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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 08111992 - 2.4 _ c f = Contra d+•a,am e ; TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS a� ,� .��, �" � ,o Costa - � FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR �;; _-_ c3 County COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OSTq.coli PERFECTO VILLEAREAL DIRECTOR, SOCIAL SERVICE DATE: AUGUST 11, 1992 SUBJECT: GENERAL ASSISTANCE COST CONTAINMENT SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. ACCEPT the report from the County Administrator and Director of Social Service on the status of cost containment efforts for General Assistance. 2. ACKNOWLEDGE that with a projected GA grant cost of $20.8 million for FY 92-93 and a budget of $15.4 million for GA grants, cost containment is a high priority for General Assistance. 3. ACKNOWLEDGE that increased workfare opportunities, career development and SSI advocacy will require investment of resources beyond which is currently allocated to General Assistance programs. 4. DIRECT and AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller to deposit$600,000 of the landfill County surcharge into a General Assistance Cost Containment Trust Fund to augment the workfare, career development and SSI advocacy as outlined in this report and further DIRECT the Social Service Department, General Services Department and Personnel Department to take such actions as necessary to expedite the implementation of these programs. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _YES SIGNATURE: _RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR_RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTIONOFBOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED ! H ,_ PHIL BATCHEL ,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contact:Sara Hoffman-646-1390 AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR cc:CAO BY DEPUTY i BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION During the Phase I budget hearings, the Board of Supervisors requested a status report on General Assistance cost containment efforts including, but not limited to, the effect of centralizing General Assistance on transportation access, the effect of staff reductions on efforts to increase self sufficiency among the GA recipients and the need to increase GA workfare opportunities. Uncontained, GA grant expenditures are estimated at $20.8 million in FY 92-93. The Social Service budget allows for expenditures of up to$15.4 million. Consequently,the department must meet the challenge of reducing its GA expenditures by $5.4 million in FY 92-93. The Social Service Department has performed a comprehensive analysis of its General Assistance program to identity areas to streamline the process, increase efficiency and increase opportunities for helping ,GA recipients become self sufficient. On August 4, 1992, the Board of Supervisors adopted amendments to the General Assistance standards and hearing process. The amendments to the hearing process will allow the Social Service Department to implement new streamlined operations. The new regulations provide incentives to encourage GA recipients to make every effort to become self sufficient by strengthening penalties for non-compliance with General Assistance and requiring individuals to assume responsibility to cooperate with GA requirements. For example,chemically dependent GA recipients will be required to attend GAADDS and SSI eligible GA recipients will be required to apply for SSI (to the extent possible). General Assistance cost containment is a multi-faceted effort., Listed below is an outline of the components of cost containment,the purpose of each component,current efforts and expectations for FY 92-93. In some areas, such as the GAADDS referrals, it is anticipated that the increased activity can be handled with existing staff. In other areas, such as increasing Workfare opportunities and career development, additional resources will be necessary. CENTRALIZE GA IN MARTINEZ Purpose: To reduce expenses through administrative consolidation and reduced building occupancy costs. Consolidation will reduce administrative expenses through integration of staff, allowing for reduction of 11 positions (1 division manager), while maintaining current service levels. Current Actions: All operations will be moved to 40 Muir Road. Currently no one facility is adequate for the consolidated operations and building alterations are necessary to provide reception and meeting areas to accommodate 400 to 500 GA clients per day. Building designs have been completed and construction drawings are in preparation. FY 92-93 Actions: Transportation access will be assured through bus service every other hour. In addition, staff is discussing the need for hourly bus service and kiosks at the bus stops with County Connection. All recipients will receive notice of the relocation, expected to be completed by January 1, 1993. EXPAND GAADDS EFFORTS Purpose: To assist more employable recipients to overcome chemical dependency, which is a major barrier to gaining steady employment. Current Actions Pilot process of screening all GA applicants in Richmond indicated that 526/o to 62% of GA recipients may be chemically dependent. The pilot screening resulted in a significant increase in referrals to GAADDS over the old process (referrals by the Eligibility Worker). FY 92-93 Actions: The new screening and referral process will be expanded to include all applicants for General Assistance by October 15, 1992. 2 INCREASE SSI ADVOCACY EFFORTS Purpose: To,-ensure that unemployable GA recipients who are eligible for SSI apply for and receive SSI. In June 1992, 3,792 GA recipients were classified as unemployable, yet only 1,319 (35%) of these recipients had SSI applications pending (application voluntary). In fiscal year 1991-92, SSI reimbursements amounted to over $2 million. Current Actions: Two additional staff have been assigned to SSI advocacy. FY 92-93 Actions: On August 4, 1992, the Board adopted GA standards which require SSI- eligible GA participants to apply for SSI. SSI-eligibles will be identified upon application or during the yearly screening and required to apply for SSI. Since the application process is complex, expansion of advocacy either in=house or through contract is proposed with funding from the landfill surcharge. JOB SEARCH Purpose: To ensure that all employable GA recipients are diligently searching for work, as required by the General Assistance program standards. FY 92-93 Actions: Effective September 1992, all employable recipients will be required to make 10 job-search contacts each week with organizations that are hiring. The Social Service Department will verify a certain number of the contacts each week. STREAMLINE THE HEARING PROCESS Purpose: To' reduce the costs for aid paid to GA recipients pending hearing decisions. Since at least 7411/6 of appealed actions are upheld, significant savings can be achieved by ensuring that appeals are processed and hearings scheduled promptly. Current Actions: During fiscal year 1991-92, there was a significant backlog of pending appeals. Through extraordinary efforts of Social Service staff, this backlog has been eliminated, thus reducing the average time period for aid-paid- pending from 3.3 months to 2.1 months. FY 92-93 Actions: The Board adopted a resolution on August 4, 1992 which streamlined the appeal and hearing process. These changes will enable the department to ensure that another backlog does not develop. INCREASE QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS Purpose: To ensure that department staff properly apply program standards and requirements to all GA applicants and recipients. Among other things, Quality Assurance reviews are designed to identify recipients who are eligible for AFDC or whose grants were miscalculated. Current Actions: The Department has begun its first Quality Assurance review, which is focusing on determining AFDC eligibility for the 104 families on GA. FY 92-93 Actions: Each quarter a targeted Quality Assurance review will be performed focusing on a different issue, which will be determined by department management. PROVIDE FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT Purpose: To.assist GA recipients in obtaining private sector employment based on skills obtained through the Recycling Center Workfare Program. FY 92-93 Actions: The Personnel Department proposes to_ allocate a portion of its Career Development Staff to this effort(please see Internal Operations Committee Report). FY 92-93 cost would be $15,000 (funding source: County Surcharge on Landfill). 3 INCREASE WORKFARE OPPORTUNITIES Purpose: To teach jobs skills and good employee habits to GA recipients. Current Actions: A limited number of GA workfare slots are now available, primarily through General Services custodial, work crew and recycling center programs. FY 92-93 Actions: The County has the opportunity to increase the Recycling Center Workfare program by 600 slots/month. The effort would involve relocation/expansion of the current Recycling Center and expansion of recycling to all County facilities (with the addition of 1 GA crew for material pick-up and delivery). In 'addition, a GA Workfare Coordinator would be assigned to ensure proper coordination of workfare assignments. General Services has been negotiating use of Contra Costa Water District property for the new site, with a minimal lease in exchange for site maintenance. Capital costs would include site fencing, site preparation, a covered shed for equipment, relocation of an existing trailer and purchase of additional balers, sorters, fork lifts, associated equipment and vehicles. These are 'one-time" costs. FUNDING FOR GA COST CONTAINMENT GA grants and administration now consume more than 50% of the net County cost of the Social Service budget. It is being funded at the expense of discretionary programs for children, families and the aged. Consequently, GA cost containment must be diligently pursued to the maximum extent possible. The landfill surcharge provides the County with the ability to invest in long-term GA cost containment. The Recycling Center has the added advantage of teaching skills to GA recipients in an expanding industry and supporting the State.mandate to reduce waste received at landfills by 50% by the year 2000. 4