Phone Queue Actions

When SNAP-only clients call the Assistance Line, case managers (FAWs) assigned to the Phone Queue create and complete actions through the My Actions page in BEACON.

Cold Call Actions 

If a perform cold call action is pulled for a client who has an appointment scheduled in the future, you must perform the cold call.

Important: Cold calls are a critical step that must be taken before an appointment is scheduled for a SNAP application. You must perform cold calls during DTA operating hours if that is the action you have pulled.

Note: Do not create actions for Non-DTA-client inquiries. Simply assist the caller.

You must key information directly into BEACON during phone calls with clients. As a standard practice, at all contacts, you must:

  • confirm the client’s contact information (phone, address, and email address) and update as necessary; and
  • ask whether there are any additional questions/concerns that you can help the client with when completing the contact.

Phone Queue Actions

These actions are generated by calls to the DTA Assistance Line. These Actions may involve interviewing new clients, recertifying existing benefits, responding to client inquiries and case maintenance updates. Since you must self-assign and complete any outstanding actions associated with the caller, you may encounter Actions that are associated with the Processing Queue.

Note: The DTA Assistance Line places automatic outbound calls to clients with telephonic interviews at their scheduled interview time using the phone number in the case. You must confirm the best number to the reach the client at every client interaction to ensure that the client receives important calls from the Department.

For more, see The Application Interview.

At every client contact, if a language other than English recorded on BEACON or if the client has Limited English Proficiency (LEP), interpreter services must be offered. If you receive a call from a client whose primary language you do not speak, put the client on hold and conference in an interpreter. The use of an interpreter or the declination of one by the client must always be detailed on the Narrative. See Using an Interpreter and the Interpreter Services book in the Cross Programs section of this guide for policy and procedural information related to the use of interpreter services.

Additionally, if a client is in need of an American Sign Language Interpreter, the Department provides professional interpreters free of charge to clients. For more information, please see American Sign Language (ASL) Protocols.

All contact made with clients and action taken on the case must be clearly documented in the BEACON narrative.

Completing Actions Generated by Phone Calls

  1. from the home page, click the arrows to open the My Office menu on the left-hand side of the page
  2. click My Actions to open the My Actions page
  3. on the My Actions page, click the Create Action button.  This opens the Create Action popup page
  4. on the Create Action page, search for the client by clicking the i icon, which opens the Client Search page
  5. enter the client’s information (name, SSN, and/or Agency Identification Number) and click the Search button
  6. select the client from the list.  The Client Search page will close
  7. if outstanding Actions exist for the selected client, they will appear in the Assign Action box on the Create Action page
  8. select any outstanding Actions associated with the case

    1. Note: If there are no outstanding Actions for the client, proceed to Step 11. If the caller states that s/he has applied for SNAP benefits via the web and the application cannot be located, see the Locating Missing Web Applications section of Missing Documents.

  9. click the Assign button to self-assign the actions
  10. proceed to Step 17
  11. if there are no existing Actions for the client, select the applicable Action Group and Action type from the drop-down lists in the Create Action box on the Create Action page
  12. click the i icon.  The Action Notes popup page will open
  13. clearly describe the action to be completed
  14. click the Save icon. The Action Notes popup page will close and the typed comments will show in the Comments box on the Create Action popup page
  15. click Create. The following popup message will appear: ”Action was created successfully”
  16. Click Okay
  17. close the Create Action page. You will return to the My Actions page
  18. check the box next to an Action to select it
  19. click the green Begin button. This directs you to the client’s Electronic Case Folder (ECF)
  20. validate the client’s identity and complete the requested service (e.g. interview, case maintenance) using BEACON workflows. See Receiving Calls in the Phone Queue
  21. when case updates have been completed, click the red circle End button in the upper right-hand corner. The Action Details popup page will appear.

    1. Note: If the action that you are trying to complete involves processing a scanned document, the document must be dispositioned before the action can be completed. See Dispositioning Scanned Documents.

  22. review the Action Group Steps, checking to see that you have completed all that you can in the case
  23. click the i icon next to the comments field to open the Action Notes popup page
  24. type a detailed narrative in the Action Notes screen
  25. click the Save icon. The Action Notes screen will close. The Copy to ECF narrative checkbox will be pre-checked so that the comment transfers to the Narrative tab in the ECF, it must remain checked

    1. Note: It is also possible to type directly in the Comments box without opening the Action Notes popup page. However, spellcheck, print and other word processing tools are only available through the Action Notes popup page.

  26. the Action Status will populate as:
    1. Completed if the assigned action has been completed (brought to an exitable Action group Step), or
    2. Dismissed if the action was not completed. Actions should only be dismissed if they cannot be completed or brought to an exitable step. Dismissed actions require that a Dismissal Reason be selected from the drop-down list. See Dismissing an Action
  27. click the Save button
  28. click the Outstanding button. The Outstanding Actions popup page will open and outstanding actions associated with the case will appear in the Action list. Select any outstanding actions by checking the box next to them and clicking Assign. Outstanding actions that have been self-assigned will appear in your Action list on the My Actions page 

When there are no outstanding actions listed, close the Outstanding Actions page, and

  1. close the Action Details page
  2. if you authorize an EBC Request you must determine whether or not the case meets the criteria for priority supervisory review using the criteria described in the duty supervisors section of Supervisory Review Actions. If it does, you must:
    1. write a detailed narrative that describes any action taken on the case and the reason that priority supervisory review is being requested; and
    2. alert the duty supervisor that there is a case requiring his/her attention by sending an email that includes:
    3. the grantee’s name
    4. the grantee’s SSN or Agency Identification Number, and
    5. justification for the priority supervisory review

Important: If a client contacts DTA to complete an interview prior to the scheduled interview time, conduct the interview and cancel the scheduled interview. 

The cancellation prevents unnecessary outbound phone calls and releases limited appointment slots to other clients. See Scheduling/Canceling Appointments.

If BEACON is down, general questions about policies, office hours and programs should be answered for clients. If the client has a case specific question or is calling for an on-demand interview, advise him/her as follows:  

“Unfortunately, at this time our computer system is down and I am unable to access your case record. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. We expect that this problem should be resolved shortly. Please call back later and the First Available Worker will be able to assist you.”

It is also important to remind clients of the services that are available through the IVR system and DTA Connect.

Important: Assigned actions involving clients who are on the phone must be completed with the caller on the line. However, if you are unable to complete any associated actions that have been assigned to you because you are leaving for the day; you must not dismiss the untouched actions. These assigned actions will remain on your Action list overnight for you to complete on the following day.

SNAP Short Actions

The business group SNAP Short Actions was created to target actions that take less than 15 minutes to complete. Case managers in the Phone Queue are assigned actions from this business group when there are no incoming phone calls. See Requesting and Completing a SNAP Processing Action for more information.

Last Update: August 6, 2020