CQI Newsletter October 2024

DPSS CQI News

July - september 2024

CQI rockstars

Who is already implementing CQI and

what have they accomplished.

LSS training Update What Lean Six Sigma Training is available to you and where are we in the DPSS LSS Training Program.

Division CQI Highlights Learn about what your division and the other DPSS divisions are doing in the CQI world.

ISSUE 2 q1 - fy 24/25

ISSUE IN THIS 01

CQI Department Lead's Message

02 03 06 07 10

OSPM Message

CQI Rockstars

Notable CQI Outcomes

Division CQI Highlights

Coming Soon...

11 LSS Training Updates

SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

CQI Department Lead's Message Continuous Quality Improvement Updates As OSPM leads the expansion of CQI and LSS throughout the department, we are working diligently to lay the foundation for long-term success. By training, developing, and maintaining a robust coalition of Lean practitioners and influencers, we will be able to cement DPSS’ ability to sustain a Lean culture for years to come. OSPM has launched the CQI Resource Library which provides staff with valuable tools and resources. The DPSS LSS Training Program is in Phase II, and we will be working to start Phase III in 2025. Phase III, the sustainment phase, is where we explore opportunities to introduce the LSS Overview Training into our new hire onboarding and eLearning efforts.

Newsletter

DPSS Strategic Plan Updates Out of the 33 objectives found in the DPSS Strategic Plan, 7 are tied to implementing a CQI/LSS culture with the ability to train all staff and allow them to submit CQI ideas. Related objectives: • Implement a CQI governance to track, manage, and lead department CQI efforts. (Obj. 4) • Develop a CQI Resource Library and Tool Kit with process maps and resources. (Obj. 5) • Launch a process allowing any department staff member to submit a process improvement idea. (Obj. 6) • Develop LSS curriculum and facilitate the delivery CQI training. (Obj. 7) • Develop and offer LSS Overview training classes to new staff. (Obj. 8) • Develop LSS training decks and class materials with specific DPSS examples for CQI overview training offered to all staff. (Obj. 9) • Implement CQI processes, tools, and resources to improve staff understanding. (Obj. 10)

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October 2024

OSPM Message

Greetings DPSS Staff! Thank you for tuning into this quarter’s CQI Newsletter. We are thrilled to share the fantastic progress that DPSS has made in the world of Continuous Quality Improvement and Lean Six Sigma this quarter! Our CQI Division Representatives, including CQI Leads, Coalitions, and dedicated staff, have been actively identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing impactful changes within your divisions. This issue showcases some of those highlights. We are also excited to spotlight some of our DPSS staff and units who are rocking it in the CQI space. They are implementing process improvements to enhance service delivery for our customers. It is amazing to see how resourceful our staff are and to witness what they have accomplished in such a short time! OSPM has been hard at work developing and implementing the DPSS LSS Training Program. We have invested significant time and effort into each LSS class offered to DPSS staff. From curriculum development to pilot attendance and on-site support, we are committed to ensuring these classes meet and exceed department expectations. More to come in the world of CQI! Stay tuned as we progress toward a culture of continuous improvement at DPSS. Office of Strategy & Project Management

Newsletter

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

CQI Rockstars

Joan Danfifer , Administrative Services Manager II over Internal Services, is a member of the Admin Division Coalition and has attended all classes up to RIE Facilitation! She has implemented the CQI and LSS tools that she has learned from the LSS Classes in her units. Joan has used process mapping on several of her processes and her team members are excited about the improvements they are implementing. She looks forward to adding more tools to their unit CQI/LSS toolkit.

Kristel Talavera , Administrative Services Analyst II with EAS, stood out from all the rest at the afternoon White Belt Training on August 14th. Not only was she an active participant, but she took the lead in her team and

Newsletter helped them progress through the simulation and the exercises using the various LSS tools introduced.

Regional Manager Delkys “Del” Scarlett and Social Services Supervisor II Maria Zelaya have taken a supportive approach to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), which has been essential in implementing changes to the Perris ISD Pilot in ASD. During OSPM’s Gemba Walk, their collaboration inspired the ISD Support Team to quickly adopt OSPM's recommendations. Both Del and Maria embraced the feedback, guiding their team through necessary adjustments. Maria captured her vision for the Gemba Walk, stating, “I just want to hand over a gift. I want to provide the manager with the perfect ISD Pilot package so they won’t have to worry about what to do and how,” a sentiment that embodies DPSS’s CQI efforts. Del’s timely support served as a guiding light for the ISD Team throughout this initiative. Together, Del and Maria are strong advocates for advancing DPSS’s CQI initiatives within their teams.

Delkys "Del" Scarlett

Maria Zelaya

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October 2024

CQI Rockstars

Angela Zuspan , Regional Manager for the Resource Family Approval (RFA) Region, exemplifies remarkable adaptability, skillfully guiding her team through the implementation of the RFA Backlog Rapid Improvement Event Action Plan. With a nurturing and supportive CQI spirit, she led her team to make adjustments within a week’s turnaround for each Just Do It! Thanks to Angela’s commitment to CQI, her team has already completed 79% of the RIE’s Action Plan, significantly reducing Resource Family Approval times.

Colette Crawford , Regional Manager, plays a critical role in advancing CSD’s CQI and LSS efforts. In the CQI space, she serves as one of the eighteen CSD Coalition members. Her diverse knowledge of CSD programs combined with her keen ability to quickly identify the lean approach is instrumental in supporting CSD's CQI initiatives. This has benefitted the review and response to CQI Ideas submissions. She continuous to make valuable recommendations by strategically bringing the appropriate team players together as resources in support of CSD's CQI and LSS efforts.

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

CQI Rockstars

Administrative Services Manager II, Carey Minjarez , shone during her RIE Facilitation Training. Drawing on her extensive experience in project management and RIE, Carey confidently applied her skills in the facilitator role for the class. She impressed the instructor, who remarked, “She got up there and owned it. She did a really great job.”

Newsletter

The Linkages RIE saw the entire CSD and SSD teams emerge as CQI Rockstars. With participation from Victoria Portillo, Catherine Tapia, Berenice Acevedo, Jasmine Esquivel, Vivian Chen, Katia Lopez, Mayra Facio, Lisa Duran, Roxanna Garcia, and Maribel Balbuena , the divisions collaborated to create an action plan in a 1-day event and are now actively working to implement it. These team members brought positive energy and determination to make a difference. They shared their experiences and ideas, which helped pave the path to a more streamlined process. Their passion for helping families and commitment to the program’s success was evident. We value our team’s input and appreciate their willingness to participate in this event, which ultimately benefits our mutual customers.

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October 2024

Notable CQI Outcomes

ASD successfully linked 547 IHSS applicants to additional services through their efforts in the Integrated Services Delivery (ISD) IHSS Pilot. They engaged numerous customers, with 84% completing the Whole Person Health Survey (WPHS).

The SSD team at Blythe diligently worked to implement the Integrated Services Delivery (ISD) Pilot at this location, resulting in 197 customers completing the Whole Person Health Survey (WPHS).

Newsletter A collaborative 1-day Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) to eliminate waste in Harmony Haven operations was a success. The cross-functional teams developed several actions that have reduced the number of reported critical incidents at Harmony Haven from 4-6 to 0 per month.

The Office of Research, Analysis, & Decision-making Support (RADS) implemented Lean practices by identifying reports they could stop producing, effectively reducing their portfolio by 15%. They will conduct further assessments to eliminate duplicate and unnecessary reports.

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October 2024

Division CQI Highlights

ADULT SERVICES DIVISION—Integrated Services Delivery (ISD) Pilot in Perris! The ASD-In-Home Support Services (IHSS) team took on the task of implementing an ISD Pilot into their operations at the Perris location. With support from OSPM, they evaluated the existing pilot for improvement opportunities and provided recommendations. The Perris ASD-IHSS team has implemented new processes and process improvements that have impacted all of their staff, including public-facing and back-end staff, management, and executives. Additionally, the ASD-IHSS team has implemented several recommendations to improve the sharing of real-time information of ISD clients between IHSS field workers and the ISD Support Team.

Newsletter CHILDREN SERVICES DIVISION - Daily Huddles Pilot CSD is working hard to implement daily huddles—short 15-minute meetings created to foster communication, enhance

collaboration, and ensure alignment on priorities and challenges. They provide a platform for quick problem-solving, support, and accountability aimed at improving service delivery and client outcomes. Harmony Haven’s Daily Huddles serve as a keystone to their operations, occurring every day during each shift change. CSD is excited to expand the implementation of daily huddles with the upcoming launch of the West Corridor Region's Daily Huddles, scheduled for October 31, 2024.

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

Division CQI Highlights Cont'd

CHILDREN'S SERVICES DIVISION & SELF-SUFFICIENCY DIVISION-Linkages On August 27th, 2024, DPSS held a Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Linkages process. This event addressed the concerning decline in monthly Linkages referrals, which fell from 121 to 50 over the past fiscal year. The primary goal was to develop actionable strategies to boost referrals to 100 by November 30th, 2024. A diverse group of stakeholders, including Eligibility Technicians (ETs), Social Services Practitioners (SSPs), Employment Services Counselors (ESCs), and key leadership, joined forces to overcome barriers, drive systemic change, and set a new standard for service excellence. The team is now focused on implementing action items to transform these processes.

Newsletter SELF-SUFFICIENCY DIVISION— Integrated Services Delivery (ISD) Pilot in Blythe

In August 2023, SSD launched an Integrated Services Pilot (ISD) at their Blythe location, introducing various processes to enhance customer engagement. Designated staff greet customers in the lobby and conduct a Whole Person Health Score (WPHS) assessment to identify additional services that could benefit them. Staff then review the assessment results with the customer, using the information to connect them to partnering agencies. Initial outcomes in Blythe show promise, with customers promptly receiving connections to essential services.

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

Coming soon... to a DPSS division near you

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION

Asset Tracking

EBT Theft

FINANCE AND FORECASTING DIVISION

Newsletter Financial Scam Investigations

ADULT SERVICES DIVISION

Foster Care Efficiency

CHILDREN'S SERVICES DIVISION

Placement Form Review and Consolidation SELF-SUFFICIENCY DIVISION

ET Training Curriculum

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

LSS Training Updates As we finalize the DPSS LSS Training Program and progress in our implementation, we move toward a world of sustainment with our LSS training opportunities. So where are we now in our progress? You may have heard that we’re now offering four Lean Six Sigma (LSS) training classes! In addition to our two introductory courses, we’ve introduced two new classes as part of Phase 2: White Belt Training and Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) Facilitation Training. White Belt Training officially launched in July, followed by the start of RIE Facilitation Training in August. It’s been an incredibly busy quarter for LSS Training! DPSS now proudly has 251 White Belts! That’s 36% of our goal! If you haven’t attended the class yet, get ready for a little friendly competition in the form of a simulation. The White Belt competition was heating up in several of our classes with each new group aiming to be crowned the winner of the most efficient process. Where are we now?

Newsletter

While the White Belt course creates competition for our attendees, the RIE Facilitation Training acts as a steppingstone toward achieving Green Belt greatness! This unique DPSS LSS class is a real resume builder, providing DPSS staff with hands on experience as rapid improvement event process facilitators. RIE Facilitation Training strengthens leadership and coaching skills and is beneficial for current and future project managers. Are you ready to delve further into the world of LSS and Project Management? Come join us at RIE Facilitation Training and reach new levels of excellence!

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

LSS Training Highlights

Training Flyers

Basic LSS Training

The LSS Training Stats above are as of September 30, 2024.

Newsletter

White Belt and RIE Facilitation Training

The LSS Training Stats abobe are as of September 30, 2024.

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SPAB - OSPM

October 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is my division CQI Lead? Answer :

2. Why is my supervisor/manager asking me to attend LSS training? Answer: You may have seen the DPSS Strategic Plan 2023-2028. Within the 33 objectives outlined in the plan, there are several related to LSS training. As a World Class Learning Organization, we are determined to Lean out our processes and make our service delivery more efficient. This starts with getting everyone trained in the basics of LSS. 3.How can I submit an idea for a process improvement? Answer: If you’ve identified a process that could be improved using CQI and LSS methodologies, please submit it through our CQI Idea Submission Form. The link can be found on all division homepages and the department homepage. 4. When should I not use the CQI Idea Submission Form? Answer: Do not use the form to submit a complaint, an HR issue, technology issue, facilities issue, or a non-CQI-related suggestion. 5. Where can I find the training materials shared during my classes? Answer: OSPM has created a CQI SharePoint Page on the DPSS intranet that houses a lot of CQI and LSS information and tools. Included in the CQI Resource Library are the training decks for the Lean Six Sigma Classes that we have launched. 6. What is a Lean Six Sigma Practitioner? Answer: A staff member who has experience with project management and is actively applying CQI/LSS principles and practices in their work. They will have opportunities to apply their knowledge, participate in and facilitate RIEs, and act as an LSS Coach. 7. How do I express my interest in the Green Belt Certification? Answer: Reach out to your CQI lead to express your interest in applying for a Green Belt Certification. See question 1 for your division CQI Lead. 8. What if I have more questions about Lean Six Sigma Training available to me? Answer: The DPSS Lean Six Sigma Training Site has a lot of information on the DPSS LSS Training Program. This site includes course information, schedule of classes, and LSS class news. Can't find the answer to your question on the site, please send an email to DPSS LSS Training (dpsslsstraining@rivco.org).

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