Post from Community: COVID-19 forces change in UMOS’ service delivery | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UMOS
March 27, 2020
Lupe Martinez, president and CEO of UMOS, urges UMOS customers to make appointments by phone or email. (File photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
“Our quality of service will not change, but our method of service delivery will due to COVID-19,” states Lupe Martinez, President and Chief Executive Officer, UMOS.
UMOS staff, on average, will have 300,000 client, customer and program participant contacts per year, with about 20,000 per month entering through the job center doors on Chase Avenue. “Because of these numbers and the potential spread of COVID-19, along with the imposed federal, state and health department mandates, we will need to temporarily change how we serve the community, especially within the UMOS Center,” says Martinez.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The UMOS Job Center houses many government services programs.  UMOS is following all directives from Governor Evers and department secretaries. The State of Wisconsin Job Service, located within the UMOS Job Center, is closed to the public.  All Job Service activities can be accessed electronically.
All UMOS customers are being encouraged to make appointments by phone or email. For those that must come into the office for emergency services, safety precautions have been put in place in the UMOS Job Center such as spacing chairs in the lobby 6 feet apart, offering hand sanitizers and safety information to everyone who enters and exits, and practicing social distancing when applying for services. Frequently touch areas like doorknobs and counters are more frequently sanitized.
“Although the UMOS administrative offices on Chase Avenue are closed to the public, UMOS program divisions, Workforce Development, Child Development and Social Services are still operational in all 6 states, yet in a different way,” Martinez added. “We continue to consult with health departments, funding sources and government entities for guidance on staff safety, customer safety and service delivery.”
UMOS plans to take advantage of available technology to limit face-to-face contacts, but not limit programs and services regularly provided to the community. Some UMOS employees will work from home. Those employees providing essential services will continue to staff the offices and phones. Some program staff will rotate schedules to continue to provide services. “We will do everything possible to keep staff members and customers safe,” Martinez concluded.
Below is information on the changes made in UMOS programs and services delivery and how to reach specific departments and staff within UMOS.
UMOS Job Center
Wisconsin Works (W-2) program is open and operational.  All clients with an open W-2 case are instructed to contact their case manager electronically via telephone and/or e-mail. Call 414-389-6600
Transform Milwaukee Jobs Program: 414-389-6217
Transitional Jobs-Racine: 414-791-4318
Transitional Jobs-Northeast and Central Wisconsin: 414-588-7871
UMOS Latina Resource Center
Offices are closed.
Appointments will be scheduled based on the crisis and/or services needed.
Non -emergency calls to obtain general information of hours of operation, staff directory and/overall services provided to victims
Food Pantry
Hours: 1:00-4:00pm, Monday-Friday
Call: 414-389-6300
Early Care and Education Programs (Migrant Head Start, Migrant Child Care)
All offices are closed. For information on services and opening dates call:
In Wisconsin: 920-331-0254
In Missouri: 417-461-7500
In Arkansas: 417-461-7500
Adult Education/After School Programs(GED, Community Learning Center)
Offices are closed. Instruction and testing have been suspended.
Call 414-389-6600 for more information
TechHire/Technology Center
Chase Street office is closed.
Call 414-389-6420 for information regarding current available trainings
Farmworker Programs(National Farmworker Jobs Program, Housing, Emergency Assistance
All offices are closed. Applications and appointments can be taken by phone.
In Wisconsin: 414-254-3042
In Missouri: 417-204-2395
Home Energy Assistance
All offices are closed.
call 414-270-4653 for an appointment or questions about services
call 262-657-2170. Emergency Furnace issues: 262-656-1234
Dial 211
Teen Tobacco Prevention and Needles Exchange Program
Office is closed.Appointments and consultations by phone.
Call 414-852-7475
Corporate and Community Events
Call 414-389-6002
Employment Opportunities
Call 414-389-6000
For more information on UMOS and all programs and services provided call 414-389-6000 or go to www.umos.org