HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 09232019 - FHS Cte Agenda Pkt
FAMILY & HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE
September 23, 2019
10:30 A.M.
651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair
Supervisor John Gioia, Vice Chair
Agenda
Items:
Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference
of the Committee
1.Introductions
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this
agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
3. RECEIVE and APPROVE the draft Record of Action for the July 29, 2019 Family &
Human Services Committee meeting. (Julie DiMaggio Enea, County Administrator's
Office)
4. CONSIDER accepting the joint update report from Behavioral Health Services and the
Mental Health Commission on the public mental health care system, child and teen
psychiatric services. (Matthew P. White, M.D., Medical Director; Suzanne Tavano,
PH.D., Behavioral Health Director; Barbara Serwin, Chair, Mental Health Commission)
5. CONSIDER accepting status report on the Employment and Human Services
Department providing an update on CalFresh and the department's implementation of
the CalFresh benefits expansion.. (Kathy Gallagher, Employment and Human Services
Director)
6.The October 28, 2019 meeting of the Family and Human Services Committee has been
canceled. A special meeting has been scheduled for October 7, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. in Room
B001, County Finance Building, 625 Court Street, Martinez.
7.Adjourn
The Family & Human Services Committee will provide reasonable accommodations for persons
with disabilities planning to attend Family & Human Services Committee meetings. Contact the
staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting.
Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and
distributed by the County to a majority of members of the Family & Human Services Committee
less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 651 Pine Street, 10th
1
floor, during normal business hours.
Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day
prior to the published meeting time.
For Additional Information Contact:
Julie DiMaggio Enea, Interim Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1077, Fax (925) 646-1353
julie.enea@cao.cccounty.us
2
FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE 3.
Meeting Date:09/23/2019
Subject:RECORD OF ACTION FOR THE JULY 29, 2019 FHS MEETING
Submitted For: David Twa, County Administrator
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: N/A
Referral Name: N/A
Presenter: Julie DiMaggio Enea Contact: Julie DiMaggio Enea (925)
335-1077
Referral History:
County Ordinance requires that each County body keep a record of its meetings. Though the
record need not be verbatim, it must accurately reflect the agenda and the decisions made in the
meeting.
Referral Update:
Attached is the draft Record of Action for the July 29, 2019 Family & Human Services
Committee meeting.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE and APPROVE the draft Record of Action for the July 29, 2019 Family & Human
Services Committee meeting.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
None.
Attachments
Draft FHS Record of Action for July 29, 2019
3
FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE
RECORD OF ACTION FOR
JULY 29, 2019
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair
Supervisor John Gioia, Vice Chair
Present: Chair Candace Andersen
Vice Chair John Gioia
Staff Present:Timothy Ewell, Chief Asst CAO
Attendees:Laura Malone, EHSD; Sandra Wall, SEIU Local 1021; Roslyn Gentry, EHSD; Kathy Marsh,
EHSD; Larry Sly, CC Food Bank; Caitlyn Sly, CC Food Bank; Steve Weiss, Bay Area Legal
Aid; Mariana Moore, Ensuring Opportunity; Susan Jeong, CCC Office of Education;
Katharine Mason, EHSD; Camilla Rand, EHSD; Ali Hudda, EHSD; Rebecca Darnell, EHSD;
Kathy Gallagher, EHS Director; Noramah Burch, EHSD-WS; Donna Van Wert, Workforce
Dev Board Director; Don Graves, EHSD; Lori Castillo, EHSD; Julia Taylor, County Admin
Office; Melanie, Multi-Faith Action Coalition
1.Introductions
Chair Andersen call the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. and invites attendees to
introduce themselves.
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this
agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
No one requested to speak during the public comment period.
3.RECEIVE and APPROVE the draft Record of Action for the June 10, 2019 Family &
Human Services Committee meeting.
The Committee approved the Record of Action for the June 10, 2019 meeting as
presented.
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
4.RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the appointment of David Boots to the
Consumer 60 or Older - Seat 1 to the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority
Advisory Committee to a term ending on March 6, 2022, as recommended by the
Authority.
Approved as recommended.
DRAFT
4
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
5.RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the appointment of Pearl C. Parmelee
Cabrera to the Alternate seat on the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa
County (AC5) to a term that will expire June 30, 2023, as recommended by AC5.
Approved as recommended.
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
6.RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the reappointment of Carol Carillo to the
Sector Seat 4 - Child Abuse Prevention Council, Marianne Gagen to At-Large Seat 3,
and Joseph DeLuca to At-Large Seat 4 on the Family and Children's Trust Committee
for terms expiring September 30, 2021, as recommended by the Employment and
Human Services Department.
Approved as recommended. Supervisor Gioia commented on need to enhance representation on the
Committee in East and West County.
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
7.RECEIVE report from the Employment and Human Services Department on the
proposed closure of the Crescent Park Child Development Center in Richmond.
Camilla Rand presented the staff report. She reported that the facility closure is due
to teacher shortages and low enrollment, which were attributed to low teacher
salaries and community violence in the surrounding area of Crescent Park.
Supervisor Gioia stated he will work with the City to develop strategies in that area.
Supervisor Gioia also requested the Department to conduct and report back to the
Committee on a salary study. The Department agreed and stated Associate Teachers
are paid the lowest, with the highest turnover rate, so the Department is especially
targeting research and efforts on that job class. The Committee accepted the staff
report and the Department is targeting to report back to FHS in 3-4 months.
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
8.ACCEPT status report on the Employment and Human Services Department's
implementation of the CalFresh expansion. (Kathy Gallagher, Employment and Human
Services Director)
Kathy Gallagher presented the staff report. As of Friday July 26, the Department
DRAFT
5
Kathy Gallagher presented the staff report. As of Friday July 26, the Department
had received 3,428 applications. The rate of receipt has leveled to about 200 per
week. In July, 906 applications were received in contrast to 2,000 applications
received in June. The Department has prioritized the 650 applications that have
been pending more than 30 days; of these, most are 1-2 weeks over the 30-day
processing deadline.
Chair Andersen asked about the expectations for application volume and associated
need for more staffing come August. Kathy Gallagher anticipates a possible spike
in applications in August due to increased outreach, and a correlating need for
additional staff. She stated that workload was heavier than anticipated due to
several factors, including: State misinformation that a client will receive
substantially higher benefit amounts, a change in assumption that IHSS applicants
would be enrolled at time of reapplying, the protracted timeline for onboarding
eligibility workers, and staff turnover.
Larry Sly commented that EHSD should have anticipated the need for more staff
last November. With the radio ads starting again in August, Caitlyn Sly expects this
will be a large issue for backlog and suggested that Contra Costa County is
singular with this backlog. She requested data to be provided by EHSD on a more
regular basis.
Melanie commented that other counties are helping applicants with medical
expenses. She urged our County to be more proactive in getting benefits for
individuals, and objected to framing outreach as a contributor to the backlog.
Rebecca Darnell noted that the Department is working to get the maximum benefits
possible for each applicant. The Department is not holding up applications for the
MediCal deductible, but instead incorporates that information when it is received.
Sandra Wall stated that Contra Costa County failed to competitively compensate
and staff up as other counties did.
Steve Weiss commented that a high percentage of applications are not being
processed timely, and that other counties are being more proactive and helping
clients be considered as separate households to help them receive benefits.
Vice Chair Gioia commented that the county should have assumed the highest
possible number of applicants to make sure we were prepared, and also observed
that many other counties have a more robust property tax base and also local sales
tax.
The Committee accepted the staff report and requested Kathy to provide an update
at the Committee’s next meeting on September 23, 2019. Vice Chair Gioia directed
staff to meet with outside stakeholders for assistance and to look at other counties
for insight. He asked for a report back on plans to address long-term trends of this
program; Plan A should be the plan with resources as currently allocated, Plan B
should be a plan that contemplates additional resources.
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
DRAFT
6
Passed
9.ACCEPT this report from the Employment and Human Services Department on youth
services and the Independent Living Skills Program; and continue to support the
Children and Family Services Bureau and its efforts to serve foster youth in the ILSP
program.
Chair Andersen left the meeting. Supervisor Gioia accepted the staff report.
AYE: Vice Chair John Gioia
Other: Chair Candace Andersen (ABSENT)
Passed
10.ACCEPT attached report on the activities and key accomplishments of the Local
Planning and Advisory Council for Early Care and Education during fiscal year
2018-19.
Chair Andersen left the meeting. Supervisor Gioia accepted the staff report.
AYE: Vice Chair John Gioia
Other: Chair Candace Andersen (ABSENT)
Passed
11.The next meeting is currently scheduled for August 26, 2019.
The Committee decided to cancel the August 26, 2019 meeting with the next
meeting being scheduled for September 23.
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
12.Adjourn
Vice Chair Gioia adjourned the meeting at 10:30 a.m.
For Additional Information Contact:
Julie DiMaggio Enea, Interim Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1077, Fax (925) 646-1353
julie.enea@cao.cccounty.us
DRAFT
7
FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE 4.
Meeting Date:09/23/2019
Subject:Public Mental Health Care Systems; Child and Teen Psychiatric Services; and
Grand Jury Report No. 1703
Submitted For: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Department:Health Services
Referral No.: 115/116
Referral Name: Public Mental Health Care System
Presenter: Matthew P. White, M.D.; Suzanne Tavano,
PH.D; Barbara Serwin, Chair, Mental Health
Commission
Contact: Warren Hayes
(925) 957-2616
Referral History:
On October 30, 2017 the Family and Human Services Committee (FHS) accepted the report from
the Health Services Department addressing various mental health service issues and concerns
raised by the FHS, the Board of Supervisors, the Mental Health Commission’s White Paper, the
Civil Grand Jury, and members of the public. These issues and concerns centered upon the
difficulty in accessing mental health care, particularly for children and youth experiencing serious
emotional disturbances. Indicative to this lack of access was the 1) increase in Psychiatric
Emergency Services visits, 2) long wait times to access care, and 3) shortage of clinical staff,
especially psychiatrists. The Health Services Department report addressed these issues and
concerns, and reported upon the initiatives and progress made to date.
The FHS asked the Department to provide an update to the Mental Health Commission in six
months, and to the FHS annually thereafter. The last status report made to FHS was on September
24, 2018.
Referral Update:
The attached report represents current updates to issues identified in the report entitled, "Contra
Costa County Mental Health Commission Response to Behavioral Health Services Update to
Grand Jury Report No. 1703 and Referrals 115 and 116".
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT the joint update report from Behavioral Health Services and the Mental Health
Commission on the public mental health care system, child and teen psychiatric services.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
8
Fiscal Impact (if any):
There is no fiscal impact.
Attachments
Joint Behavioral Health Services and Mental Health Commission Status Report
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE 5.
Meeting Date:09/23/2019
Subject:SNAP/CalFresh (Food Stamp) Program Follow-up Report
Submitted For: Kathy Gallagher, Employment & Human Services Director
Department:Employment & Human Services
Referral No.: FHS #103
Referral Name: SNAP/CalFresh (Food Stamp) Program
Presenter: Kathy Gallagher Contact: Rebecca Darnell, Director, Workforce
Svcs Bureau
Referral History:
The SNAP Program was originally referred to the Family and Human Services Committee by the
Board or Supervisors on February 15, 2011. This program was formerly known as Food Stamps
and is currently known as the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In
California, the name of the program is CalFresh.
EHSD has presented periodic status reports to the FHS related to concerns about extended wait
times for benefits and the anticipated impact of the expansion of CalFresh benefits to SSI
(Supplemental Security Income/Supplementary Payments) recipients effective June 1, 2019. FHS
received status reports on September 24 and December 3, 2018; and on April 22, June 10, and
July 29, 2019. EHSD also presented a status report directly to the Board of Supervisors on July 9,
2019.
In July 2019, Kathy Gallagher presented the staff report. As of Friday July 26, the Department
had received 3,428 applications. The rate of receipt had leveled to about 200 per week. In July,
906 applications were received in contrast to 2,000 applications received in June. The Department
prioritized the 650 applications that had been pending more than 30 days; of these, most were 1-2
weeks over the 30-day processing deadline.
Chair Andersen asked about the expectations for application volume and associated need for more
staffing come August. Kathy Gallagher anticipated a possible spike in applications in August due
to increased outreach, and a correlating need for additional staff. She stated that workload was
heavier than anticipated due to several factors, including: State misinformation that a client will
receive substantially higher benefit amounts, a change in assumption that IHSS applicants would
be enrolled at time of reapplying, the protracted timeline for onboarding eligibility workers, and
staff turnover.
Larry Sly commented that EHSD should have anticipated the need for more staff last November.
With the radio ads starting again in August, Caitlyn Sly expects this will be a large issue for 16
With the radio ads starting again in August, Caitlyn Sly expects this will be a large issue for
backlog and suggested that Contra Costa County is singular with this backlog. She requested data
to be provided by EHSD on a more regular basis.
A speaker named Melanie commented that other counties are helping applicants with medical
expenses. She urged our County to be more proactive in getting benefits for individuals, and
objected to framing outreach as a contributor to the backlog. Rebecca Darnell noted that the
Department is working to get the maximum benefits possible for each applicant. The Department
is not holding up applications for the MediCal deductible, but instead incorporates that
information when it is received.
Sandra Wall stated that Contra Costa County failed to competitively compensate and staff up as
other counties did.
Steve Weiss commented that a high percentage of applications are not being processed timely,
and that other counties are being more proactive and helping clients be considered as separate
households to help them receive benefits.
Vice Chair Gioia commented that the County should have assumed the highest possible number
of applicants to make sure we were prepared, and also observed that many other counties have the
advantage of a more robust property tax base and also a local sales tax.
The Committee accepted the staff report and requested Kathy to provide an update at the
Committee’s next meeting on September 23, 2019. Vice Chair Gioia directed staff to meet with
outside stakeholders for assistance and to look at other counties for insight. He asked for a report
back on plans to address long-term trends of this program; Plan A should be the plan with
resources as currently allocated, Plan B should be a plan that contemplates additional resources.
Referral Update:
Please see attached report from EHS Director Kathy Gallagher providing an update on CalFresh
and the department's implementation of the CalFresh benefits expansion.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT status report on the Employment and Human Services Department's providing an
update on CalFresh and the department's implementation of the CalFresh benefits expansion.
Attachments
EHSD CalFresh Report
EHSD CalFresh Expansion Report
17
CalFresh Update
Report to the County Family and Human Services Committee
September 23, 2019
Prepared by:
Kathy Gallagher
Employment and Human Services Director
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WORKFORCE SERVICES BUREAU
CALFRESH UPDATE
1
CALFRESH UPDATE
I. Overview
The CalFresh program, formerly known as Food Stamps and federally known as the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is for people with low income who meet federal income eligibility
rules and want to expand their budget to put healthy and nutritious food on the table. The program issues
monthly electronic benefits that are used to buy most foods at many markets and grocery 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 United States
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the program. In
California, the CalFresh program falls under the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and is
administered at the local level by the Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD).
In Contra Costa County, the Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) serves 31,035
households and 60,000 individuals monthly. CalFresh puts almost $8.0 million into the local economy each
month. As indicated by the USDA, research shows that every $1 provided in CalFresh benefits generates
$1.79 in economic activity. For Contra Costa County, that was $14.32 million into the local economy over
the past year. This economic stimulus is almost exclusively Federal and State funded and provides an
important local boost to our economy. CalFresh benefits help families stretch their food dollars to buy
healthier foods for the whole family.
From January 2018 through July 2019, an average of approximately 2,660 applications were submitted
monthly. In May 2019, newly eligible SSI (Social Security Income) recipients began applying for benefits
(noted above in red). This programmatic change is also known as CalFresh Expansion.
2750
2113 2370 2334 2482 2476
2829 2969
2409 2710
2163 2006
2573
1834 2036 2277
3384
4863
3805
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Applications per Month
Jan 2018 -July 2019
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WORKFORCE SERVICES BUREAU
CALFRESH UPDATE
2
II. Eligibility for CalFresh
Households that include single individuals, couples, or families are eligible for CalFresh benefits if they
meet certain income criteria and legally reside in California. For some CalFresh beneficiaries under the
200% FPL, eligibility is not asset-based or resource-based which means their property is not counted. New
proposed legislation may affect these households, and changes to property limits may soon affect our
families. This proposed change will be outlined in VII - Legislation and Policy of Interest.
The amount of benefits a person receives depends on the number of people in the household who
purchase and prepare food together, and how much monthly income is left after certain expenses are
deducted. Income consists of earned and unearned income. Expenses like rent, utilities, dependent care
and certain medical expenses are allowable deductions. For example, a household of one (1) with no
income would be eligible to receive $192.00 a month in CalFresh benefits and a household of 10 with no
income would receive $1,441.00 a month.
III. Program Accessibility
Over the last several years, in order to make CalFresh benefits more readily accessible to County residents
and families, the Department has increased its efforts in working with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and
Solano County as well as other community agencies dedicated to the CalFresh eligible population. As listed
below, these efforts have contributed to the success of our expanding benefits to those in need of food
security.
The application process has been made easier by eliminating the requirement to apply through a
face- to- face interview process. A telephone interview is now acceptable at both intake and
recertification. A customer may still request a face- to- face interview if they are more
comfortable meeting directly with an Eligibility Worker.
Use of telephonic signature is being utilized for annual reviews at the Medi-Cal CalFresh Service
Center (MCSC) and is coming soon to all intake units.
Individuals applying online are no longer required to produce a wet signature on applications. Not
only does this simplify the CalFresh application process but expedites the granting of the
application and saves money by eliminating mailings.
Applicants can apply for CalFresh benefits on-line through the My Benefits CalWIN.org portal
(MyBCW). Many of our community-based partners have received orientations/trainings on
assisting individuals through this on-line application process. In addition, Community Based
Organizations (CBOs) can register their organizations as vendors in CalWIN, allowing the CBOs to
track the number of applications they register. For PY 2018/19 we received 1,553 applications via
MyBCW. Thus far, in PY 2019/20, we have received 1,543 applications. Based on these numbers
we are on track to almost double the number of applications received in PY 2018/19.
To further support the Food Bank and other CBO efforts to assist clients directly, EHSD has
provided CalWIN read only access. This will allow designated staff to review case status, remind
clients of their appointments, advise them of missing paperwork or verifications, etc.
The Get CalFresh portal is another online access point for individuals to apply for benefits. This
portal is easily accessible to any individual online and requires very little information to begin the
CalFresh application process. In 2018, we received 10,531 applications via Get CalFresh.
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WORKFORCE SERVICES BUREAU
CALFRESH UPDATE
3
Beginning June 2019, we are receiving an average 1,300 electronic applications per month due to
the newly eligible SSI recipients.
IV. Current CalFresh Service Levels and Program Performance
Service Levels:
During PY (Program Year) 2017/18, the monthly average of individuals (families and single
households) who were in receipt of CalFresh benefits was 59,136 and 48% of these individuals are
children. This is approximately a 9% decrease in the monthly average of individuals from the previous
program year.
Program Performance: Timeliness Processing Standards
FNS requires states and counties to maintain certain performance measures for the timely processing
of CalFresh applications. These measures require that 90% of all applications received be processed
within 30 days and requires a three (3) day processing period for those CalFresh applicants who we
determine require Expedited Services (ES).
We continued to meet the 30-day CalFresh application-processing standard of 90% for PY2017/18
with 97% of applications processed within the 30-day processing requirement through June 2019.
During this same period, we achieved a 98.71% average of processing ES applications within three (3)
days. CalFresh Expansion has affected our ability to maintain the 90% processing standard of ES in
three (3) days and applications in 30 days during the months of July and August 2019. We anticipate
being in compliance by October 2019.
1091
927 981 980 1097 1124
1328 1467
1211 1294
1003 889
1192
712 668 756
1268
2676
1867
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Applications Received Online
21
WORKFORCE SERVICES BUREAU
CALFRESH UPDATE
4
96%
94%
92%93%93%
95%95%
92%92%
95%96%96%
91%
81%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
Jun-18 Jul-18 Aug-18 Sep-18 Oct-18 Nov-18 Dec-18 Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19
Applications Processed within 30 Days
98%
97%
98%98%
99%
96%
98%
99%
98%
99%99%
98%
93%
89%
84%
86%
88%
90%
92%
94%
96%
98%
100%
Jun-18 Jul-18 Aug-18 Sep-18 Oct-18 Nov-18 Dec-18 Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19
Expedited Services Processed within 3 days
22
WORKFORCE SERVICES BUREAU
CALFRESH UPDATE
5
The Department reviews the denied applications and the reasons for the denials. The reviews assist
with identifying training needs and increasing participation and approval ratings. The top reasons for
denial are failure to keep scheduled intake interviews after multiple contacts, failure to provide
verification, over income limits, not a separate household, ineligible student, and withdrawn
application. In July, the Department had a 69% approval rate, 27% denial rate and 4% of applications
were withdrawn. Of the 27 % that were denied, 20% of those were deemed ineligible where the other
80% were denied for procedural reasons including missed appointments, loss of contact, and failure
to provide documents. Individuals can contact the department within 30 days of their denial notice
to reschedule or provide what is needed to determine eligibility.
Management Evaluation (ME)
As mandated by the FNS, the California State Department of Social Services (CDSS) is required to
conduct a Management Evaluation (ME) review of Contra Costa County’s administration of the
CalFresh Program. The federal priority areas of the ME for FFY 2019 were Program Access, Customer
Service, Timeliness of Application Processing, Payment Accuracy, Quality Control and Training. The
ME review was conducted October 15 – 19, 2018.
CDSS observed and interviewed staff at the Medi-Cal CalFresh Service Center (MCSC), Central Mailing
Unit, Benefits CalWIN, and our Ellinwood and Richmond District Offices. CDSS complimented the
County for excellent customer service and our timeliness granting expedited services.
During the exit interview, CDSS noted thirteen findings. All findings required minimal effort to correct,
as they were related to providing informational notices and forms to individuals who are denied
CalFresh services at application.
Our next ME is scheduled for December 2 - December 6, 2019.
CalFresh Error Rate
Every month in every county, FNS selects a random sampling of CalFresh cases that are reviewed for
case errors involving miscalculations of income or household composition, which result in benefit
issuance errors. Our Quality Control (QC) Unit reviews the cases that have been selected and
determines our CalFresh error rate. The cumulative (rolling) error rate is from the beginning of the
federal fiscal year through the current month and ending in September. The error rate percentage
is derived from the number of cases reviewed and the dollar amount of the errors cited. QC reviews
are always several months behind in the calendar year, currently we have been reviewed through
April 2019.
The cumulative error rate in for FFY 18/19 (October 2018-April 2019) was 3.76% which is well below
the State average of 5.79%.
CDSS reported that California would not be sanctioned for last FFY 17/18 even though California’s
average error rate was 7.25% and over the National average. California is ranked 31st in the Nation.
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CALFRESH UPDATE
6
V. Current Changes to the CalFresh Program
CalFresh Expansion
Effective June 1, 2019, individuals receiving, or authorized to receive, Supplemental Security
Income/Supplementary Payments (SSI/SSP) through the Social Security Administration are now
potentially eligible for CalFresh or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Projections from the State of California Department of Social Services (CDSS) identified 10,045
SSI/SSP residents of Contra Costa County to be CalFresh eligible. Of this population, we anticipate
that approximately 6,500 of these individuals are currently receiving In Home Supportive Services
(IHSS) through the Aging and Adult Services Bureau of the Employment and Human Services
Department (EHSD).
Leading up to implementation, EHSD was understaffed and lacked adequate resources to hire.
The FY 18/19 State/Federal funding was provided in December 2018 in the amount of $973,280
to cover planning and implementation costs. The CAO made up to $300,000 ($600,000 with
Federal match) available to fill the gap until September when the FY 19/20 CalFresh/SSI allocations
are known (still pending). The FY 19/20 State budget shows a very small statewide allocation of
$30 million for SSI Expansion, which is offset by a $30 million reduction in the overall CalFresh
allocation, leaving no estimated increase for CalFresh services. Employment and Human Services
(EHSD) funded 24 positions (15 temporary Eligibility Workers-EW, 4 temporary clerical and 5
permanent EW’s) to assist in this effort.
Under Federal law, the eligibility determination for CalFresh must be completed within 30 days of
the application date. The initial influx of applications has been challenging and beyond our
capacity to meet this requirement. Currently we have pulled staff, department wide, to process
these applications and continue to focus on overtime to bring our application timelines into
compliance.
CalFresh SSI Expansion: Individuals
SSI Category
CalFresh SSI Expansion 3910
CalFresh SSI Expansion with IHSS 1422
TOTAL 5332
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WORKFORCE SERVICES BUREAU
CALFRESH UPDATE
7
Next Steps
EHSD has a long history of working with the SSI population and we are familiar with the vulnerabilities and
special physical and mental challenges with which many struggle. To that end, and with the aim of
providing a supportive case management environment, EHSD will be combining the caseloads of SSI
recipients into a separate eligibility division under one manager. These program caseloads include
General Assistance, the SSI Advocacy program, IHSS Medi-Cal (not IHSS program cases handled by social
workers), CalFresh eligibility cases, and non IHSS CalFresh cases. Workers in this division will have
assigned cases and will be the primary case management point of contact for their recipients. This division
has been established and we are solidifying our dual program workers to ensure holistic services for this
population. Management is currently refining the business process and procedures and are in the final
stages of hiring. The Aging and Adult Services Bureau will conduct targeted outreach to their IHSS/SSI
recipients, in an attempt to bring those eligible into the CalFresh program and increase participation.
Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents-ABAWD
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation ACT (PRWORA) of 1996 limited the
receipt of CalFresh benefits to three (3) full months in a 36-month period for Able Bodied Adults without
Dependents (ABAWDs).
California has been under a statewide waiver of the ABAWD time limit since 2008 due to the high
statewide unemployment rate. Effective August 31, 2018, the statewide waiver expired for certain
geographic areas within California (San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties) and those areas
became ineligible for a waiver of the time limit. Counties that lost their wavier were required to
implement ABAWD beginning September 1, 2018. Effective August 31, 2019 three additional geographic
areas (Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin Counties) will become ineligible for a waiver of the time limit and
will be required to implement ABAWD effective September 1, 2019.
78%
11%
7%
4%
Expansion Application Status
Approved
Denied
Pending
Withdrawn/Cancelled
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CALFRESH UPDATE
8
An ABAWD is an able-bodied adult between 18 years and 49 years old who is not disabled, pregnant, or
living in a household with minor children. For individuals in this category there are ways to be exempt
from the rule and ways to meet the requirement. In both exempt and meeting the requirement
situations, individuals will not be held to the three (3) month time limit.
Some of the more common exemptions are:
Complying with CalWORKs Welfare to Work requirements
Responsible for the care of an incapacitated person
Applying for or receiving Unemployment Benefits
Participating in a drug or alcohol treatment/rehabilitation program
Attending high school, a training program or an institution of higher education at least half time
An individual will meet the ABAWD work requirement by:
Working at least 20 hours per week (80 hours average per month)
Participating at least 20 hours per week (80 hours average per month) in an allowable work
activity (training program)
Electing to perform community service or volunteer work at least 20 hours per week (or 80 hours
averaged monthly)
Federal law provides that each state be allotted a number of individual exemptions equal to a percentage
of the state’s annual caseload that is subject to the ABAWD time limit. These exemptions allow counties
to extend eligibility to ABAWDs who would otherwise be ineligible. Each exemption is equal to one month
of eligibility for one individual and are referred to as percentage exemptions (previously known as the
15% and 12% exemptions).
The percentage exemption is only available to individuals at risk of losing federal benefits and the law
allows discretion in how to utilize this exemption. CDSS has established statewide criteria regarding the
allocation of the percentage exemption adopted by Contra Costa County including:
Error protection for ABAWDS who were inadvertently issued benefits after exhausting their 3
months
Individuals who are making an effort to work
Special Circumstances, i.e., reentry, seasonal employment, Foster Care
California is operating on a “fixed statewide clock” meaning the 36-month period has the same beginning
and ending date in all 58 counties for all ABAWD individuals. California’s first 36 -month period began
January 1, 2017 and will end on December 31, 2019. A new 36-month “fixed statewide clock” will begin
January 1, 2020.
Contra Costa County is electing to approve a percentage exemption for all individuals who have used their
three (3) months for December 2019. This will allow a safety net while we continue screen ABAWDs for
exemptions, finding employment or enrolling in a training program. With the new “fixed state clock”
starting in January 2020, Contra Costa County – EHSD will not see anyone terminated, for ABAWD rules
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CALFRESH UPDATE
9
until April 2020. Currently the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County is employing an ABAWD
navigator who is screening potential ABAWDs for exemptions.
In an effort to have available opportunities in Contra Costa County as o ur ABAWD waiver comes to an
end, the Foundation of California Community Colleges (FCCC) in coordination with Contra Costa County is
in the process of expanding CalFresh E&T also known as Fresh Success. It is anticipated by mid-fall we will
be bringing two additional employment and training providers to Contra Costa County. This expansion
will provide additional options for those who do not otherwise meet an exemption.
VI. Outreach, Access, and Community
EHSD continues our efforts to increase CalFresh participation ensuring that more children, families and
individuals are able to purchase nutritious food by working with our Community Partners. We continue
to work with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano to train nonprofit staff in CalFresh so they have a
better understanding of the program and enrollment process. This enhanced training and knowledge will
make a positive impact in the community and will assist us in strengthening our community partnerships.
Our partnering agencies continue to express a desire for the County to participate more robustly in
outreach efforts. Grants and funding opportunities often request organizations to collaborate with the
County, which we evaluate and assess, taking into account funding, resources and grant requirements.
Funding for direct outreach efforts by the department is limited by a prohibition on using Federal funds.
Access to CalFresh through our Intake system has been at the forefront as a result of the influx of
applications from SSI recipients. We are in the process of planning improvements that will facilitate access
across our county and improve our processing time. The CDSS and CWDA are collaborating on proposals
to streamline county processes and bring more consistency in our CalFresh application systems. Another
important aspect of facilitating application access is expanding our reach in the community. We will be
exploring options to increase sites in the county that provide application assistance for CalFresh.
Some of our recent highlights:
The Food Bank of Contra Costa County and Solano has hired an ABAWD Navigator to screen for
exemptions and provide resources. The Navigator is located in our Hercules office two days per
week. Her primary goal is to contact individuals that may be impacted by the new ABAWD rules,
explain the guidelines to the recipient, and submit an exemption if applicable. To date, our
ABAWD Navigator has made contact with 1,430 individuals and assisted recipients with 115
exemption worksheets.
The EHSD CalFresh Program Analyst conducts “Just the Basics” training with the Food Bank. This
takes place three to four times per year with 25 to 30 participants from various community
organizations. This training has been a foundation in developing new partners since 2006. Aides
of the Board of Supervisors, staff from WIC, the Monument Crisis Center, La Clinica, Rubicon,
Public Health, Head Start, One Stop Centers, and the Family Justice Centers attend these trainings.
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CALFRESH UPDATE
10
The training provides an overview of the applications process, eligibility requirements and specific
topics such as the upcoming ABAWD requirements.
EHSD has developed a video that is available on EHSD.ORG that outlines the ABAWD
requirements. This video was developed to assist our partners in identifying ABAWD exemptions
and submitting these to the County. This video can be found on ehsd.org.
EHSD continues to provide client navigational services and direct access to benefits, including
CalFresh, through our 4 Our Families Strategic Initiative. This service model provides a holistic
approach to helping first time clients access the supports and services they need through EHSD
and our Community Partners. Our 4 Our Families staff has been requested to assist with CalFresh
Expansion; however, they still provide services at the Richmond Family Justice Center, Bay Point
SIT Site, EHSD Antioch District Office and the EHSD satellite office in Brentwood.
The CalFresh Program Analyst continues to participate in training for Contra Costa County Health
Services Department, Health, Housing and Homeless, H3. This training is another avenue to
educate the community and other service providers on CalFresh benefits, including how to apply,
ABAWD, CF Expansion and basic eligibility.
VII. Legislation and Policy Items of Interest
Under the current Administration, we continue to be concerned about potential legislative or allocation
methodology changes, which may result in client eligibility and/or funding reductions to SNAP. We
continue to track this issue through several mechanisms, including County representative organizations
and our Policy and Planning Division. These changes will have an impact to our CalFresh participations
and/or increase the workload of our staff.
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CALFRESH UPDATE
11
A proposed rule by the US Department of Agriculture will limit benefits to those earning less than
130% of the national poverty level or $32,640 for a family of four and only allowing $2,250 in assets.
It is estimated that 3 million individuals will be impacted in California, and 4,000 households in Contra
Costa County. This new regulation was introduced on July 22, 2019 and is currently in the 60-day
comment period.
Public Charge is a term used by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) when referring to
noncitizens that have or may become dependent on public cash assistance. The Trump
Administration published a final rule regarding the definition, determination, and application of Public
Charge on August 14, 2019. This rule will take effect on October 15, 2019. The Final Rule expands the
types of benefits that may be considered for Public Charge, which impacts programs EHSD administers
to low income individuals and families. Programs that may negatively affect immigration and newly
considered Public Charge are Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and Section 8. Use of these benefits may be taken
into account when decisions are made about entry into the country and adjustment of immigration
status. Due to the complexity of the rules, EHSD and other partners are anticipating a general fear
from our non-citizen population to apply for, or continue, benefits. Although difficult to quantify, we
have had individuals contact the MCSC to terminate their benefits. EHSD has been preparing for
possible changes to the Public Charge rules by working with our community partners and posting
information and resources at ehsd.org.
Because of the significant increase of disasters combined with record-breaking destruction, California
created Assembly Bill AB 607, the community Resiliency and Disaster Preparedness Act of 2017. In
accordance with AB 607, the Bay Area Social Services Consortium (BASSC) is developing a social
services mutual aid plan. The plan is a work in progress and includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin,
Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma Counties. It
is anticipated that the agreement will be officially incorporated into the Department and CDSS
disaster plan for FFY 2021.
The telephonic signature is a type of electronic signature that uses an individual’s recorded spoken
signature or verbal consent in place of an actual written signature. The use of the telephonic
signature, as part of the application or recertification process, will eliminate the need to mail
documents in order to gather a client’s ink signature. In addition, utilizing this process will also reduce
the amount of cases that are discontinued for failure to complete the recertification process, which
will assist with reducing churn. Currently this software is available at our Medi-Cal CalFresh Service
Center (MCSC) and our Hercules office. EHSD is pushing the software out to all staff department-
wide for immediate implementation along with Adobe sign, a secure document submission system.
CalFresh Employment and Training
Contra Costa County’s CalFresh Employment and Training (CFET or CF E&T) is a voluntary program
that launched in April 2017 in partnership with the Foundation of California Community Colleges
(FCCC). Our CFET program design is that of an intermediary model, in which the FCCC serves as the
entity between the State and its service providers, Rubicon and Opportunity Junction. The FCCCs,
under the authority of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), maintains responsibility
for completion of the Statewide CalFresh E&T Plan, training, selection, and immediate ove rsight of
the participating providers and administrative responsibility. Contra Costa County Employment and
Human Services (EHSD) has a non-financial contract with both Rubicon and Opportunity Junction that
describes our partnership, working relationship, and information sharing process.
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CALFRESH UPDATE
12
Our CFET program offer participants a pathway to a better job through skills building and workforce
preparatory services. CFET services address the urgent need for participants to build skills and receive
job-driven training. The increasing need for a skilled workforce is an opportunity to move CalFresh (CF)
recipients into new and better paying jobs. This has led EHSD to collaborate with community-based
organizations to expand E & T services in Contra Costa County.
Elderly and/or Disabled Household Demonstration Projects
Standard Medical Deduction
Effective October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2021, a standard medical deduction of $120 will be
issued for households in which an elderly or disabled member incurs medical expenses in excess of
$35 per month. Households with an elderly or disabled member include those with at least one
individual who is 60 years of age or older and/or disabled and/or receives a disability based benefit.
To be eligible, the household must verify that they incur more than $35 a month in qualifying medical
expenses. Households with more than $155 a month may opt out to document and claim actual
expenses. Since the implementation of this new policy, there are currently 2,745 households utilizing
this deduction. EHSD has sent mailers to households and posted notifications in its lobbies outlining
this deduction in the hopes of increasing these numbers. This deduction is especially important for
our SSI/SSP individuals, this deduction can help maximize their benefit amount.
Elderly Simplified Application
Effective October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2021, a simplified application process has been
approved in an attempt to improve CalFresh access among the state’s low-income elderly and
disabled population. The project waives the recertification interview requirement, uses existing data
matches to reduce verification requests, and extends the certification period to 36 months. The
project applies to households where all members are either elderly (age 60 or older) and/or disabled
with no earned income. The project does not apply to other CalFresh participants. Since the
implementation of this new policy, the 36-month certification has been approved for over 4,000
households.
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CALFRESH UPDATE
13
X. Revenue and Allocations
CalFresh Allocations of State and Federal funds continue to drop each fiscal year. The slight increase in
FY18/19 was to accommodate for CalFresh Expansion. The allocation for FY 19/20 has yet to be
received.
Recently discussions have begun at CDSS and the California Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) to
review the administrative budgeting methodology. It has been determined that the worker rate is
understated and counties are underfunded. This will be an ongoing project with a committee comprised
of County representatives, CDSS, CWDA, Fiscal and Self Sufficiency committees.
EHSD has seen a significant increase to CalFresh applications so far this program year. Using monthly
averages, the department anticipates receiving close to 34,000 applications in 2019. With the
introduction of technology to simplify the application process, policy changes that expand eligibility, and
outreach efforts, EHSD is anticipating increases to CalFresh participation.
$15,082,065
$15,751,052
$15,126,092
$14,926,461
$12,925,571
$13,613,497
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
CalFresh Allocation
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CALFRESH UPDATE
14
XI. Next Steps
The Department remains committed to providing timely and ready access to CalFresh benefits for those
with food insecurities. The streamlining of processes, use of technology and ongoing assessment of
service improvement are all current priorities. Additionally, EHSD has a continual objective to improve in
areas of outreach, access and enrollment.
36,120
27,684
29,611
33,929
2016
2017
2018
2019
Applications
2019 is based on projections
32
CalFresh Expansion
Implementation Update
Report to the County Family and Human Services Committee
September 23, 2019
Prepared by:
Kathy Gallagher
Employment and Human Services Director
33
CalFresh Expansion Implementation Update
1
The Family and Human Services Committee received a comprehensive CalFresh Expansion Report on
July 29, 2019. The following is a brief update on that report.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EHSD remains committed to serving our community and continues to direct resources to
supporting SSI recipients.
The overall inflow of CalFresh Expansion applications remains high. CalFresh applications were still
35% higher-than-average in August due to the continued need of SSI recipients.
The number of pending applications has decreased by 82% since our last update. The decline
has been possible through extensive internal collaboration between units, availability of
overtime hours, and our temporary workforce.
Of the pending applications, only 9.5% are pending over 30 days. We continue to assist clients with
rescheduling interviews and obtaining necessary verifications, though the SSI populations has
unique barriers that can cause delays.
The approval rate for the CalFresh Expansion overall is 79%, which is higher than the 50% approval
rate for non-Expansion CalFresh applications. Continued communication about CalFresh eligibility
criteria and the requirement to complete the full application processes is needed.
We receive slightly over half of CalFresh Expansion applications through the GetCalFresh portal.
While EHSD supports the use of online applications, especially for those with mobility issues, we
encourage the public and community partners to use the MyBCW online application when
possible.
Progress continues on building out a new integrated eligibility unit in Aging and Adult Services,
encompassing the operations of General Assistance, IHSS, and our SSI Advocacy team. Currently,
27% of CalFresh Expansion applicants are IHSS recipients.
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CalFresh Expansion Implementation Update
2
INFLOW OF CALFRESH EXPANSION APPLICATIONS
On June 1, 2019, individuals receiving SSI/SSP became eligible to receive CalFresh, however, clients were
allowed to turn in applications beginning May 1, 2019. June 2019 was by far the highest volume month of
the expansion thus far. Still, the overall inflow of applications remains high. Prior to the expansion, EHSD
received an average of 2,180 CalFresh applications each month in 2019. Even in August, the lowest month
since we officially began accepting Expansion applications, our number of applications each month has
increased over 35%.
Though the total number of CalFresh Expansion applications did decrease in August, the overall volume
remains a significant increase in what EHSD would typically process for CalFresh in a given month.
Continued use of overtime and temporary employees remains necessary to deal with the inflow. The first
week of September 2019, we received 140 CalFresh Expansion applications, the second-highest first week
since May, which is notable given the Labor Day holiday and the shortened timeframe of being available
to accept applications in offices. In the coming months, we do expect that the total number of CalFresh
Expansion applications will level off, though the initial influx of new clients is still strong.
STATUS OF CALFRESH EXPANSION APPLICATIONS
As of September 8th, we have received 5,333 CalFresh Expansion applications. Approximately 73% of
these applications have come from new clients who are not currently receiving In-Home Supportive
Services (IHSS). Initially, the state predicted we would receive about 1,000 of such applications in total.
Though still early in the implementation process, we have far exceeded that total.
The number of pending applications has also decreased by 82% since our last update. This has been
possible through extensive internal collaboration between units, availability of overtime hours, and our
temporary workforce. EHSD is immensely grateful for the effort staff have put into processing applications
in a timely manner and drastically reducing our backlog.
In an average month, approximately 50% of CalFresh cases are approved. The approval rate for SSI
recipients / CalFresh Expansion is much higher at 79%. EHSD and community partners should continue
communicating with SSI recipients that CalFresh income limits still apply and SSI recipients will need to
complete the entire CalFresh application process.
58
1113
2158
1084
779
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Prior to May 1 May June July August
CalFresh Expansion Applications by
Month
35
CalFresh Expansion Implementation Update
3
SSI Expansion Application Status Number of Applications % of Total
Approved 4,199 79%
Denied 595 11%
Pending 317 6%
Withdrawn, Cancelled, or
Discontinued
222 4%
PENDING APPLICATIONS AND 30-DAY COMPLIANCE
The state of California defines compliance for CalFresh applications as 90% of applications being
processed within 30 days. In May 2019, SSI recipients became eligible to apply for CalFresh benefits.
State data shows our 30-day compliance rate decline from 96% in May to 91% in June 2019, then 81% in
July 2019. This decline coincided with the increased backlog created by the influx of CalFresh Expansion
applications.
We have developed internal methods for tracking compliance rates specifically for the CalFresh
Expansion SSI population. Of the 262 pending CalFresh Expansion applications as of September 12, only
25 have been pending for over 30 days (9.5%). Further, nearly half of these overdue applications are
overdue by less than 10 days. While we strive for complete compliance with the 30-day timeframe, the
influx of applications combined with the unique needs of CalFresh Expansion applicants has made 90%
compliance difficult for both EHSD and applicants.
After a client misses an interview or fails to turn in verifications, they have an additional 30 days to do so
before their application receives a final denial and they need to start a completely new application in
order to receive benefits. Because of the unique challenges the SSI population faces, which can include
homelessness and severe disabilities, clients may need additional time to complete interviews or obtain
their necessary paperwork.
ONLINE APPLICATIONS
One method of reducing wait times and expediting processing is the use of online applications. While we
recognize that some SSI recipients may have disabilities that make the use of computers difficult, for those
with mobility-related issues it may be an alternative to needing to make the trip to a district office.
Approximately 65% of CalFresh Expansion applications have arrived through an online portal. However,
the vast majority of these have come through GetCalFresh, a Code For America site that requires minimal
information from clients before sending the information to EHSD.
While we recognize that some clients may have limited time and GetCalFresh is a convenient option, we
do wish to stress that these applications have a higher-than-average denial rate for all CalFresh clients
due to the impression the application gives some clients that they have already completed the entire
process. MyBCW is an alternative online application system that better informs clients of the entire
CalFresh application process. We provided a MyBCW guide to community partners in May and are
available for any ongoing questions or support to use this system. When possible, we do encourage both
the public and community partners to use MyBCW instead of GetCalFresh to lessen the confusion for
clients and potentially expedite the application process.
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CalFresh Expansion Implementation Update
4
INTEGRATED SERVICES DIVISION
When the Expansion was approved by the legislature, we began planning for a new, integrated unit within
Aging and Adult Services (AAS) to oversee the ongoing case management of CalFresh expansion
customers. The goal of this unit is a customer-friendly application experience for IHSS customers who
have SSI and may be eligible for CalFresh. Currently 27% of CalFresh Expansion applicants are existing
IHSS clients.
This new division will serve both General Assistance (GA) customers and the IHSS clients that have SSI. GA
currently processes CalFresh applications for individuals already applying for GA, which will remain the
same. Customers who have both IHSS and SSI are currently able to apply for Medi-Cal, and will now be
able to apply for CalFresh through this new division. Additionally, Social workers in this new division will
continue to refer clients to apply for SSI benefits when appropriate, as well as provide advocacy and case
management during their SSI application process.
51%
14%
35%
Method of Application (Expansion
Only)
GetCalFresh Other Online In Person/Other Offline
37