County Commission | The Magazine April 2020 | Page 30

NEWS YOU CAN USE
CRS UPDATE
Enhancing Member Services in Risk Management
C
ounty Risk Services Inc. — the
ACCA Self-Insurance Funds’
in-house, third-party administrator
— began operations a little over a
year ago as somewhat of a hybrid,
blending the fast pace of a startup
company with the reliability of
a long-established, successful
organization.
Showing its responsiveness to
member needs, CRS has recently
reconfigured its safety team into a
new Risk Management Department.
“Going through the
reorganization process gave us the
opportunity to really look at the
services we were providing to our
members and ask ourselves, ‘What
could we do to improve upon those
services?’” said CRS Vice President
Mary Kay Fraze. “Doing so allowed
us to recognize the need for more
frequent and substantive site visits
with our members; better resources
and training; and a stronger
emphasis on a holistic approach to
risk management.”
Another need that emerged
was for the Risk Management and
Underwriting departments to work
more closely. “This is necessary if
we want to further strengthen our
services and create more cohesive
solutions that benefit our members
and the Funds over the long term,”
Fraze said. “I believe these changes
will produce tangible results that
the membership will soon start to
see in their counties, and we expect
continued gains as we move forward
with implementation.”
ACCA’s Self-Insurance Funds
provide workers’ compensation,
liability and/or property coverage for
a majority of Alabama’s 67 counties
and dozens of county-related
entities. CRS, established to elevate
30 | APRIL 2020
member services, is
responsible for claims
administration and
risk management.
One of the biggest
advancements that
CRS rolled out right
away is Origami
Risk — a world-class,
Workers’ Compensation | Liability | Property
cloud-based software
system for the
insurance industry. It
members,” he said. “Consultants
is utilized by both the membership
will be more accessible, and this
and CRS staff, who have been
will increase the total number of
working to further develop the risk
annual visits.”
management module.
For the first time, CRS will
“The expanded module will
now have a staff member located
serve as a platform for facilitating
in North Alabama. And while
and managing county site visits.
Risk Control Field Consultant
Soon, we will be able to use the
Tom Sparks is new to CRS, he is
platform to gather important
well-versed in local government,
information and documents prior
having retired from the Hartselle
to a site visit,” Fraze said. “This
Police Department. With his home
will allow our field consultants to
base in Morgan County, he is
conduct more quality-based site
centrally located to serve members
visits that we believe will prove
throughout the region.
more beneficial for the member.
“During my career in public
“The goal is to be able to work
service, I was fortunate to build
with each member and focus on
a wide span of strong and lasting
their unique set of circumstances
relationships,” Sparks said. “I
so that we can provide more
am excited for the opportunity
customized recommendations and
to continue growing those
support.”
relationships, and I look forward to
A search is underway to hire
building many more.”
a permanent manager for the new
Risk Control Coordinator is
Risk Management Department,
also a new position, and Shawn
but in the meantime, Chris Steskal
Jennett is new to CRS. His main
is filling in on an interim basis.
responsibilities are scheduling risk
Steskal is a familiar face to many
assessments, assisting the field
in county government, since he has
been providing members with safety consultants with investigations,
coordinating and preparing materials
services for more than two years.
Steskal emphasized the strategic for safety-related trainings and
assisting the department’s manager.
value of the reorganization.
“I am new to Alabama,” he said,
“Utilizing regionally-based field
“and I am enthusiastic about getting
consultants will allow CRS
out and meeting people.” n
to provide better coverage for