Family Independence Agency director Marianne Udow announced that, beginning Oct. 1, Family Independence Agency cash assistance clients in 12 Lower Peninsula counties will be offered greater flexibility in choosing where they receive services.

Cash assistance clients will be able to apply for services and receive service in a county other than where they live through an initiative called transparent county lines. It is similar to customer choice models used by other state agencies including Secretary of State branch offices.

The following FIA county offices will begin using the transparent county line service option Oct. 1: Arenac-Bay, Clare-Isabella, Gladwin, Lake-Newaygo, Mason-Oceana, Midland and Osceola-Mecosta. This brings the total number of local offices utilizing this service model to 48. The 32 northern-most Michigan counties began using it in July 2003. Some months later, Wexford-Missaukee and Roscommon-Ogemaw counties also joined the initiative.

"Transparent county lines has been a significant improvement for families that come to us for service," said Udow. "The resulting system will allow FIA clients in participating counties the option of obtaining service from the office most convenient for them. If they live in one county but can more easily receive service in another, they will be able to receive services from the alternate county."

Michigan departments of Community Health, Information Technology and Labor & Economic Growth worked with the FIA to implement the service model.

"Our partners in the departments of Community Health, Information Technology and Labor & Economic Growth have been critical to the success of this initiative," Udow said. "We and our clients are indebted to them for invaluable technological and human services assistance."

The 32 FIA county offices that began using transparent county lines in 2003 are Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim, Baraga, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Emmet, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Iosco, Iron, Kalkaska, Keweenaw, Leelanau, Luce, Mackinac, Manistee, Marquette, Menominee, Montmorency, Oscoda, Ontonagon, Otsego, Presque Isle and Schoolcraft counties. These offices conducted client satisfaction surveys during the first three months of operation. The results from those surveys help determine that the concept should be expanded.