ABOUT THE TRAINING
“Administrative burden” describes the obstacles constituents face in accessing benefits that do not reflect their legal eligibility—it also happens to describe a significant proportion of reasons constituents seek casework help from their Members of Congress.
Don Moynihan, McCourt Chair at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, has pioneered the study of administrative burden, including new language and frameworks to understand the types of costs associated with navigating complex bureaucracies. Caseworkers will come away with a deeper understanding of the root problems behind common casework inquiries, and ideas for tracking types of casework and articulating casework challenges to policy staff.
This webinar will also feature opening remarks from special guest Rep. Derek Kilmer [D, WA].
ABOUT THE “UNPACKING THE CAUSES OF CASEWORK” WEBINAR SERIES
In a recent letter to the GAO Comptroller general, a bipartisan group of lawmakers noted that
“Throughout our time in Congress, our offices have heard from thousands of constituents seeking help dealing with the maze-like procedural hurdles that ordinary people must navigate to get the support and resources to which they are legally entitled. [...] When people fall into crisis, have a child with complex medical needs, develop a disability, or take on the care and administrative work for an aging parent, they have to become their own advocate in the confusing system of social program bureaucracy.”
-August 15th 2022 letter to GAO Comptroller General Gene Doddaro, signed by Reps Derek Kilmer, Dan Newhouse, Kathleen Rice, Doug LaMalfa, Angie Craig, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Jimmy Panetta, Scott Peters, Lucy McBath, and Sara Jacobs
These concerns are familiar to any caseworker, but it can be challenging to explain the impact of casework issues—not to mention frustrating to keep seeing the same issues over and over. However, recent work in political science, journalism, civic tech, and policymaking has started to develop methods for understanding, measuring, and addressing these persistent challenges.
This Casework Navigator webinar series will give caseworkers a master class in understanding and explaining the root causes behind common casework inquiries, and some starting points to leverage casework expertise to inform policy that takes constituents’ experience into account.
SPEAKER
Donald Moynihan is the inaugural McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy. His research seeks to improve how government works. He examines the behavioral effects of efforts to improve public sector outcomes through government reform, as well as the administrative burdens people encounter in their interactions with government. At the McCourt School, he co-directs the Better Government Lab.
Moynihan has presented his research to policymakers at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the United Nations, OECD, the Government Accountability Office, as well as governments around the world. His writing and research has been cited in President Obama’s and President Biden's budget proposals, OMB policy guidance under President Biden, and media such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, the Atlantic and other publications.
MODERATOR
Anne Meeker is a civic process and democratic engagement nerd, and a former House district staffer. She was a founding member of the POPVOX Foundation team as Director of Special Initiatives and now serves as Deputy Director. She previously served as Director of Constituent Services for Congressman Seth Moulton, where she worked to use data and technology to deliver smarter casework services to residents of the MA06. Anne holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Oxford (St. Hugh's College), and an MSc in History from the London School of Economics, where she wrote her thesis on presidential memoir. She is also a proud native Clevelander, and will take any opportunity to cheerlead for the 'Land.