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LEGISLATIVELEGISLATIVE B BUDGETUDGET ANDAND F FINANCEINANCE C COMMITTEEOMMITTEE A JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVEA JOINT COMMITTEE BUDGET OF THE ANDPENNSYLVANIA FINANCE GENERAL COMMITTEE ASSEMBLY A JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY A Report on the Pennsylvania Health and Human Services Hotlines October 2020 SENATORS REPRESENTATIVES ROBERT B. MENSCH, CHAIRMAN STEPHEN E. BARRAR, SECRETARY JAMES R. BREWSTER, VICE CHAIRMAN JAKE WHEATLEY, TREASURER MICHELE BROOKS AARON BERNSTINE ARTHUR HAYWOOD SCOTT CONKLIN KRISTIN PHILLIPS-HILL MARGO DAVIDSON CHRISTINE TARTAGLIONE CRIS DUSH Patricia A. Berger, Executive Director Christopher R. Latta, Deputy Executive Director Phone: 717.783.1600 Email: [email protected] Or find us here: Web: http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/ Facebook: PA Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Twitter: @PA_lbfc LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE Report – Pennsylvania Health and Human Services Hotlines TABLE OF CONTENTS Report Summary ....................................................................................................... S-1 Report Sections I. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology ................................................. 1 II. Pennsylvania Department of Aging ................................................... 5 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................... 5 B. Data and Information ............................................................................. 7 III. Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs ....... 25 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................... 25 B. Data and Information ............................................................................. 26 IV. Pennsylvania Department of Health ................................................ 41 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................... 41 B. Data and Information ............................................................................. 44 V. Department of Human Services ......................................................... 55 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................... 55 B. Date and Information ............................................................................. 63 VI. Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency ........................................... 131 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................... 131 B. Data and Information ............................................................................. 132 VII. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ........................................ 137 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................... 137 B. Data and Information ............................................................................. 138 VIII. Pennsylvania 211 ...................................................................................... 147 A. Mission and Purpose ............................................................................. 147 B. Data and Information ............................................................................ 148 Appendix A ............................................................................... 155 A. House Resolution 2019-507 .................................................................. 155 LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE Report – Pennsylvania Health and Human Services Hotlines REPORT SUMMARY Objectives and Scope Pennsylvania Health and Human Services Our objectives for this report 0n Pennsylvania Hotlines health and human services hotlines are as fol- Our report, generated in response to House Resolution 2019-507 (HR lows: 2019-507), determined that a total of 66 Pennsylvania health and human services hotlines are operated (or contracted) at a combined cost of more To identify health 1 and human services than $75,369,544 in FY 2018-19. We reviewed the hotlines operated (or hotlines operated or contracted) by six Commonwealth of Pennsylvania state agencies and contracted for by the quasi-state agencies and also one nonprofit during FY 2016-17, FY 2017- indicated agencies. 18, and FY 2018-19: To identify the services provided, staff- 1. Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) – Seven hotlines. ing, cost and appro- 2. Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) priations, contract – Two hotlines. options, and hours 3. Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) – 22 hotlines. of operation for each 4. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) – 31 hotlines. hotline. 5. Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency (PHFA) – Two hot- To analyze the infor- lines. mation maintained 6. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) – One hotline. by each agency re- 7. Pennsylvania 211 (PA 211) powered by the United Way of Penn- garding the func- sylvania (UWP) – One hotline. tioning of hotlines. To identify private Our analysis further identified the service provided, staffing, cost and ap- and charitable enti- propriations, operational hours, etc., for each hotline, to the extent data ties that support hot- was maintained and was available from the Commonwealth agencies. lines. Shown below is an overview of some of the data and information col- lected in relation to the seven agencies’ hotlines: 1 This dollar amount does not represent the total cost of all 66 hotlines in that cost information was not available/provided by the agencies for 18 hotlines (i.e., 1) 877-PAHEALTH (DOH), 2) Vital Records Legislative Hotline (DOH), 3) PA Cancer Registry (DOH), 4) PA Statewide Immunization Registry (PA-SIIS) (DOH), 5) HMO Consumer Complaints (DOH), 6) Managed Care Consumer Inquiries/Complaints (DOH), 7) OMAP Eligibility Verification System/EVS (DHS), 8) OLTL Provider Helpline (DHS), 9) OLTL Participant Helpline (DHS), 10) OLTL Nursing Facility Durable Medical Equipment (DME)/Preventable Serious Adverse Events (PSAE) Hotline (DHS), 11) Independent Enrollment Broker (CHC) (OLTL, DHS), 12) PA Independent Enrollment Broker (IEB) (OLTL, DHS), 13) Public Partnerships (PPL) Customer Service Line (OLTL, DHS), 14) Bureau of Human Services Licensing Complaint Hotline (OLTL DHS), 15) Bureau of Human Services Licensing Operator Support Hotline (OLTL, DHS), 167) ODP Customer Service Line (DHS), 17) ODP Claims Resolution Helpline (DHS), and 18) Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) Services Helpline (ODP, DHS)). S -1 LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE Report – Pennsylvania Health and Human Services Hotlines Department Number of Lines Agency/Contracted Cost (FY 2018-19) PDA 7 Agency & Contracted $6,346,353 DDAP 2 Contracted 990,973 DOH 22 Agency & Contracted 5,871,576 DHS 31 OMAP (3) Agency & Contracted 4,185,132 OLTL (10) Agency & Contracted 1,041,956 OIM (3) Agency 35,756,248 ODP (3) Agency NA OCYF (9) Agency & Contracted 10,284,442 OCDEL (2) Contracted 99,995 OA Welfare Fraud Tipline (1) Contracted 69,786 PHFA 2 Agency 1,260,000 PUC 1 Agency 6,148,348 PA 211 1 Agency 3,314,735 TOTAL: 66 $75,369,544 This data was gathered utilizing a 15-point hotline information request we developed and provided to each of the agencies. The 15-point hotline information request consisted of the following: 1. The list of hotlines that are in full or in part staffed by employees of the Commonwealth who provide health and human service information to the residents of the Commonwealth. 2. The list of hotlines the agency has contracted with other busi- nesses within this Commonwealth that provide health and human services information to residents of this Commonwealth. 3. The services provided by each hotline. 4. The operating hours of each hotline. 5. The number of full-time and part-time staff persons. 6. The disposition of calls received by each hotline for the last three fiscal years by month. 7. The subject matter of the calls received by each hotline for the last three fiscal years by month. 8. The wait times (on hold time before a call is connected) for each hotline for the last three fiscal years by month. 9. The volume of calls for each hotline for the last three fiscal years by month. 10. The county from which the calls originated for each hotline for the last three fiscal years by month. 11. Whether each hotline provides an opportunity for customer feedback in the form of a survey or call back. S -2 LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE Report – Pennsylvania Health and Human Services Hotlines 12. The individual contact options available for each hotline as listed below: o Translation services o Services for deaf or hard-of-hearing o Texting o Website search o Applications for mobile devices or other forms of tech- nology 13. The annual operating costs for each hotline for the last three fiscal years. 14. The identification of the specific appropriations from which the costs of each hotline have been paid. 15. The identification of other resources and contributions by private or charitable entities that support each hotline. HR 2019-507 defines the term “hotline” as follows:2 A hotline under this resolution include[s] a call that is live an- swered or a call that uses an interactive voice response to direct the caller to a staff person who answers the call within the operating hours of the hotline with the goal of identifying appropriate services to address the caller’s needs. The report contains a section that

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