diff --git a/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/config/ServiceConstants.java b/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/config/ServiceConstants.java
index 06a2bbf31e..69d0986f96 100644
--- a/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/config/ServiceConstants.java
+++ b/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/config/ServiceConstants.java
@@ -366,13 +366,13 @@ public class ServiceConstants {
 
     public static final String FACILITY_TYPE_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "facilityType";
 
-    public static final String TERRAIN_CONDITION_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "accessibilityDetails.terrain.code";
+    public static final String TERRAIN_CONDITION_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "accessibilityDetails|terrain|code";
 
-    public static final String ROAD_CONDITION_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "accessibilityDetails.roadCondition.code";
+    public static final String ROAD_CONDITION_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "accessibilityDetails|roadCondition|code";
 
-    public static final String SECURITY_Q1_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "securityDetails.1.code";
+    public static final String SECURITY_Q1_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "securityDetails|1|code";
 
-    public static final String SECURITY_Q2_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "securityDetails.2.code";
+    public static final String SECURITY_Q2_SEARCH_PARAMETER_KEY = "securityDetails|2|code";
 
     public static final String COMMA_DELIMITER = ",";
 
diff --git a/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/util/QueryUtil.java b/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/util/QueryUtil.java
index 643f45a79e..070f442a89 100644
--- a/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/util/QueryUtil.java
+++ b/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/util/QueryUtil.java
@@ -109,21 +109,9 @@ public String preparePartialJsonStringFromFilterMap(Map<String, String> filterMa
             if (key.contains(DOT_SEPARATOR)) {
                 String[] keyArray = key.split(DOT_REGEX);
                 Map<String, Object> nestedQueryMap = new HashMap<>();
-
-                // Recursively build the nested structure based on the key hierarchy.
                 prepareNestedQueryMap(0, keyArray, nestedQueryMap, filterMap.get(key));
-
-                // Merge the newly created nested structure into the main query map.
-                queryMap.merge(keyArray[0], nestedQueryMap.get(keyArray[0]), (existing, newValue) -> {
-                    // If both existing and new values are maps, merge them to prevent overwriting.
-                    if (existing instanceof Map && newValue instanceof Map) {
-                        mergeMaps((Map<String, Object>) existing, (Map<String, Object>) newValue);
-                        return existing;
-                    }
-                    return newValue;
-                });
+                queryMap.put(keyArray[0], nestedQueryMap.get(keyArray[0]));
             } else {
-                // If no nesting, directly put the key-value pair into the query map.
                 queryMap.put(key, filterMap.get(key));
             }
         });
@@ -182,31 +170,6 @@ public String getPaginatedQuery(String query, List<Object> preparedStmtList) {
         return paginatedQuery.toString();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Recursively merges two maps, combining their nested structures while preserving existing values.
-     *
-     * @param existing The final map that will contain the merged result.
-     * @param newMap   The source map whose contents will be merged into the existing map.
-     *
-     * Example:
-     * existing = {"a": {"b": "value1"}}
-     * newMap = {"a": {"c": "value2"}}
-     * Result: {"a": {"b": "value1", "c": "value2"}}
-     */
-    private void mergeMaps(Map<String, Object> existing, Map<String, Object> newMap) {
-        newMap.forEach((key, value) -> {
-            existing.merge(key, value, (oldValue, newValue) -> {
-                // If both values are maps, recursively merge them
-                if (oldValue instanceof Map && newValue instanceof Map) {
-                    mergeMaps((Map<String, Object>) oldValue, (Map<String, Object>) newValue);
-                    return oldValue;
-                }
-                // If either value is not a map, use the new value
-                return newValue;
-            });
-        });
-    }
-
     /**
      * This method is used to extract and parse JSON data into a JsonNode object
      *
diff --git a/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/web/models/census/Census.java b/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/web/models/census/Census.java
index 2b989edb10..ad052ca93c 100644
--- a/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/web/models/census/Census.java
+++ b/health-services/plan-service/src/main/java/digit/web/models/census/Census.java
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ public class Census {
     private String boundaryCode = null;
 
     @JsonProperty("assignee")
-    @Size(max = 64)
-    private String assignee = null;
+    private List<String> assignee = null;
 
     @JsonProperty("status")
     @Size(max = 64)