Summary
MOM Cares: AICS (Assistance to individuals in Crisis Situation) Screening Procedure is the practice of screening clients prior to provision of assistance. It is the act of interviewing and assessing the client first before giving the aid they need whether financial, medical and other possible assistance can be given in order to properly address their situation. AICS screening Is an existing practice started by previous administrations. but it was only under the leadership of Mayor Maria Rosario Ochoa-Montejo that AICS had a lasting Impression on clients It is being handled by the Municipal Social Welfare Development Office.
Background and Problem
The objective of the screening procedure is to simply assess the requirements of the client and identify their exact needs More often than not, several issues arise when providing assistance since communication between the person seeking assistance and the provider are not always at par with each other. In order to troubleshoot an issue, a person must be able to Identify the problem before thinking of the steps needed to fix it. This is the importance of the screening procedure, to establish an open communication. The challenges or issues addressed by the practice are the clients’ inability to relay their predicament. They have difficulty coping and there are families, Individuals who are hampered to function normally because of socio-economic difficulties. That is why aside from the weekly assistance available to receive during Monday. (the set people’s day), clients are also encouraged to approach any MSWD officer during regular days for a screening.
Solution and Impact
Although MOM Cares: AICS Screening Procedure has a result of providing assistance, the main idea of this practice is the screening process itself. The purpose of the screening is quite simple: to assess the client’s situation and check the necessary requirements. In some cases, generic provision such as medical or financial aid is handed out to the client without prior interview or assessment and more often than not, the issue or situation is not resolved As time progresses, so does people’s predicaments, and their needs also have Increased. With this idea in mind, the screening procedure was introduced by former administrations and improved gradually to the active practice it is today. Other components of the practice are counselling and if needed, referral to other agencies for further assistance. resulting in addressed needs and recovery of social functioning. MOM Cares AICS program as a whole is the municipal mayor’s strategy of personally assisting her constituents, through the projects implemented by MSWDO. The process starts Initially with the crisis situation of a client then they are screened for eligibility to assess their situation for a better identification of what kind of aid they will really need compared to the assistance they are initially seeking. After they are interviewed and counselled by designated MSWD officers, they will receive a brief explanation based on the results of the screening and assessment. This is also where the two parties discuss suggestions and come to an agreement regarding their situation. As mentioned earlier, the end results of this screening system are clients receiving provision such as those who experienced extreme poverty have been provided with assistance and their needs are addressed Some of the aids provided were assistance for medical procedures like chemotherapy, dialysis, surgery and other provisions such as housing, educational and burial assistance.
Milestones
One of the most remarkable results this practice has had is the special cases who were deemed Impossible or difficult to address but are now in the process of treatment/rehabilitation. Some of these cases Involved medical attention, the first case is the Craniopagus Misa twins- Maurice Ann and Klea Ann Misa, conjoined twins who are currently admitted to PCMC waiting for their surgery. Conjoined since birth, these twins receive financial support for their everyday basic needs while surgery is being planned, another is Audrei Caollie who was provided with a hearing aid These are the results of careful screening and assessment.
2019
This is an Entry to the Government Best Practice Recognition Awards