State officials are responding to problems with the state’s brand new health and human services computer system. The multi-million dollar system has experienced technical problems that are affecting services and causing long wait times at field offices.
The new system is an integrated, online portal to apply for dozens of human services programs, from cash benefits to Medicaid to child care assistance. It replaces a slew of old systems that couldn’t talk to each other and is supposed to make things easier for clients and staff. But nearly a month in, the roll out has hit several snags.
Officials say clients have faced long wait times at field offices, and they’re working staff over time to handle the backlog. Some payments were delayed, and some data have been lost in the transition.
But officials say they’re working to address those and other issues. They say the system has been working smoothly for thousands of Rhode Islanders. Nearly 7000 new applications have entered the system since its launch.
