DEBS details outreach to low-income beneficiaries amid redetermination window

Department of Employment and Benefit Services (DEBS) staff told the committee Jan. 22 about intensified outreach to low-income beneficiaries facing redetermination or missed documentation. The department said it partnered with Health & Hospital to perform warm outreach calls and to re-engage clients who had missed the redetermination window.

DEBS staff said they were tracking outcomes and that the department's outreach included multilingual flyers and one-page talking points prepared for supervisors and community partners. Supervisors asked for the materials and for messaging to use when urging clients to complete paperwork during the 90-day compliance window for redeterminations; staff said they will provide talking points and flyers to supervisors' offices.

Supervisor Young praised the partnership and noted early pilot results linking DEBS outreach and discounted-customer enrollment in county programs; the committee moved to receive the report and asked DEBS to share outreach metrics and talking points.

Next steps: DEBS will continue outreach, track redetermination outcomes, share talking points with supervisors, and maintain partnerships with clinical and community partners to reduce barriers to benefit retention.