Standard Operating Procedure

1. STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
SOP Redesign Training
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2. Q
UALITY
A
SSURANCE
S
YSTEMS
 An important aspect of a quality
system is to work according to clear
and precise standards of practice
(SOPs).
 A standard of practice is a document
which describes the regularly
recurring operations relevant to the
quality of the operations.
 The purpose of an SOP is to carry out
the operations correctly and always in
the same manner.
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3. W
HAT
DOES
IT
REALLY
DO
?
SOP protects
both workers
and clients.
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4. SOP PROTECTS…
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WORKERS
 Workers who are following an
established SOP can have a
greater confidence that their
actions are supported by
leadership and the underlying
statutes and regulations. They
will have more success
implementing their
recommendations in court.
They will have fewer corrective
case actions.

5. SOP ALSO PROTECTS…
 All clients are entitled to
consistent service delivery
based on established and
accepted procedures—not
on any one worker’s
personal values, and not
varying from one
geographic area to another.
CLIENTS
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6. C
HANGE
IS
G
OOD
!
To ensure that
SOP is
presented in the
most useful,
usable format, it
became
necessary to
update the
layout and
format.
The decision to
do so was based
on feedback
from both field
users and
leadership.
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7. WHAT DIDN’T CHANGE?
 CONTENT
 There were very limited change to the existing content.
 Those changes were limited to providing better
transitions between chapter materials or providing
clarification within the existing language.
 ACCESSIBILITY
 The manual can still be accessed through web pages
available through the department’s intranet or internet
websites.
 Forms and other resources can still be found as part of
the manual pages.
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8. CHANGE YOU’LL APPRECIATE!
 It Won’t Ask: “Are you sure?”
 Working Search Engine
 Forms Are Easy to Find
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9. BIG CHANGES YOU’LL LOVE: FORMAT AND
NAVIGATION
 Navigation Guides that Ensure you
Won’t Get Lost
 Simplified Format that Enhances the
Clarity of the Content
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10. NAVIGATION IS SIMPLIFIED
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 Linear Navigation → No More Linking Between
Sections and Chapters
 Navigation Breadcrumbs at the Top of Every Page
Identifies the Path of Links Back to the Table of
Contents
 Chapter and Section Headings are Always
Available from the Drop-Down Navigation Tabs at
the Left of Every Chapter and Section

11. REDESIGNED FORMAT
 A Clean Separation Between Procedural Steps and
Considerations That May Impact Decision-Making
(Practice Guidance)
 Procedural steps are the activities that are required as
part of the task.
 Practice guidance includes, but isn’t limited to,
information related to completing the steps,
considerations the worker should evaluate as part of
decision-making, or contingencies that may arise based
on case-specific circumstances.
 All workers and supervisors are required to follow
the instructions contained in SOP, regardless of
whether or not those instructions are classified as
procedural or practice guidance. 11

12. EXAMPLE
 Place the contents in the
box.
 Protect fragile items.
 Seal the box with tape.
 Address the box.
 Add appropriate
postage.
 Mail the package.
 Fragile items may be
protected with bubble
wrap or newspaper.
 Postage will depend on
the weight of the
package.
 For a list of post offices
in your area go to
post.office.com.
PROCEDURES PRACTICE GUIDANCE
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13. WHAT IS NOT ON THE NEW SITE??
 Correspondence memorandums
and transmittals;
 Definitions;
 SOP Clarifications; and
 Links to legislative websites.
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14. SO WHAT DO I DO IF I NEED HELP?
Ask for Help Related to the Website Via Phone or
Email: Sarah Cooper or Lisa R. Smith on Your
Global Address List
Ask for Policy Clarifications or Case Consultation by
Making Contact with a Program Specialist in
Central Office
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THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
THE END