Department of Human Services (DHS)

Going into the second decade of the new century, the state of Georgia faced a growing list of issues relating to SUCCESS, its aging system for determining eligibility for a limited number of public assistance programs. A great deal had changed since SUCCESS was first launched in 1998, not the least of which were advances in technology. Customer expectations for higher levels of service delivery, and even an aging workforce were adding to pressures for a new, expanded, and better integrated eligibility system encompassing a greater number of public assistance programs. Budget cuts in the wake of the economic recession meant agencies had no choice but to do more through innovative technologies.

But replacing and expanding SUCCESS wouldn’t be easy. The state’s vision called for a single application for workers and a single web-based portal for customers to enter their information once and determine their eligibility for numerous public assistance programs administered by numerous state agencies. The state’s vision called for somehow making it possible for disparate applications and databases at different agencies to “talk to each other.” The solution would need to incorporate rigorous security and fraud-prevention measures.

Equally as challenging would be finding a way for business and technology leaders across state government to work together effectively on a sprawling project with enormous implications for government’s ability to successfully deliver a complex project affecting hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars.

With Georgia Gateway, https://gateway.ga.gov, the state achieved its vision.

Georgia Gateway increased the number of assistance programs covered by the state’s centralized eligibility application from three to 10, incorporating programs from the departments of Human Services, Community Health, Public Health, and Early Care and Learning. It delivered new options for customer self-service and new tools to greatly enhance worker efficiency while ensuring state compliance with federal legislative and regulatory requirements. It also established a new model for how state agencies can work together, relying on several governance boards to ensure effective project oversight and sound decision making.

Georgia Gateway is well positioned to serve Georgians and state workers for years to come while bringing more accountability and transparency in the administration of public assistance programs.