SOME REQUESTS ARE VERY SIMPLE TO PROCESS WHILE OTHERS… – Voice Of The Township

When a citizen comes to the Wayne Township Trustee Office for assistance, my staff works hard to process the request in the timeliest manner possible. Indiana law requires that we address emergency requests immediately. Non-emergencies must be addressed within seventy-two business hours of our receiving a completed Application for Township Assistance. Some clients are truly amazed at the speed of the process, while others may be less than happy with it. Often the perceptions of a client are based on whether assistance is received or denied, and on how long it seems to take to get the results. I always try to remember that any length of time feels like eternity for someone trying to meet his or her family’s vital needs.

On days when we are fully staffed and there are not too many ‘walk-ins’ or emergency cases, clients are usually satisfied with the amount of time they must spend at our office. On those ‘perfect storm’ days when illness is rampant among the staff leaving several workers out, and folks don’t bring in the requested information, and there are many of clients waiting to be worked in to an already full schedule it may take longer than usual for our investigators to complete requests. When a client needs to bring in additional information, their request must be pended requiring him or her to come back for an additional appointment.

Some requests are very simple to process, and an investigator may be able to process two or three clients in an hour, while some requests are very complex and may take two or more hours to complete. Requests become more complex when a client does not have the needed information or does not have his or her items organized so that they can easily be read through by the investigator. When a day is filled with a high number of very complex requests chances are that clients are not going to be very happy.

I always recommend that clients bring a book to read or something else to stay occupied during your wait. Bring things that can pacify your children during the visit, and explain to them before they come that there may be small wait while you take care of your business.

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We have an information line that callers can access when seeking assistance. It can be reached by calling (260) 449-7000 and selecting extension 312. The Wayne Township Trustee Office provides emergency assistance for individuals 18 years of age or older who meet eligibility requirements. When an appointment is needed, individuals should come in on their letter day before 9:00 a.m. Letter days are determined by the first letter of your last name. Assigned letter days are as follows: Monday A-F, Tuesday G-L, Wednesday M-R, and Thursday S-Z. The letter-day requirement does not apply when requesting medical or burial assistance.

Individuals should bring the following items on appointment day: a copy of the bill(s) you are seeking assistance with, verification of household income for the past sixty days, paid bill receipts for the past sixty days, receipts for other items purchased in the last sixty days, your rental agreement, lease, or mortgage payment booklet or statement, government-issued unexpired picture identification such as a state id or driver’s license for all adults in the household, social security cards for everyone in the household, birth certificates for all minors in the household, a copy of the most current income tax return if filed, or W2 if a return has not been filed, and bank or credit union balance statements. Have your receipts grouped together by category. Additional items may be requested at the time of your appointment, so bringing in all the information possible could result in fewer and shorter visits with the investigator.

Please access our website at waynetownship.org for additional information.