The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) announced today that its Human Services Call Center (HSCC) has been awarded a “Top Workplaces” honor by the Times Union for the eighth consecutive year.

The 2023 award for midsize employers is based solely on staff feedback gathered through a third-party survey and recognizes organizations dedicated to a people-first culture. 

 

“I am thrilled to once again congratulate the entire Human Services Call Center (HSCC) for this amazing honor,” said OCFS Acting Commissioner Suzanne Miles-Gustave. “Year after year, the HSCC is recognized as one of the best places to work in the Capital Region. This is a testament to the leadership in this division that creates a positive workplace culture, but also to the staff for being so committed to maintaining a warm, welcoming and supportive atmosphere for their fellow colleagues. The HSCC serves as a model for how OCFS can improve its work environment across all offices and divisions, as well as every agency for which the call center provides services. This commitment helps New York ensure the well-being of its communities.”

Top Workplace awards are based on anonymous employee responses to the Energage Workplace survey, which measures 15 unique characteristics of engaged workplace cultures considered critical to the success of any organization.

“The Human Services Call Center has a very distinct culture,” said HSCC Manager Kelly Brown Mateja. “Starting from the top with Associate Commissioner Kathryn Shelton, down to our front-line call center reps, our team is very clear about our shared team values. We prioritize kindness and empathy, while at the same time being dedicated to accuracy, consistency and accountability. In my 25-year career, I have never worked in such a healthy work environment, alongside teammates that treat each other, our business partners and our callers with professionalism and the utmost respect.”

HSCC, a division of OCFS, provides telephone, email and chat customer service on behalf of 10 state agencies. Established in 2013 as part of the state consolidated call center project, HSCC fields an average of 5,000 calls each day. The highly trained call center representatives provide information about a wide variety of topics, including hospice care, child care, public assistance and paid family leave. HSCC also assisted with the state’s COVID-19 response efforts over the past few years by scheduling COVID testing appointments and surveying health care volunteers.

About the New York State Office of Children and Family Services:
The Office of Children and Family Services serves New York's public by promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of children, families and communities. The agency provides a system of family support, juvenile justice, youth development, child care and child welfare services and is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services, preventive services for children and families, and protective programs for vulnerable adults.