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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12081998 - C66 x.46 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA FROM: FAMILY&HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE .'c COUNTY DATE: December 8, 1998 SUBJECT: Year Enol Report on Family & Human Services Committee Accomplishments SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): 1. ACKNOWLEDGE that the Board of Supervisors referred 39 issues to the Family & Human Services Committee for their review and consideration in 1998. 2. ACKNOWLEDGE that 10 of the referrals were closed by the Board of Supervisors at the recommendation of the Family& Human Services Committee following resolution of the policy issue. 3. ACCEPT the recommendation of the Family & Human Services Committee to close out the following referrals, since there no longer are any readily observable outstanding policy issues: referral #6, Oversight of the Community Services Department; referral #15, General Assistance Program; referral #16, Children's Accountability Act; referral #17, Adoptions Program; referral#31, Services for Legal Immigrants; and referral#33, CDBG Funds for AC Transit Route Number 376. 4. ACCEPT the recommendation of the Family & Human Services Committee to cant' forward the fallowing referrals to the 1999 Family & Human Services Committee: #1, Child Care Affordability Fund; #2, Service Integration Program; #3, Oversight of Juvenile Systems CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENflAT1ON OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR�RECOMNIENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE —APPROVE —OTHER SIGNATURE(S): n to Gerber Mark DeSeulnier ACTION OF BOARD ON J)ecPmhPr R, 199a APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED XL OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES:TTTTV V T NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT' 7i_ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact:Sara Hoffman,335-1090 ATTESTED Deccetlfber 8, 1998 cc: John Cullen,Social Service PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF Sill Walker,Health Services THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Tony Colon,Community Services AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Belinda smith,CDBG CAE} B`f PUTT a Planning ; #5, Homeless Programs; #11, Children and Families Policy Forum; #13, Children and Family Services Budget; #14, Children's Future Corps; #19, CalWORKS Implementation; #20, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds; #22, Declaration of local Emergency on Hospital Capacity; #30, Implementation of CWS/CMS Systems; #32, Evaluation of Youth Alcohol & Drug Treatment Programs; #34, Additional Child Care Facilities for Employees; #37, New Century Center; #39, Collaborative Health Services Initiatives. BACKGROUNDIREASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): On November 23, 1995, the Family & Human Services Committee (FHS) heard a report from its staff, Sara Hoffman, on the status of board referrals. Ms. Hoffman reported that in 1998, the Board of Supervisors referred 39 issues to the Family & Human Services Committee. Eight of these referrals were new in 1998; the remaining 31 were carryovers from 1997. In total, the FHS heard 51 reports. Some of the issues were highly contentious; others complex. Some, like the CWS/CMS System, were beyond the control of the County, yet, due to FRS's attention, progress has been made in elevatingthe issue at the state level. Some of the notable achievements of the Family & Human Services Committee in 1998 are noted below: Raised the issue of emergency hospital capacity, hearing testimony and developing data which resulted in the declaration of a local emergency and subsequent efforts to develop standard reporting mechanisms a Investigated the CWS/CMS system, finding that it was not user friendly and diverted social worker attention from their primary case management duties. The FHS and Board's attention to this matter helped to elevate the issue at the state level Oversaw the multi-agency effort to address the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Child Abuse Issues Reviewed group home practices, including a state audit which resolved the issue of allegations of discrimination and ethnic insensitivity >_ Jointly with the Superintendent of Schools, interviewed candidates for the new Local Child Care and Development Planning Council with appointment recommendations to the Board of Supervisors Ten of the referrals (26%)were closed by the Board of Supervisors at the recommendation of the Family & Human Services Committee, since the issue had been resolved or no longer needed policy direction or oversight. These ten included: Referral # Subiect 4 Child Abuse Issues 4a East County Head Start Program 9 Group Home Maintenance 10 Family Maintenance Organization 23 Environmental & Organizational Assessment of Health Services 24 Youth Hall of Fame Proposal 25 Local Child Care and Development Planning Council 35 Children's Memorial Grove & Flag Project 36 Probation in the Schools 38 Tobacco Retailer Licensing/Registering (scheduled before the Board on December 8, 1998) In addition, Supervisor Gerber and Supervisor DeSaulnier identified seven referrals which no longer involved observable outstanding policy issues at this time and agreed to recommend that the Board accept these referrals as concluded. These include: Referral#6, Community Services Department- The Family & Human Services Committee met with the Community Services Department Director on October 12, 1998. At that time, the department reported on progress in each of its divisions. Referral #15, General Assistance Program - The standards of assistance which were referred to the FNS on February 25, 1997 have been implemented. The May report was 2 primarily a status report. Referral #16, Children's Accountability Act - The Board of Supervisors adopted the Children's Accountability Act on January 27, 1998. Since then departments have included Children'sImpact Statements in appropriate board orders. The program seems to be proceeding in accordance with the Board's direction. Referral#17, Adoptions Program-The Adoptions Improvement Program oversight began with a grand jury report in 1995. Since that time, the FHS has provided direction in program improvements. At the last report in June, the committee expressed satisfaction with the current status of the program. Referral#31, Services to Legal Immigrants - Since its last review of the changes in Medi- Cal and Food Stamp benefits to legal immigrants, there has been no state action in this area nor have the Social Service Department or Health Services Department reported' on any County policy issues in this arena. Referral#33, CABG Funds forAC Transit Route #376-As part of the CABG funding, the Family& Human Services Committee recommended, and the Board approved allocation of$68,000 to support route 376. Of the remaining 15 referrals, two (14%) deal with relatively short term issues, five (33%) involve long term issues and the remaining eight(53%) are issues over which the FHS has provided policy oversight. The committee members agreed to recommend that the Board of Supervisors carry these 25 referrals over to 1999. Short term issues include: Referral# Subject 34 Child care facilities for employees 37 New Century Center Long term issues include: Referral # Subject 5 Homeless Programs 14 Children's Future Corps 22 Emergency Hospital Capacity 30 Implementation of CWSICMS System 32 Evaluation of Youth Alcohol/Drug Treatment Programs The remaining oversight referrals include: Referral # Sub" ct 1 Child Care Affordability Fund 2 Service Integration Program 3 Juvenile Justice Systems Planning Committee 11 Children and Families Policy Forum 13 Children and Family Services Budged 19 CalWORKS Implementation 20 Community Development Block Grant Funds 39 Collaborative Health Services Programs 3