LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The new CEO of Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services is promising to improve the state's troubled public benefits service, while a leading critic is calling for more oversight.
Department CEO Courtney Phillips told a legislative oversight committee Friday that she remains committed to getting the system working as intended.
Her comments came at a hearing over ACCESS Nebraska, a telephone and online service that residents use to apply for and renew public benefits. The system has faced criticism because of long call-wait times, errors and lost paperwork.
A staff attorney for Nebraska Appleseed, an advocacy group that is suing over the delays, says she's hopeful the department can improve standards and staff training, but urged lawmakers to continue their oversight.
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