A Holistic Approach Benefits Citizens and Employees
Meanwhile, application processing timelines are tight. Counties are expected to process benefits applications within 30 days, but much of that time isn’t spent making eligibility decisions.
Instead, staff spend weeks assembling incomplete applications submitted through online portals or paper forms.
“If we received a fully complete application, we could process it in an hour,” Laluces says. “But we spend most of the 30 days building the application.”
Rather than simply hiring more staff — an increasingly unrealistic option given budget constraints — Union County took a step back to rethink its approach.
The goal: Shift from a transactional model of service delivery to a more holistic, resident-centered experience.
“Accessing benefits is just the first step,” Laluces says. “The real goal is helping someone get to a place where they no longer need services.”
That shift is driving both process changes and technology adoption.
At the center of the effort is a customer relationship management (CRM)-based platform designed to unify how residents interact with the county and how agencies manage cases behind the scenes.
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Department Seeks a Common Application for One-Stop Service
One of the most significant changes is the development of a single, dynamic application for multiple services.
Instead of applying separately for programs such as SNAP and Medicaid — often repeating the same information and submitting duplicate documents — residents will enter their information once.
From there, the system determines eligibility across programs and dynamically generates a tailored application experience.
“We qualify you for everything you’re eligible for in one place,” Laluces says.
The platform uses a prescreening process to identify relevant services and adjust application questions accordingly. That reduces redundancy and simplifies the experience for residents, many of whom face barriers such as limited time, hourly work schedules and childcare responsibilities.
It also addresses a common frustration: being asked to provide the same documentation multiple times for different programs.
“From the resident’s perspective, it doesn’t make sense,” Laluces says. “We’re trying to eliminate that.”
Union County Adopts a Phased Implementation Strategy
Union County is rolling out the new system in phases.
The first phase focuses on the call center, replacing an existing CRM integrated with voice services. From there, the county plans to expand into workforce development programs and launch the initial version of the common application.
Future phases will incorporate additional capabilities, including:
- Grants management for nonprofit partners
- Voucher systems for distributing assistance funds
- Housing support workflows tied to external service providers
For example, the system will allow the county to issue housing vouchers digitally and coordinate directly with partner organizations, enabling faster placement for residents in urgent need.
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Salesforce Lays the Groundwork for Data-Driven Services
While the immediate goal is to streamline operations and improve service delivery, county leaders are also thinking longer-term.
Right now, Laluces says, the focus is on organizing and centralizing data — something the county historically lacked.
“Before you can do predictive analytics, you need a baseline,” he says.
Once that foundation is in place, the county envisions using data to identify patterns and improve outcomes.
For example, by analyzing which interventions helped residents successfully transition off assistance programs, the county could replicate those strategies for others with similar circumstances.
“If we see someone with similar dynamics, we’ll know what increases their chances of success,” Laluces says.
County Plans for a More Integrated Future
Another key objective is improving collaboration across departments and agencies.
Currently, coordination between programs such as social services and workforce development often requires manual verification and disconnected systems.
By bringing those functions onto a shared platform, Union County aims to enable more seamless handoffs and better visibility — while still maintaining appropriate data privacy controls.
The result, Laluces hopes, will be a more proactive and integrated model of service delivery.
“This is really just the foundation,” he says.
For Union County, that foundation represents a shift not just in technology but in philosophy: from reactive service provision to a coordinated effort to help residents achieve long-term stability.
