NEW CASTLE – The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) will host a series of in-person town hall events to discuss ways to improve Delaware’s State Service Centers. The four events will take place in July across the state and will highlight the steps DHSS is taking to transform how they serve Delawareans and receive community feedback.

As part of its strategic plan to make access to services easier for Delawareans across the state, DHSS launched the State Service Reimagined project in 2022 to research, create, and implement improvements on how services are delivered within the agency’s State Service Centers. This effort is part of Governor Carney’s Family Services Cabinet Council (FSCC).

“We are committed to building a better experience for Delawareans who access our services,” said Daniel Walker, DHSS Deputy Cabinet Secretary. “In order to deliver quality services and improve our State Service Centers, it was necessary to involve our community and service users. Without their input, this project would have failed to deliver on our promise to reform the way we provide critical services.”

The Town Halls events will take place on the following dates:

July 13, 2023, 6:00 p.m., Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover
July 15, 2023,1:30 p.m., Route 9 Library & Innovation Center, 3022 New Castle Ave., New Castle
July 18, 2023, 6:00 p.m., Georgetown Public Library, 123 West Pine St., Georgetown
July 26, 2023, 6:00 p.m., Wilmington Public Library, 10 E. 10th St., Wilmington

These events are open to the public and registration is encouraged for planning purposes. To register, visit http://bit.ly/dhsstownhall.

The Dover Town Hall scheduled for July 13 will also be streamed live on Facebook @delawaredhss and at de.gov/live. Spanish translation and ASL interpreter services will also be available at each event. Each town hall will also include a resource fair in which representatives from DHSS will be on hand to assist individuals who have questions related to their benefits or who are seeking assistance.

To enhance services from the perspective of the clients, DHSS hosted community engagement sessions throughout Fall 2022. Sessions were held in locations across the state and included focus groups and interviews.

“Our 15 State Service Centers serve thousands of people every week, and are a critical resource to Delaware,” said Renee Beaman, Division of State Service Centers. “The findings of this initiative give us an actionable path forward, keeping our service users in mind every step of the way.”

For more information about the State Service Reimagined project, visit de.gov/community. Those with specific questions should email stateservicecommunity@delaware.gov.

Congress sets April 1, 2023, as Medicaid renewal start date; Members should verify contact information with DHSS 

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) will resume the standard eligibility renewal process for Medicaid and CHIP recipients starting April 1, 2023, as required by federal law. Annual renewals have not been required since March 2020 during the federal Public Health Emergency designation. Federal legislation, signed into law on December 29, 2022, set a specific date to resume renewals, regardless of when the Public Health Emergency ends.  

As of January 2023, approximately 310,000 Delawareans were enrolled in Medicaid. Once annual renewals begin, there will be Delawareans who were receiving continuous coverage due to the Public Health Emergency that will no longer be eligible for Medicaid. DHSS estimates 40,000 to 50,000 Delaware residents may no longer qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, also known as the Delaware Healthy Children Program, and may be disenrolled.  

“Over the past three years, the state’s public assistance programs have been a crucial safety net for so many Delawareans,” said Molly Magarik, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). “As we prepare for the monumental task of restarting eligibility renewals again, our goal is to ensure Medicaid members who continue to be eligible stay enrolled and that those who are determined to no longer be eligible get connected to affordable coverage.”  

The most important thing Medicaid and CHIP members can do right now is to update their mailing address, email and phone numbers with DMMA and sign up for electronic notifications. Contact the Change Report Center at (302) 571-4900, Option 2 or send changes via fax to (302) 571-4901. Changes and notification preferences can also be made at ASSIST Self Service, https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/. 

“There are many Delaware residents who qualified for Medicaid coverage for the first time during the Public Health Emergency who have never had to complete an annual renewal before,” said Steven Costantino, Director of Health Care Reform for DHSS. “This is why it is critical that we have the most accurate information available for each member, and that individuals on Medicaid watch out for communication to avoid a potential disruption in coverage.”   

Between April 2023 and April 2024, DHSS will review every member’s eligibility and, where approved by state or federal rules, use available data sources to automatically renew members. If DHSS cannot auto-renew a person’s coverage using available and approved data sources, the member will receive a renewal packet by mail or a notification by email, depending on the selected preference.  

Delaware Medicaid and its Managed Care Organization partners will also use texts, email, and social media when available to enhance outreach efforts. A member will be able to complete the renewal packet through a variety of ways: Online, by phone, by mail, by fax, or at any Division of Social Services (DSS) office located within the Delaware State Service Centers. 

Health care providers and others who provide services to members can help by reminding their Medicaid members to look for and complete their Medicaid renewals this year and to encourage them to start exploring other coverage options if they believe they will no longer qualify for their current coverage. 

To help individuals who are no longer eligible for Medicaid coverage, the federal government has authorized a Special Enrollment Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace. Individuals who lose their coverage through Medicaid and CHIP any time between March 31, 2023, and July 31, 2024, will be eligible for a marketplace special enrollment period. After a person is determined eligible for the marketplace, they will have 60 days to choose a plan, and their coverage will start the first day of the month after the plan is selected.  

Many enrollees can find plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace that cost less than $10 a month. Plans cover services like prescription drugs, doctor visits, urgent care, hospital visits, and more. 

Assistance enrolling in the Delaware Health Insurance Marketplace is available from certified Health Insurance Marketplace Navigator teams at Westside Family Healthcare and Quality Insights. To be connected to a trained Navigator, call:  

• Westside Family Healthcare: New Castle County: 302-472-8655, Kent or Sussex counties: 302-678-2205 
• Quality Insights: 1-844-238-1189 

For more information, visit de.gov/medicaidrenewals. 

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Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

Social service agencies will partner with law enforcement to prevent gun violence

WILMINGTON, Del. – State of Delaware social service agencies will partner with law enforcement to prevent gun violence in the City of Wilmington under a Group Violence Intervention (GVI) project announced by state and city leaders on Tuesday.

Governor John Carney joined Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki, Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Wilmington Police Chief Robert Tracy, and Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Kara Walker to announce their shared commitment to launching the evidence-based GVI strategy in Wilmington.   

Evidence shows that gun violence is concentrated among a small number of people at very high risk for both victimization and violent offending. The GVI strategy is intended to help these high-risk individuals avoid involvement in the criminal justice system, keep them safe, stabilize their lives, and create accountability for violence. DHSS, the Delaware Department of Correction, and the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families are among the agencies that will provide intervention services under the partnership.

“For any city to be successful, it needs to be safe,” said Governor John Carney. “Under the leadership of Mayor Purzycki and Chief Tracy, we’ve seen a significant reduction in gun violence in our city. But – as there are in all cities – there are still communities that are disproportionately impacted by gun violence in their neighborhoods. Those shootings traumatize children and families, and tear apart entire communities. We know that this gun violence is concentrated among a small group of people who are at very high risk for offending – but also at a very high risk for being victims of gun violence. We believe we can make a real difference if we are able to reach those at highest risk, and help them avoid involvement in the criminal justice system, keep them safe, and stabilize their lives. Thank you to Mayor Purzycki, Chief Tracy, Attorney General Jennings, Professor David Kennedy and many others for their partnership on this important work.”

“Wilmington is making significant gains regarding public safety,” said Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki. “We are a safer City today because we are policing the City differently, and that difference is largely because of the trust that has been built between the police department and our citizens. Chief Tracy has introduced new and effective layers to our policing methods in Wilmington and today we add another layer that can continue to improve lives and further reduce crime. My thanks to the Governor, to the Health and Social Services Secretary and to our criminal justice leaders for embracing this effort and to David Kennedy, Chief Tracy and former Chief Cummings who are deeply invested in making sure this initiative works for all of us.”

“This is a new day in Wilmington’s efforts to curtail violence in our neighborhoods,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Through this initiative, we are recognizing the social and economic dynamics that so often drive violent crime, and we are disrupting those dynamics at their source. This program has shown remarkable promise in sharply reducing group violence and I am committed to its missions: protecting public safety, addressing the causes of anger and hopelessness that exist in our most underserved communities, and providing meaningful alternatives to those who would build a better life for themselves.”

The intergovernmental initiative will bring together state-level social service agencies with the Wilmington Police Department, the Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and community leaders in an effort to further and more significantly reduce homicide and shooting incidents in Wilmington. Intervention will be based on frontline knowledge, and real-time data on violence and individuals who face the highest risk of violence.

The GVI work will be led by Bobby Cummings, the former Wilmington Police Chief who has been appointed Director of Group Violence at the Department of Health and Social Services. The National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College, led by Professor David Kennedy, will provide technical assistance.

“Over the past several years, the Wilmington Police Department has embraced a range of proven, evidence-based policing strategies, with focused deterrence being key,” said Wilmington Police Chief Robert J. Tracy. “Implementing Group Violence Intervention – the next phase of our layered, comprehensive approach – carries the promise of achieving continued reductions in violent crime, while simultaneously offering support and wraparound services to those who embrace an alternative to engaging in gun violence.”

“We’re extremely excited to be working with Delaware and Wilmington to prevent homicide and gun violence,” said David Kennedy, Director of the National Network for Safe Communities at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “We’ve known and worked with Chief Tracy for years, and the commitment of the Governor’s Office puts Delaware amongst a small but growing number of states making an executive commitment to evidence-based public safety approaches. This work saves lives, keeps people out of the justice system, and builds trust between police and communities. We’re honored to be part of it.”

“As leaders, we all have a responsibility to alter the cycle of poverty, trauma and violence in order to keep individuals and families safe and healthy,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. “The newly appointed Director of Group Violence Intervention in the Department of Health and Social Services will have the resources and the staffing support to meet the social services needs of the small number of people in Wilmington who are at a very high risk for both victimization and for violent offending.”

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NEW CASTLE (Oct. 23, 2018) – Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a board-certified family physician, is reassuring Delawareans that a proposed change to the public charge rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not affect current eligibility for health care and social services in Delaware, and that DHSS will work with community providers to address fears in the immigrant community about the proposed change.

The proposed rule seeks to change how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines whether immigrants – when seeking admission to the United States, an extension of their stay or a status change to become a legal permanent resident – are likely to become a public charge, or dependent on government services in the future. If individuals are determined to be a public charge, it may put their immigration status at risk.

Secretary Walker issued this statement on the proposed public charge rule, which is open for public comment on the Federal Register until Dec. 10, 2018:

“Along with Governor Carney’s office and the congressional delegation, DHSS is closely monitoring the proposed change to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s federal public charge rule, which could impact access to such essential services as health care and social services for people in Delaware’s immigrant communities. Eligibility criteria for such services as Medicaid, food benefits and the Children’s Health Insurance Program have not changed.

“We know that there are families – whether their children are U.S. citizens or not – who are afraid to access benefits for fear of what could happen to their immigration status later. The Department of Health and Social Services will work with local health care providers, advocates, community leaders and elected officials to address those fears.

“To build a healthier Delaware, we must reach people where they are and meet their needs, including prenatal care and birth delivery, pediatric care, childhood and adult nutrition, and immunizations, and by reducing emergency department visits and hospitalizations. We want everyone in our state to feel safe when they interact with the health care or social services system. We are here to serve all of the people of Delaware.”

The proposed changes would expand the list of programs that could impact public charge determinations to include non-emergency Medicaid, Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (food benefits) and housing assistance. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is also considering including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Reaction from Delaware Officials

“The Trump Administration’s recent ‘public charge’ proposal would go against American values by seeking to penalize immigrants who receive non-cash benefits for which they are eligible, including Medicaid, SNAP, or Section 8 housing,” Sen. Tom Carper said. “I have already joined a number of my colleagues in the Senate, including Sen. Coons, in expressing my grave concern regarding this proposal. Immigrants are indispensable to our continued economic growth – and we ought not to penalize these hardworking families for receiving short-term assistance while they pursue the American dream. I am grateful to Governor Carney and Secretary Walker for clarifying that immigrants remain eligible for these benefits until the rule goes into effect. In the meantime, I will continue to work with my colleagues to push back against this harmful proposal.”

“I thank Secretary Walker and Governor Carney for seeking to clarify some of the confusion surrounding the public charge proposal,” Sen. Chris Coons said. “It’s important to remember that the proposed rule has not been finalized and that eligibility criteria for programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and food benefits have not changed. I recently joined a number of my colleagues in the Senate, including Sen. Carper, in sending a letter to the Trump Administration, in which we expressed our grave concerns with the proposal that they put forward. We are hopeful that the Administration will heed our calls and know that we will be monitoring the situation closely.”

The Department of Health and Social Services will join with Governor John Carney’s office and other state agencies to monitor the proposed rule, study its potential impacts and work with community partners to support those populations affected in Delaware.

“Access to affordable health care provides families most in need with the opportunity to contribute to their community, thrive and reach their full potential, “ said Lolita Lopez, President & CEO of Westside Family Healthcare. “The proposed rule will likely result in Delawareans being deterred from addressing their health care needs, ultimately leading to worse health outcomes and increased costs for Delaware. As a patient-centered community health center serving 31,000 Delawareans each year, we seek to provide appropriate and meaningful access to care for all those who come through our doors. We fear this rule works in contrast to this longstanding goal.”

The public may submit comments to the Federal Register on the proposed rule change until Dec. 10, 2018. You can comment on the Federal Register website:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/10/2018-21106/inadmissibility-on-public-charge-grounds

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.