Dr. Page Walley, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, announced the consolidation of departmental consumer complaint and response resources into a single unit, to be known as the Public Accountability & Commitment Team (PACT). The unit officially began operating this month.
The purpose of the consolidation is to create a single point of entry for most customer service requests. "What we’re doing is taking a job that has been spread among several program divisions of the department and bringing the people and resources together to make possible more open communication with the public, and to speed up the response time for customer concerns," Commissioner Walley explained.
"This is one of those moves where everybody wins," he said. "In the past, a citizen would have to decide between calling somebody locally or calling any of several program offices in Montgomery. Now, taxpayers have a statewide toll-free number (1-888-658-6585) to call with their concerns. At this central clearinghouse, DHR customer service personnel are available to assist clients, management, and employees in obtaining specialized assistance with complaint resolution. Customer concerns are routed to the most appropriate person in the department, ensuring faster results, and freeing up other staff for more direct service to clients," said Commissioner Walley.
"Our PACT staff’s knowledge and reputations are our biggest assets in beginning this work; we chose a handful of program experts from among more than three dozen of our very best who were recommended by their senior managers. They have long demonstrated their initiative and good judgment in caring for people in need," he said. Commissioner Walley added that, in addition to the toll-free number,
1-888-658-6585, citizens may email their concerns to the agency at dhrpact@dhr.alabama.gov.