Research & Data > Research Reports > 11 > Gilmore > Residents

2001 DSHS Statewide Survey of Washington Residents

Executive Summary

As part of its strategic planning process, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) listens to feedback from its clients, the residents of Washington State. The DSHS Public Survey addresses a series of questions about public perceptions of DSHS services. To answer these questions, the Gilmore Research Group asked a random sample of 825 Washington State residents whether they agreed or disagreed with a number of statements about DSHS, and also asked for suggestions for improvement. The main questions and responses were:

Do State residents think that DSHS is doing a good job?
Most respondents were positive about the Department's job performance. A majority believes that the Department and its programs are doing a good job. Respondents were somewhat less positive about services for children and youth.

• DSHS does a good job overall. 63% agreed; 8% disagreed. 
• DSHS does a good job serving needy families. 62% agreed; 9%
  disagreed.
• DSHS does a good job serving people with special needs (physical or mental health conditions or aging). 60% agreed; 7% disagreed.
• DSHS does a good job serving children and youth. 55% agreed; 20% disagreed.

Do State residents think it is too difficult to access DSHS programs?
About one out of four respondents felt that it is too difficult to get most DSHS services. A lower number felt that it is too difficult for needy families to get food stamps and welfare grants. Respondents mentioned barriers to access including paperwork, waiting times, eligibility requirements and lack of information.

• It is too difficult for needy families to obtain medical care and medical insurance. 23% agreed; 40% disagreed.
• It is too difficult for needy families to get food stamps and welfare grants. 17% agreed; 44% disagreed.
• It is too difficult for people with special needs to obtain services like medical care, mental health care, drug and alcohol treatment, help finding and keeping jobs, and help caring for themselves. 27% agreed; 31% disagreed.
• It is too difficult for people with special needs to get welfare grants and services. 26% agreed; 34% disagreed.

Do State residents think that services are provided to people who should not receive these services?
Overall, about one in four respondents felt that DSHS gives services to people who should not receive them. A larger number (about four out of ten) said that DSHS gives food stamps and welfare grants too often to families who shouldn't get them. Respondent comments showed concerns about abuse by specific groups, and also recognized the challenge of determining who is "deserving."

• DSHS gives family medical care and insurance too often to families who shouldn't get them. 24% agree; 43% disagree.
• DSHS gives food stamps and welfare grants too often to families who should not get them. 41% agree; 26% disagree.
• DSHS gives special needs services (like medical care, mental health care, drug and alcohol treatment, help finding and keeping jobs, and help caring for themselves) too often to people who shouldn't get them. 26% agree; 38% disagree.
• DSHS too often uses special needs programs to give welfare grants and food stamps to people who shouldn't get them. 29% agree; 35% disagree.

How does experience with DSHS programs influence perceptions of DSHS?
The following groups were most likely to agree that DSHS and/or programs within DSHS do a good job:

• Those with personal experience with services for clients with special
  needs due to physical or mental health conditions or aging
• Those who learned about DSHS services from friends and family
• Those who named workplace sources for information about DSHS

Persons who had personal experience with services for children and youth were least likely to feel that DSHS and its programs do a good job. Services for children and youth are usually involuntary and involve child abuse, child neglect, foster care, and youthful offenders. Opinions about DSHS's distribution of services varied greatly based on respondents' experience and the specific program in question. Often the same group would espouse views with contradictory policy implications: It is too difficult to access a service and the service is too often given to the undeserving

How do demographic variables influence perceptions of DSHS?
People who were most likely to agree that DSHS and/or programs within DSHS do a good job tended to be:

• Younger
• Female
• Less educated
• Hispanic or of some other minority background

Demographic characteristics were also related to perceptions of the distribution of services:

• Respondents with lower incomes and, in many cases, less education were more likely to believe both that services are too difficult to access and that the undeserving receive too many services.
• Additionally, residents of Eastern Washington and males were more likely to feel that DSHS services go to the undeserving.

How do State residents think that DSHS can improve services?
Respondents had a number of suggestions to improve DSHS services. The dominant themes included:

• DSHS needs more staffing and funding. DSHS staff is overworked.
• Need for more follow-up and monitoring of DSHS cases.
• Need for more and/or better services for children and youth.
• Need for a change in standards. (Respondents mentioned a need to both tighten and ease up on standards such as eligibility.)

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Modified: Friday August 17 2007

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