Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10221985 - 2.3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: ROBERT E. JORNLIN, Director Social Service Department Costa DATE: October COU rt1 SUBJECT: GREATER AVENUES FOR INDEPENDENCE (GAIN) AB-2580 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS ENDATIONS Authorize the Director, Social Service Department, to develop and implement a planning process for implementing the Greater Avenues. for Independence (GAIN) Program in Contra Costa County and apply to the, State Department of Social Services for $150,000 funding for the planning process. FINANCIAL IMPACT The Contra Costa County Department of Social Service is developing a proposed budget itemizing costs of the GAIN Program planning process. The total amount of funds required for this process iS $150,000. Related expenditures will be tracked throughout the planning process to ensure that local costs are fully identified for state reimbursement, and we will return to your Board when confirmation of state financing is received with necessary appropriation and revenue increases and salary resolution amend- ments. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION Assembly Bill 2580 (Konnyu) , commonly known as "Workfare", and officially entitled "The Greater Avenues for Independence Act of 1985" (GAIN) , was signed by Governor Deukmejian on September 26, 1985. The law requires each county to submit an implemen- tation plan within two years of enactment, or by September 26, 1987. The law specifies that the Private Industry Council and local education agencies are to be included in the development of the County GAIN Plan. To begin the planning stage, the Department of Social Service recommends that a request be sent to tiie State Department of Social Services, asking that Contra Costa County be considered for funding for local costs .associated with the preparation of the County Plan, including the required needs assessment. In order to receive this financing, a funding request must be forwarded to the State Department of Social Services for their review and action. The full implementation of the GAIN Program will involve several county departments. However, the planning process will require the assignment of full-time staff from the Department of Social Service consisting of current experienced staff members. A full description of the GAIN Program is contained in the attached report on GAIN. REJ:sjb I CONTINU ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: R OMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRA RECOMMEND TI OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON October 22, 1985 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED XX OTHER XX Also requested the Welfare Director to report to the Board on November 19, 1985 on the status of developing a plan for this County. The report is to include impact, if any, on other county programs, particularly the Maintenance of Effort Program. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT --- ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: Director, Social Service Dept . ATTESTED October 22 , 1985 County Administrator J.R. OLSSON, COUNTY CLERK AND EX OFFICIO CLERK OF THE BOARD M882/7-88 BY 7�—(�' �� ✓ DEPUTY SOCLAL SERVLCE .DEPARTMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DATE October 15, 1985 FROM R JORNLIN cc SUBJ REPORT ON WORKFARE LEGISLATION (AB 2580) GREATER AVENUES FOR INDEPENDENCE (GAIN) ISSUE SLZ24ARY: Assembly Bill 2580, establishing a comprehensive. "Workfare" system in the State of California, was signed by the Governor on September 26, 1985. The bill, known as the "Greater Avenues for Independence Act of 1985" (GAIN) , requires California counties, including Contra Costa County, to implement a comprehensive employment and training program for employable welfare recipients of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Program. Under the law, each county is required to develop a county plan, with input from the county's Private Industry Council, Community College Districts, and County Office of Education, for the delivery of employment and training services. As a result, the bill gives Contra Costa County the opportunity and the responsibility to develop a comprehensive, coordinated network of all available community employment and training services. The County Board of Supervisors must adopt the plan, and submit it to the State Department of Social Services for approval. The county plan must contain a needs assessment identifying community training resources, employment opportunities, and client training needs, to be revised annually. This must address all of the following issues: 1) The employment goal of the plan. How many program registrants can realistically be expected to find unsubsidized employment as a result of the GAIN services provided to them? 2) Current and projected employment needs that can realistically:-result in unsubsidized jobs being made available for GAIN participants. 3) Employment and training resources and services currently available to county residents. 4) Scope of new services required to meet the employment goals for all registrants. 5) Resources and services to be used during the year. 6) Services that are not currently available and must be provided to meet employment goals. (continued) GEN 9 (Rev. 1/79) MENTO TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS October 15, 1985 SUBJECT: REPORT ON WORKFARE LEGISLATION (AB 2580) GREATER AVENUES FOR INDEPENDENCE (GAIN) Page 2 HISTORY/STATUS Your Board is well aware of the history of workfare legislation in the State of Calif- ornia, and the resulting political canpramises that are represented in AB 2580. The GAIN Program will introduce, on a statewide basis, a number of innovative employment and training elements, including the use of binding recipient contracts, work experience assignments, and educational plans which have proven to be effective in linking employ- able welfare recipients in other states to the economic mainstream. The GAIN Program would also provide a range of supportive services. (e.g. , child care, transportation, ancillary expenses, referral for remedial education, etc.) and employment services (e.g., Job Club/Job Search; Assessment; Short-Term Training, etc.) . The State Department of Social Services assumes that it would require approximately five years to fully incorporate the AFDC caseload into the GAIN Program. Upon full implemen- tation, it is assumed that approximately 170,000 recipients will be participating in GAIN activities on an annual basis, statewide. The following is a description of the various components of the GAIN Program model. Job Club/Job Search - Upon registration, AFDC recipients who have"Labor Market . Connections" would receive these services. The SDSS assumes that approximately 150,000 recipients will participate in one of these components for a three-week period. When fully operational.,-in excess of 8,000 workshops will be conducted statewide on an annual basis. Assessment - Those AFDC recipients who have not been successful in the Job Club/ Job Search canponent,, in addition to those who have been off aid more than twice in the past three years, are referred to assessment. This will include: aptitude achievements; interest testing; counseling work history and employment choices. The SDSS assumes approximately 78,000 recipients annually will receive these types of service. Short-Tenn Training - The SDSS has identified a number of programs in which recipienus undergoing assessment could participate, including: PREP; On-the- Job Training; Vocational Training; Grant Diversion; Supported Work; Community Colleges,' and other available training opportunities. Post. Training It is assumed that most participants who receive training will receive sane form of unsubsidized employment (even though they may continue on aid) . However, those unsuccessful participants will be referred to job search for 90 days and/or a long-term PREP assignment in a related training area. For each canponent of employment service, it is assumed that the program will provide for work-related expenses (e.g. , transportation, tools, clothing, etc.) , and necessary child care costs. Additionally, non-participation or breach of contract would be grounds for instituting the program sanctions. These sanctions would include: internal attempts at resolution; good cause determination and formal conciliation; those recipients found 'out of compliance' will be placed on three months of money management (i.e. , vendor and third-party payment) program (recipients who agree to participate during the three-month period would then be reinstated and money management discontinued) ; and finally, federally required sanctions. MEMO TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS October 15, 1985 SUBJECT: REPORT ON WORKFARE LEGISLATION (AB 2580) GREATER AVENUES FOR INDEPENDENCE (GAIN) Page 3 POLICY CONSIDERATIONS The bill allows each county a considerable degree of flexibility in developing the operational procedures for the program. While each county can determine what other agencies should be involved. through contracts to operate certain program components, maximum possible utilization of existing community resources will be emphasized. A wide range of services are mandated, including job clubs, job search, in-depth assessment, various training and education programs, and the "Pre-Employment Preparation Program" (PREP) , the work experience component comm7nly called "Workfare". The Department of Social Servicesis given lead responsibility for developing the county GAIN plan, involving other county departments and local service providers wherever necessary. It is our expectation that your Board will desire to maintain careful oversight over all aspects of the implementation of the GAIN Program in Contra Costa County. Consequently we expect to keep your Board fully informed regarding the development of this significant new effort. County staff is ccmnitted to the careful development of a program consistent with the needs of our community and the policies established by your Board. FISCAL INIPLICATIONS The bill creates a state-mandated local program and contains a provision that counties will be fully reimbursed for all costs of the program. However, funding for program operation will be based on an allocation derived from AFDC caseload size. The operation of the program may require increases in staff positions and support 'costs. As the details for these increases are developed., we will return to your Board for the necessary actions. We will maximize the utilization of state funding to ensure the success of this new program. Ii RESTED.Ca4 UNITY GROUPS/aMERR PUBLIC AGENCIES The bill requires the participation of the Private Industry Council, the Community College District, and the County Office of Education in the development of the County Plan. In addition, we expect many community employment and training agencies to. participate in any competitive bid process determined to be necessary for the provision of skills training and vocational. training programs. This determination will be based on an evaluation of conmmity.resources .and in-house capabilities identified during .the planning process. The Department of Social Services is also participating on the Employment Services Committee of the California Welfare Directors Association (CMA) , which has established five sub-committees to work with the State Department of Social Services in imple- menting the GAIN Program. It is expected that our county's high level of involvement will be of significant assistance to the State Department of Social Services in such areas as the development of county plan standards and format, statewide operating regulations- for GAIN, and procedures for collecting statistics, tracking participants, and fiscal claiming. All of these areas will .have a clear. impact upon the operation of GAIN in our county. MEMO TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS October 15, 1985 SUBJECT: REPORT ON WORKFARE LEGISLATION (AB 2580) GREATER AVENUES FOR INDEPENDENCE (GAIN) Page 4 FOCUS OF STAFF ACTIVITY The Department of Social Services will be assigning staff members to work full time on -the preparation of the county plan. TIME FRAME The bill requires the State Department of Social Services to develop the necessary state regulations to administer. GAIN within 120 days after the bill is enacted. This time frame for state action indicates that program procedures for counties to follow will not be established until March, 1986. REJ:sjb 2 . 3 1. Greater Avenues Independence prgm 2. Workfare Prgm Dir Soc Svc to report 3. Same as 1 4. State. Social Svcs Dept apply auth to submit