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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01211997 - C47 C. 47 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Mark DeSaulnier ^. ; 0 - is Costa 9�._,. k.._��,o� DATE: January 21, 1997 Count'�'"�° T' y s,� _ . Refer to Family & Human Services Committee a Request by the International SUBJECT: Institute of the East Bay for Contra Costa County to Partiicipate in a Retional Collaborative Effort to Assist the Immigrant/Legal Permanent Resident Population Achieve Citizenship SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION REFER to the Family & Human Services Committee meeting of January 27, 1997, a request from the International Institute of the East Bay, which coordinates the East Bay Citizen Network, for Contra Costa County to participate in a regional collaborative effort to assist the immigrant/legal permanent resident (I/LPR) population achieve citizenship and report back to this Board no later than February 25, 1997. BACKGROUND The I/LPR population has received certain benefits from the federal government. Under welfare reform, those benefits (with few exceptions) will cease. However, the needs of that population will not disappear, and in all likelihood counties will be left to "fill in the gap" in providing those services. The Institute has applied to the Emma Lazarus Fund of the George Soros Foundation for approximately $9 million for the Bay Area region, $2 million of which would be used in Alameda and Contra Costa County. The funds would be used within this region to assist this particular population in achieving citizenship. Once citizenship is attained, an individual would be eligible for federal benefits. This request is for financial assistance to provide outreach services to this specific population so that the grant dollars can be appropriately targeted. Alameda County has already provided $100,000, and it is appropriate for this Board to consider whether it wishes to participate in this collaborative effort. Our Social Services Department staff, in anticipation of the dramatic affect welfare reform will have on this county, initiated a survey to determine the demographics of this population. A copy of the survey is attached. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON a I APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. q q ATTESTED_- ==s 6� + �� I 1 17 Contact: PH BATCHELOR,LERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: District IV SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR District III CAO BY ,DEPUTY SSI ALIEN NEEDS SURVEY UPDATED REPORT 1/7/97 In order to survey the needs of the aliens receiving SSI in Contra Costa County who may be negatively impacted by Welfare Reform in August, 1997, the County Social Service Department sent out questionnaires to approximately 5,500 SSI aliens on the Medi-Cal address list. The Questionnaire was mailed on November 27, 1996 and was received by the target population on November 29th, the day after Thanksgiving. It was thought that this would be an opportune time to assure a good response since families would be together and younger relatives would be on hand to assist in completion of the forms. The Questionnaire is a simple one page form - English on the front and Spanish on the reverse - with 17 key questions. In addition to name, address and phone information, individuals were asked to disclose their native language, the number of years they had lived in the U.S. , and whether they were already naturalized citizens. Other questions dealt with their facility in English, and whether they would qualify for an exemption (military connection, 40 work quarters, or time eligible refugees) . Additionally, they were asked if they were already in the process of applying for citizenship and whether they are ambulatory disabled or homebound disabled. A copy of the Questionnaire is attached. To date (1/7/97, ) countywide, 3 ,280 completed questionnaires have been received, a 60% return. Approximately 200 questionnaires were undeliverable due to outdated addresses. The youngest respondent is 9 years old and the oldest is 100. Approximately two dozen of the respondents are disabled minors. Several of the respondents included attachments such as copies of their alien cards, citizenship certificates, and letters verifying that they had passed certain tests. Others wrote touching letters noting that they had tried several times to pass the INS interview but failed. Still others described,their physical and mental ailments and some enclosed medical reports. Some respondents asked for information about local citizenship classes and others asked how they could obtain a medical exemption. Several letters expressed general anxiety and wonderment about how they could cope if SSI were terminated. A respondent who had written to Hillary Clinton about his dilemma, enclosed the reply he received from her thanking him for his "words of encouragement and support. " The Questionnaires were color coded for the three regions of the County in order to expedite sorting and tabulation: Blue for West County, Green for Central, and Yellow for East. The questionnaires were tabulated manually at this stage because information was 1 - needed quickly in order to formulate a local plan for inclusion in the application for foundation funds to support a Bay Area Regional SSI Citizenship Project. As this is written, questionnaires are still being received at the Social Service Office. It is anticipated that a computer assisted analysis of the survey will be forthcoming at a later date which will be more detailed and informative about the needs of this population. The following summarizes the survey results to date for the county as a whole and for each of the three regions: COUNTYWIDE: QUESTIONNAIRES RETURNED BY 1/7/97: West: 1,505 Central: 1,203 East: 572 Total 3 , 280 60% ( of 5,500 mailed) CITIZENS: West: 460 Central: 444 East: 166 Total 1,070 33% ( of 3 , 280 received) Note: majority of citizens are Spanish and Filipino PERSONS QUALIFYING FOR EXEMPTIONS: West: 123 Central: 194 East: 110 Total 427 13% (of 3 ,280 received) Note: 290 - 9% qualify for Military or Work Exemptions 137 - 4% are time eligible refugees, most of whom are Russians livinn the Central area The majority of those claimYng military exemptions are Filipinos - the majority of those claiming work exemptions are Spanish PERSONS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING NATURALIZED: West: 318 Central : 155 East: 68 Total 541 16% (of 3 , 280 received) 2 - Note: This population is not asleep. They know what is going on and many have already taken steps to become naturalized before the deadline. DISABLED AND HOMEBOUND: West: 198 Central: 159 East: 80 Total 437 13% (of 3,280 received) MAJOR LANGUAGES/REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION Number of SSI Aliens who are not naturalized or exemptable (Population needing Citizenship services: ) West: 921 Central: 562 East: 294 Total 1,777 LANGUAGE WEST CENTRAL EAST OVER % ALL Lao 436 9 10 455 26% Languages Filipino 119 46 85 250 15% Languages Spanish 98 59 74 231 13% Farsi Dari 26 168 18 212 12% Chinese 81 71 16 168 9% Vietnamese 74 45 38 157 9% Indian 46 34 22 102 6% Languages Russian 0 59 0 59 3% Korean 7 19 0 26 1% 3 SSI ALIEN NEEDS SURVEY Updated Report 1/7/97 WEST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY - Approximately 2500 Questionnaires were mailed to this region on 11/27/96. To date, 1/7/97 - 1,505 Questionnaires have been received (60%) Of that number: 1 Moved to L.A. 460 are citizens 123 qualify for military/work or refugee exemptions Of the 123 who qualify for exemptions: 14 are refugees with less than 4yrs, 4 mos U.S. residence (8 Vietnamese, and 6 Lao/Mien) Of the remaining number (921) who may lose SSI benefits: 436 Laotians (including Mien, Khmu, Hmong) 119 Filipinos 98 Spanish 81 Chinese 74 Vietnamese 46 Hindi 26 Farsi/Dari 7 Korean 6 Cambodian 4 each Arabic and English 3 Each: German, Indonesian 2 Each: Turkish and Urdu 1 Each: Bulgarian, Assyrian, Portuguese, Armenian, Samoan, Tamil, Burmese, and unspecified Number reporting that they had applied for naturalization and were either studying at home, in classes, or on wait lists for classes: 318 Number reporting that they speak English well: 49 Number reporting that they speak some English: 377 Number reporting that they speak no English: 495 4 Number reporting that they are disabled but not homebound: 151 Number reporting that they are disabled and homebound: 198 Of the number of Home Bounds (198) : 89 Laotians 26 Filipinos 24 Spanish 17 Chinese 16 Hindi 4 Vietnamese 2 Each: German, Cambodian, Turkish, Korean 1 Each: Arabic, Russian Notes: Lao Disabled cases include one 10 Lao year old, and 2 mutes. One Spanish is deaf and signs in Spanish. One Vietnamese is a disabled 9 year old. Another Spanish is 79, senile and requires 24 hour care. One Filipino, age 85, has Parkinson's disease, is chairbound and has been in a nursing home for 3 years. 5 P SSI ALIEN NEEDS SURVEY Updated Report 1/7/97 CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Approximately 1800 Questionnaires were mailed to this region on 11/27/96. To date, 1/7/97 - 1,203 Questionnaires have been received (67%) Of that number: 3 died 444 are citizens 194 qualify for military/work or refugee exemptions Of the 194 who qualify for exemptions: 119 are refugees with less than 4yrs, 4 mos U.S. residence (105 Russians, 7 Farsi/Dari, 6 Vietnamese, 1 Bulgarian) Of the remaining number (562) who may lose SSI benefits: 168 Speak Farsi,Dari, or Pushto (Afghans,Iranians) 71 Chinese 59 Russians 59 Spanish speaking 46 Filipinos 45 Vietnamese 34 Punjabi/Hindi 19 Korean 17 English 9 Laotians 6 Romanians 6 Arabic 5 Indonesian/Tamil 4 Polish 5 German/Dutch 3 Greek 3 Tonga 2 Each Cambodian, Armenian 1 each: Czech, Malayan, Thai , Assyrian, Sign Language, Italian, Japanese, Yugoslavian, Hungarian Number reporting that they had applied for naturalization and were either studying at home, in classes , or on wait lists for classes: 155 Number reporting that they speak English well: 52 6 Number reporting that they speak some English: 196 Number reporting that .they speak no English: 275 Number reporting that they are disabled but not homebound: 93 Number reporting that they are disabled and homebound: 159 Of the number of Home Bounds (159) : 52 Speak Farsi,Dari, Pushto 20 Russians 20 Chinese 12 Filipinos 12 Vietnamese 9 Spanish 7 Hindi 6 Korean 4 English 3 Each: Lao, Romanian, Greek 2 Each: Polish, Cambodian 1 Each: Czech, Thai, Italian, German/Dutch, Indonesian Armenian Notes: 2 Chinese and 2 Greeks are blind 7 - SSI ALIEN NEEDS SURVEY Updated Report 1/7/97 EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Approximately 1200 Questionnaires were mailed to this region on 11/27/96. To date, 1/7/97 - 572 Questionnaires have been received (48%) Of that number: 2 moved to out of County 166 are citizens 110 qualify for military, work, or refugee exemptions Of the 110 who qualify for exemptions: 4 are refugees with less than 4yrs, 4 mos U.S. residence (all Vietnamese) Of the remaining number (294) who may lose SSI benefits: 85 are Filipinos (speaking a variety of dialects) 74 are Spanish speaking 38 are Vietnamese 22 Punjabi/Hindi 18 speak Farsi/Dari (Iranians, Afghans) 16 Chinese 10 Laotians 7 Portuguese 7 Cambodian 3 Urdu (Pakistan) 3 Tonga 3 English 2 French 1 each Romanian, Korean, Singalese, Korean, Hungarian, Arabic Number reporting that they had applied for naturalization and were either studying at home, in classes, or on wait lists for classes: 68 Number reporting that they speak English well : 18 Number reporting that they speak some English: 126 Number reporting that they speak no English: 128 Number reporting that they are disabled but not homebound: 55 8 Number reporting that they are disabled and homebound: 80 Of the number of Home Bounds (80) : 20 are Spanish speaking 18 are Filipino 13 are Vietnamese 9 Punjabi/Hindi 7 Chinese 4 Farsi/Dari 2 Each Portuguese and Cambodian, French 1 each: Lao, Urdu, Arabic Note: 1 Chinese reportedly is an Alzheimer patient, age 85 on tube feeding. Questions about this report: Janet Tompkins, Program Analyst Contra Costa County Social Service Department 1305 MacDonald Ave Richmond, Ca 94801 Phone (510) 412-3237 Fax: (510) 374-3705 surv.ssi 9 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ATTENUION! If you receive SSI aid you are a legal Immigrant please read this notice. Because of recent changes in Federal Law,you may_j=your SSI cash and Medi- cal benefits by August, 1997 If you are already a naturalized U.S. Citizen,contact your local Social Security Office immediately so that they don't stop your SSI. If you are not a citizen,you will lose your benefits. If you become a citizen,you can keep your SSI and Medi-cal. We want to help you become a citizen and keep your benefits. Please complete the following questionnaire and mail it as soon as i possible to: CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT 40 Douglas Drive Martinez, CA 94553 A stamped, adressed envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Questionnaire 1. What is your name: Phone Number: 2. Your Address: 3. Your Social Security Number: - - 4. Your Age 5. How long have you lived in the United States? (Years) (Months) 6. What is your Native Language Please put a check (�in front of each item that is true about you: 7. Cl I am already a naturalized citizen of the U.S. 8. ❑ I am a Refugee 9. ❑ I speak English very well 10. ❑ I speak some English 11. ❑ I don't speak my English 12. ❑ 1 am enrolled in a Citizenship preparation class —If yes,where ? 13. ❑ I am on a waiting list for a citizenship preparation class --if yes, where? 14. ❑ I or my husband/wife have worked 10 years since coming to the U.S. 15. ❑ I or my husband/wife have served in the U.S. Military 16. ❑ I am disabled, but could go to a citizenship class 17. ❑ I am too disabled to go out of my home to attend a citizenship class Thank you very much for completing this questionnaire ;Atenci6n! Si Ud. recibe beneficios de SSI_y Ud.es inmigrante legal,por favor lea esta noticia. ti Debido a cambios recientes en las leyes federales,Ud.puede perder sus beneficios mddicos y de SSI antes de agosto de 1997. Si Ud.ya se ha hecho ciudadano de los Estados Unidos,es necesario ponerse en contacto con la oficina local del Social Security para que continue a recibir sus beneficios. Si Ud. no es ciudadano de los Estados Unidos, Ud.perdera sus beneficios. Si Ud. se hate ciudadano, Ud. puede continuar de recibir los beneficios. Nosotros queremos ayudarle a hacerse ciudadano. Por favor,conteste las preguntas en el cuestionario abajo y devu6lvalo en el sobre incluido con esta noticia al: CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT 40 Douglas Drive Martinez,CA 94553 Cuestionario 1. ZC6mo se llama Ud.? Ndmero Telef6nico: 2. Su Domicilio: 3. Su ndmero del Seguro Social: - - 4. Su edad: 5. LCuanto tiempo vive Ud. en los Estados Unidos? (aiios) (meses) 6. ZCual es su idioma nativa? Favor de marcar asi n cada frase que describe bien a Ud. 7. Ya soy ciudadano de los Estados Unidos 8. E] Yo soy refugiado 9. Hablo ingl6s muy bilin. 10. F] Hablo ingl6s mAs o menos. 11. F] No hablo nada de ingl6s. 12. E] Estoy inscrito en una clase de preparaci6n para la ciudanfa. Si es asf, d6nde? 13. E] Estoy en las lista de espera para una clase de preparaci6n. Sf es asf, d6nde? 14. E] Yo (6 mf pareja) he trabajado 10 anos desde que vine a los Estados Unidos 15. E] Yo (6 mi pareja) he servido.en las fuerzas armadas de los Estados Unidos. 16. Yo estoy incapacitado pero podrfa asistir a clase de preparac16n para la ciudanfa 17. Yo estoy demasiado incapacitado para asistir a clase fuera de mi casa. Gracias por contestar estas preguntas.