterrupted benefits. In response to the new health and safety measures and to support GR applicants’/participants’ needs, the MHA Triage Process model was modified to offer remote assessments in addition to the in-person assessments at the district offices.

Also, Intake CSC staff accepting GR applications will direct MHA appointment requests to the district Mental Health Hotline by emailing the request to the designated contact person.

Needs Special Assistance (NSA)

NSA is a designation given to an applicant/participant who has a mental health condition that prevents him/her from obtaining and/or retaining employment, as determined by a mental health care provider.

MHA

An evaluation conducted by a DMH Clinician or Mental Health Care Provider to determine if the applicant’s/ participant’s mental health condition prevents them from obtaining or retaining employment.

Brief Engagement

An evaluation conducted by a DMH Clinician to assess the level of engagement in treatment of the applicants/ participants who are linked to mental health clinics and have received mental health treatment within the last 90 days.

DMH

The Los Angeles County DMH is the department that provides mental health services through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DPSS. DMH will administer in-person or remote MHAs.

DMH Clinician

A DMH Social Worker or Marriage and Family Therapist who is licensed or working on obtaining a license to assess whether an applicant/participant has a mental health condition that prevents them from working.

MHSC

The MHSC acts as a liaison between DPSS and DMH staff to support the DMH Clinician operations to expedite services to the NSA population. MHSCs perform a key role in the MHA process by maintaining centralized control for scheduling MHA appointments.

Navigator/Lobby Worker

DPSS staff who is the first point of contact for the applicant/participant upon entering the district office. Navigators/Lobby Workers located in the building lobby are responsible to quickly check in applicants/participants, guide them through each step to the correct area of service, and ensure a continuous flow of traffic in the lobby.

Eligibility Worker (EW)

DPSS staff who is responsible for conducting interviews, processing applications, and providing any necessary referrals for mental health, supportive services, and to outside agencies based on the applicants’/participants’ needs.

CSC GR Intake EW

DPSS staff responsible for accepting GR applications over the telephone, documenting the call, and directing MHA appointment requests to the district Mental Health Hotline by emailing the request to the designated contact person.

Current™

Current™ is Change & Innovation Agency’s (C!A) proprietary cloud-based operations management system that enables organizations like DPSS to process, monitor, report, and predict field operations and workload based on real-time data. It provides the fundamental structure on which the successful Process Management Business Model is driven.

Warm Hand-off

Directing an individual to the next appropriate station or worker and notifying the staff person that the individual requires personal and immediate assistance.

Microsoft (MS) Office 365

A web-based version of MS's Office Suite of Enterprise-grade applications. This application is available to users through the Cloud and includes official email and calendar service.

EDL-DPSS-GR-MHA Email Account

An EDL is an email distribution group used to send emails to a group of recipients or multiple people with a single email address rather than individually. A DPSS EDL group was created for the transmission of mental health referral documents. Each district office has a designated team who process and oversee the documents transmitted via the EDL.

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