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Serving the Public Overview
District Office lobbies are often where clients may initially form a first impression of the Social Services Agency (SSA). The SSA lobbies fulfill many functions, including providing a secure, open, and easily navigable space. When the process for serving the public is clear and well thought out, our lobbies can provide an air of dignity, safety, and professionalism, thus inspiring public trust.
The foundation of Santa Clara County Agency’s goals for its lobbies is to streamline the user’s experience, consolidate functions, reduce clutter, unify signage, and maintain a professional, cohesive image.
Lobbies should be clean and well-maintained. Signs, posters, and messages should not be randomly placed around the lobby on easels, bulletin boards, walls, columns, etc. The Office Management Coordinator (OMC) or other designated persons must ensure that these guidelines are followed in all public spaces. Bi-weekly lobby sweeps must occur to ensure all posted material is current, appropriate, and maintained.
Confidentiality
The confidentiality of a client’s PII must be maintained at all times.
- Do not call clients by their first and last names. Using the lobby ticket system and only calling a client by the assigned ticket number is a best practice and should be followed. If the client does not respond to their ticket number, call the client by only their first name or only their last name, not both names together.
- At lobby windows, have clients use the numerical keypad instead of asking them to verbally provide any numerical PII (Name, SSN, DOB, address, telephone number, etc.). If a numerical keypad is unavailable or not functioning, have the client complete the Lobby Identification Form (SCD 2377), which is available on the DEBS Forms Library. Keep these forms in a folder during the day, and place the completed forms in the Shred-It Bin by the end of each day.
- Do not have clients sign in on a sheet where the PII of other clients can be viewed.
- If the Language Line needs to be used at the lobby windows to get a client’s PII, instruct the interpreter to have the client write their PII down on the SCD 2377 or on a separate piece of paper which will be kept in a folder and placed in the Shred-It Bin by the end of each day.
- Lock all staff computers (
& L) when stepping away from the workstation for any reason, even if it is only to pick up printouts at a nearby printer.
Important: Protecting PII is a requirement in State and Federal regulations. PII is any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred.
Language Assistance
Services must be available at all lobby points of contact (greeter, window staff) in all languages either with on-site interpreters, bi-lingual coded staff, or the use of the language line. Staff must hand the laminated color copy of the We Speak Your Language (SCD 2334) to the client at any point of contact to allow the client to select their preferred language. Do not post the SCD 2334 anywhere in the lobby (windows, walls, doors, etc.).
For more information on language assistance, refer to Chapter 23 Language Access in the Common Place Handbook for more information.
Reasonable Accommodation
Reasonable modifications, also known as reasonable accommodations, may be necessary to allow individuals with a disability to access a program or service, to comply with program requirements, to participate fully in programs, services, and activeness, or to avoid potential sanctions for disability-related noncompliance with program rules. Specific policies, such as the policy on Service Animals, can be found in chapter 22, Special Accommodations in the Common Place Handbook.
Related Topics
Application & Verification Submission