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THIS MONTH
Welcome to Issue 83 of the Citizen Services Newsletter!
As election season heats up with debates and discussions on election security and artificial intelligence ethics, public scrutiny of government programs intensifies, reflecting persistently low trust levels in government. Simultaneously, the U.S. faces increasing extreme weather events, underscoring the critical reliance on government-provided weather information and emergency services.
Amidst the bustling travel season, essential resources like TSA's Pre-check Program, CBP's Global Entry, and the Mobile Passport App ensure smoother travel experiences. The National Park Service and Recreation.gov facilitate exploration of the country's natural treasures, while the Department of State and Homeland Security safeguard borders and issue vital travel documents worldwide. For comprehensive travel information, visit USAGov.
Stay safe and have a Happy Fourth of July!
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Congratulations to the 2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Winners!
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We are delighted to introduce the distinguished recipients of the 2024 Service to the Citizen® Awards! These outstanding individuals exemplify true champions of change, showcasing unwavering commitment to excellence in government service delivery for the public, employees, businesses, and agencies alike. Their extraordinary accomplishments stand as a testament to leadership, significantly enhancing services crucial for public decision-making in everyday life.
View the full list of winners here.
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A new report from TransUnion shows that synthetic identity fraud is the fastest rising type of fraud in 2024. View the full article.
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Amira Boland was the first to take on the role of customer experience lead at the White House, and she sees great potential even beyond her departure. View the full article.
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The tax agency directs users to file public records requests through ID.me, a tool that has sparked concerns in Congress and from privacy advocates. View the full article.
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About 10,000 Americans are turning 65 every day. As the nation’s aging population continues to climb, states and the federal government are working to get plans in place to care for older adults. View the full article.
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Federal employees who are looking to retire rely on a largely paper-based system to submit their retirement applications, but the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is looking to change that through a new online application. View the full article.
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The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is asking the IRS to take steps to document its use of AI technology in a new pilot the agency is taking to explore the “tax gap” – which represents the difference in the amount of taxes owed versus those collected. View the full article.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the department’s Chief Data and AI Officer (CDAO) Matthew Graviss today announced the launch of a new online AI resource hub at the agency. View the full article.
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The Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently announced a new National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation to connect more Americans with resources to spur innovation and entrepreneurship. View the full article.
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Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical removal of tumors have long been the standard approaches for treating different types of cancer. But in recent decades, different immunotherapies have become available. These rely on the body’s immune system to find and destroy cancer cells. One type of immunotherapy, called checkpoint inhibition, has greatly improved the treatment of many types of cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibiting drugs can make cancer cells more vulnerable to immune system attack. But they don’t work for everyone. View the full article.
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Only 3% of companies are currently customer-obsessed and put their customers’ needs front and center. View the full article.
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This report outlines the approach our nation will take to prepare for the future. It is the initial
step in the development of a national plan on aging to improve the experience of aging in
America. View the full article.
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Despite all the hype and excitement showered on the federal government’s adoption of generative artificial intelligence in recent years, agencies are still “very early on” in the journey to use large language models, according to Amazon Web Services’ public sector leader. View the full article.
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The General Services Administration published a new framework Thursday that lays out how it will prioritize certain emerging technologies, with a particular focus on generative AI, as part of the FedRAMP cloud authorization process. View the full article.
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Dustin Brown is the new chief operating officer and acting chief of staff at Social Security. View the full article.
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In a recent episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris interviewed Dana Chisnell, Executive Director of the Customer Experience Directorate, and Stephanie Moore, Program Manager for implementing Executive Order 14058 at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They discussed DHS's commitment to transforming their services, handling over 1 billion touch points annually, as detailed in the 2023 CX Annual Report. DHS aims to enhance customer experiences to ensure they are secure, equitable, efficient, effective, and accessible.
Key points discussed include:
- DHS's establishment of a human-centered department.
- Formation of the Customer Experience Directorate with 70+ experts.
- Alignment of agency strategic plans with IT strategies across headquarters and eight operating components to enhance service delivery.
- Initiatives driving cultural change and capacity building for service modernization.
- Impact on various customer groups, such as the public, travelers, businesses, non-citizens, and disaster survivors.
At its core, DHS emphasizes that customer experience and human-centered design are integral to its operations, fostering a culture that prioritizes customer needs and solutions. Listen here.
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A joint approach to safe and responsible AI by the Australian, state and territory governments. View the full article.
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