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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08212012 - C.63RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT the attached report from the Employment and Human Services Department which provides a status update to the restaurant meals program and requirements for a corrective action plan due to not meeting the State application processing timelines, as recommended by the Family and Human Services Committee. FISCAL IMPACT: None. BACKGROUND: In 2011 the Employment and Human Services Department reported on the CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps) Restaurant Meals Program. On August 6, 2012 the Department provided an update to the previous report. In addition, the Department reported on the corrective action plan due to not meeting the State application processing timelines. The Family and Human Services Committee requested that the written report be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors. This written report is attached. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 08/21/2012 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Dorothy Sansoe, 925-787-8288 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: August 21, 2012 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Carrie Del Bonta, Deputy cc: C. 63 To:Board of Supervisors From:Family and Human Services Committee Date:August 21, 2012 Contra Costa County Subject:Update on the CalFresh CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: The Board and the public will not be fully informed. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: Not applicable. ATTACHMENTS CalFresh Report Page 1 EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY DATE: August 6, 2012 TO: Family and Human Services Committee FROM: John Cottrell, Aging and Adult Services Director SUBJECT: CalFresh Program Updates As a follow up to the 2011 committee report, the Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) is providing a status update to the restaurant meals program. In addition, there is information outlining the requirements for a corrective action plan due to not meeting the state application processing timelines. The CalFresh program, formerly known as Food Stamps and federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), was designed to help provide assistance to hungry people, regardless of their age, gender, marital or family status. The program issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods at many markets and food stores. The CalFresh program helps to improve the health and well-being of qualified households and individuals by providing them a means to meet their nutritional needs. At the federal level, the program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. In California, the CalFresh program is supervised at the state level by the California Department of Social Services and is administered at the local level by each County Welfare Department. Restaurant Meals Program The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a federally funded program that allows CalFresh (CF) recipients who are elderly (60 and over), disabled, or homeless to use their CF benefits to purchase restaurant prepared meals. There are currently 4,848 households in Contra Costa County who are potentially eligible for this program at this time. The restaurant meals program has been available since 2004, however, very few counties are participating. EHSD staff have contacted these counties in an effort to learn more about the details of administering this additional program. The costs associated with implementation are primarily staffing and administrative. Recent developments include a failed legislative attempt at the State level that would have limited the types of food that could be purchased by California CF recipients. In addition, with the increased media attention associated with fast food establishments utilizing the RMP, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has Page 2 instructed the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) that they must follow the intent of the RMP. This effort will ensure that there are healthy meal choices available before approving a participating restaurant. Verification of this must be submitted to CDSS before the county will be certified to implement RMP. There are several component involved in the certification process with include: (1) Certifying homeless, elderly and disabled recipients of CF as eligible to purchase low cost healthy meals with CF benefits in restaurants which have entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county for this purpose, (2) Identifying households entitled to participate in the program for the use of CF benefits at authorized restaurants, (3) Informing those recipients of the names and addresses of participating restaurants, and (4) Completing a demographic analysis by zip code of the location of the potential RMP population in relation to potential participating restaurants. The MOU must contain a requirement that the restaurant provide low cost or discount meals during regular hours to eligible homeless, elderly or disabled persons. Low cost meals are defined as meals that cost less than what would be charged to customers not using CF benefits. Discounted meals are defined as meals already offered to certain consumers or advertised special or sale priced meals offered to all consumers. CDSS must approve the EHSD draft MOU, and EHSD must execute an MOU with each restaurant. In addition, each restaurant must agree to abide by all the rules and regulations of the USDA for CF acceptance and redemption. Any restaurant that wishes to enter into a contract with EHSD must submit to the USDA a “Meal Service Application” Form FNS-252-2, with the accompanying verifications. The restaurant must also notify EHSD when it receives authorization of its application. EHSD must also submit to CDSS all draft outreach information that will advertise the restaurant meals program to the restaurant community and to the eligible recipient community including information on standards and availability. EHSD was ready to discuss the possibility of piloting the RMP with a few restaurants pending further discussion with the California Restaurant Association. To date, there has been no contact by the association declaring interest. Due to the EHSD workload and staffing issues related to implementing the RMP there has been no movement in attaining approval from CDSS at this time. Management Evaluation As mandated by FNS, CDSS conducts a Management Evaluation (ME) review of Contra Costa County’s administration of the CF program. The federal priority areas for FFY 2012 are: Program Access / Customer Service, Timeliness of Application Processing, Payment Accuracy, and Quality Control (QC). The findings from this review will assist in the development, implementation, and review of county Program Improvement Responses. This review will take place on a yearly basis as Contra Costa is now considered a large county (case load over 25,000). The review for 2012 was completed the week of June 11, and official ME findings will be issued by CDSS in 60 to 90 days. Page 3 The preliminary results presented were positive but concern was expressed regarding meeting the application processing timeliness standards. The ME reviewers reiterated the new policy set forth by CDSS that began January 2012. Any county that is below 90% for two consecutive quarters will be expected to submit a plan of action. The data used for the ME review (January through December 2011) showed the Expedited Services (ES) issuance compliance rate at 84% and the 30 day application processing rate at 87.5%. Corrective Action Plan FNS requires states to maintain a certain performance measure for application processing timeliness. FNS evaluates timeliness as part of the QC process and measures timeliness according to federal processing standards. The timeliness measurements include both ES and 30 day application processing. The federal timelines for ES is seven days but California law requires ES to be issued within three days. FNS requires a 100 percent application processing timeliness rate and a Correction Action Plan (CAP) when a state is below 90%. Final data for FFY 2011 indicates a timeliness rate of 81.82% for California. As a result, one of the corrective action initiatives created by CDSS is to require counties that are below 90% for two consecutive quarters beginning January 2012 to submit a CAP. Once notified, the county must develop, submit and implement a CAP that includes the steps that will be taken to meet the performance standard. Once the county maintains timeliness standards for two consecutive quarters, they will no longer be subject to the CAP requirements. The 30 day application timeliness average is 94% for the January through March 2012 quarter, and April through June 2012 quarter compliance is 97%. EHSD has a 97% ES compliance rate for federal timeliness (seven days), but the expectation is to meet the three day California timeframe. The average for January through March 2012 quarter is 82% and the April through June 2012 quarter shows a compliance rate of 89.11%. Conclusion EHSD is committed to improving CF access and application processing timeliness. The RMP is one means of increasing access. Of the 68,000 persons currently in receipt of CF benefits, 7% are homeless, elderly or disabled. These individuals are not able to acquire prepared meals due to lack of residence, proper cooking facilities and disabilities that limit their ability to prepare food. California counties who currently operate a RMP have indicated that while it is labor intensive to implement, it has been successful for both recipients and the local economy. In addition, EHSD staff are currently working to develop corrective action strategies to meet the compliance rates in the upcoming quarters.