THE PAIN, THE STATE, THE WORKERS
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES….Callin You Out!!
What a wonderful morning. I had to implant that saying in my brain before a foreseen grueling and humbling experience. What am I talking about? I think you know. The recession is not color blind, nor does it give a flying hoot about social status. To test the negative opinions of most, I decided to take a journey to the Department of Health and Human Services in Annapolis, MD. Oh yes, I am calling YOU out. I wanted to get a “bird’s eye view,” of the many horror stories heard around the globe from first time and existing applicants. It seems that the complaints are generally the same no matter what county or state you reside in. In general conversations, some of the major concerns are:
· Long lines
· Office not organized
· Rude staff
· No structure
· Lack of empathy
· Understaffed facilities
· Offices opening late
In this day and age, your average unemployed applicant does not have the time or patience for gross negligence, something that is clearly practiced on a day- to- day basis by our government agencies. Americans are searching for a resolution to a rising economic problem. Who would want to play Russian roulette with benefits you are entitled to? Did somebody say the government? Employed Americans during this time of economic crisis can barely afford to eat and spend the gas it takes to get to work. Imagine what is going through the psyche of someone who has tried to apply for unemployment and was denied. Rent is a month behind. The electric bill is scheduled for shut off. There is no food in the refrigerator. To top it all off, you have a rotten tooth that is throbbing. Now start your day in line 8:00am sharp.
Two ladies in their walk in with their Starbucks coffee, manicures, Blackberry still texting, Channel bag and they are five minutes late. You were twenty minutes early. As they scurry to their desks to log on and gossip about the club over the weekend, the civil servant impatiently instructs each applicant as if they were a herd of cows in a meat market to fill out paperwork. This would make anyone feel like they were in a prison lunch line. Now it is time for me to take in the reactions and behavior of the entire staff. People who are seeking assistance are in for an interesting day. Building I was for general intake. You receive your application, get chastised a bit, a couple of snippy replies, and you are off to another alphabet marked building. This could be the same building where you could have done the demeaning intake process as well. Can you say procrastinate? An hour has passed while I watch employees glide in past 9:10a.m. Maybe the employees have a ten minute grace period.
Scratch that, they were on time………….NOT! Did I mention that the staff count was two case workers for the twenty three waiting?
Should one be surprised to turn on the news and find that yet another American has “gone postal”? There is no need to go any further with this. I sat amongst young and old, black and white, low, and middle class applicants. We all came to the same conclusion as we chuckled in disbelief. The government HAS to get it together from the top on down to their receptionist. The staff, organization, and protocols are lackluster. It is time for some immediate improvements.
These local agencies clearly had enough time to prepare for the massive number of employed and unemployed Americans that will be seeking assistance. They need to realize that these same unemployed Americans in need of assistance are the ones that are keeping YOU employed. GET IT TOGETHER!!! No human likes the run-around. Grown folk do not appreciate condescending tones from civil servants that signed off to do their jobs effectively. People do not want to spend a work shift sitting in a help center, to walk away with NO HELP. It is ten minutes to ten and I haven’t been seen. I arrived before 8:00am.
INTHEMIXWITHTRE’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY2QsV_QqbQ
