Client: A National System of Health Care Plans

Consultation: Planning and Conflict Resolution

This national system of health plans consists of subsidiary entities in all 50 states. As members of the national system, these state-level entities were originally nonprofit organizations, but over the last few decades several have converted to for-profit corporations. This created strategic challenges at the national level. The Results Group was brought in to conduct a series of strategy and policy discussion among the CEO's of the state-level organizations and the national leadership. We gathered data, built a conceptual framework of the strategic issues, and facilitated more than a dozen all-day sessions to work through the issues. The result was a new set of agreements among the plans, a much stronger commitment to national strategies such as shared technology, and a new strategic direction that leveraged the strengths of both the nonprofit and for profit structures.

Client: California Department of Social Services

Consultation: Strategic Planning and Organization Development

Over the past 15 years The Results Group has conducted numerous strategic planning, outcome-based management, and program development projects with this Department. Initially we facilitated the first Department-wide strategic planning effort, which included input sessions with external stakeholders and more than 500 Department staff across the state. We have since supported planning efforts in each of the organization's program divisions. When Federal welfare reform legislation was passed, we facilitated the process to design California's new system, CalWORKs. This involved redesign of several of the Department's programs, as well as significant policy and staffing changes.

In the division that evaluates applicants' eligibility to receive disability benefits, we conducted a detailed program analysis that led to restructuring the operation from independent "silos" into cross-functional teams. As a result, a nine-month backlog of cases was eliminated and the turnaround time for processing new cases was dramatically reduced. This highly successful project has received national recognition as a model for improving both public and private sector organizations.

Within the administrative hearings operation, we conducted an organizational assessment that identified a number of concerns regarding the role of Administrative Law Judges and other classifications. The issues led to communication problems, inefficiencies, and backlogs. Working with the leadership team and staff from offices around the state, we developed a strategic plan and continuous improvement program that included several changes in organizational structure as well as roles and responsibilities. Efficiency increased dramatically and the backlog was eliminated.

We recently completed a project for the foster care system - a comprehensive two-year evaluation of new child welfare approaches being piloted in 11 counties around the state. This study has produced recommendations for policy and program changes now being considered by the Department and the Legislature.

Client: An Urban Utility Company

Consultation: Change Management

This organization faced a tremendous change management challenge when it decided to re-engineer processes in human resources and financial areas, including replacing multiple computer applications with a single enterprise system. Staff involvement was a hallmark of the project.

The Results Group led a team of technical consultants, change management consultants, and Utility District staff that conducted the user needs assessment, change management program, train-the-trainer program, and training for over 600 employees. The project included coordinating a steering committee with members ranging from senior executives to line staff, conducting an all-staff survey, facilitating large and small group meetings, and producing a host of communication materials (including an e-newsletter).

To ensure that the organization built its own capability to manage future changes, we included program staff in all project committees and workgroups, trained them in change management concepts, and mentored them to be change champions throughout the organization.

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