HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06161987 - IO.3 To BOARD OF SUPERVISORS +
FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE Contra
July 8, 1987 @ Costa
DATE: County
SUBJECT: General Assistance Workfare Program
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Request County Counsel and Social Services Director to
identify various program issues in the General Assistance
program which could be resolved by additional State
legislation and return a report to the Internal Operations
Committee by not later than August 31, 1987, specifying what
legislative changes are needed so the Board can consider
this as part of their 1988 legislative program.
2 . Request the Social Services Director to report to our
Committee July 13, 1987 on the fiscal and caseload impact on
the General Assistance program of encouraging GA recipients
to obtain training and employment as opposed to not
obtaining such training for employment.
3 . Authorize our Committee to meet July 13, 1987 with the
Social Services Director, Director of General Services,
Public Works Director and Local #1, regarding the size,
composition, and number of GA workfare crews which will be
used during the 1987-88 fiscal year.
4 . Request the Social Services Director and Director of General
Services to explore the possibility of establishing training
programs for General Assistance recipients in such
occupations as custodian, and other appropriate job
classifications, and report to our Committee July 13, 1987 .
BACKGROUND:
On May 12, 1987 , the Board of Supervisors referred to our
Committee concerns which have been expressed by the General
Manager of Local #1 regarding reductions which had been made in
the number of GA work crews working under the supervision of the
General Services Department. In response to these concerns, Mr.
Jornlin filed the attached memo with our Committee.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
X APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE s : ncy C. hden Tom Torlakson
ACTION OF BOARD ON 'lune 167. 1987 I APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X
Also, DIRECTED County Administrator and Social Services Director to determine
whether or not the Mental Health Homeless monies could be utilized in the GA Program.
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X 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.
cc: County Administrator ATTESTEDAO . /*$1
General Services Director V
Social Services Director PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Public Works Director SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
General Mqr. , Local #1
M382/PWy Counsel BY DEPUTY
Page 2
We met with Mr. Jornlin, Bart Gilbert, Director of General
Services, and Henry Clarke, General Manager of Local #1, on June
81 1987 . It is clear that the reduction in the number of
workfare crews and the elimination of the work test programs is
far more complex than we had initially understood. Some of these
changes result from court decisions which are based on
legislation which has had the effect of liberalizing the GA
program and preventing the use of programs, such as the work
test.
Assistant Counsel Arthur Walenta noted that this is only one of
several issues in the GA program which could be resolved by the
State Legislature. We are, therefore, suggesting that these
program areas be identified and that a package of legislative
proposals be returned to our Committee for further consideration.
We are also asking the Social Services Director to demonstrate to
our Committee the cost savings which can be achieved by providing
employment and training services to GA recipients. We also want
to explore the possibility of on-the-job training programs.
Finally, we want to discuss with all involved County departments,
as well as Local #1, what the General Assistance workfare program
will look for in the 1987-88 fiscal year to insure that there are
no misunderstandings regarding the number of crews, the size of
those crews, and how the three involved County departments will
be expected to work together.
:r
SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
TO: Phil Batche or DATE: June 1, 1987
County strator
FROM: Robert ornlin cc: See Below
Direct •Social Services
SUBJ: General Assistance Workfare Program
Van Marter ' s Memo: May 12, 1987
The Work Test Program began in late 1981 under the auspices
of Social Services and Public Works. Employable General
Assistance applicants were required to perform two days of
work prior to granting of aid. This project began with four
( 4) work crews who handled approximately 225 applicants per
month.
In July of 1984, Social Services expanded it' s program by
establishing a Workfare component using Public Works
supervision for crews of General Assistance recipients.
Workfare is work performed after granting of aid. The
number of work crews was increased to seven ( 7 ) . The seven
crews were divided into 4 Work Test and 3 Workfare.
In October, 1984 , at the direction of the County
Administrator, and with the approval of the Board of
Supervisors, Social Services further expanded its Workfare
program to include Public and Private Non-Profit agencies.
Actual referral to these agencies began in August, 1985.
In January of 1985 , a law against requiring applicants to
perform a "work test" prior to granting aid was passed.
Work Test continued, but was scheduled after granting of
aid. The no-show rate began to climb.
In May of 1985 , the number of work crews was increased by
two. Crews were divided into 4 Work Test and 5 Workfare.
On June 1, 1985, Social Services implemented a Santa Clara
County court case decision, (Jennings vs Jones) which took
the teeth out of our sanctions and reduced cooperation even
further. The no-show rate became even more evident.
In December, 1985, the remaining Work Test slots were
converted to Workfare slots. The Work Test concept was no
longer viable.
Gen 9c (New 3/86)
Page 2
General Assistance Workfare Program: Response
Currently, General Services supervises 4 work crews for
Social Services Workfare program.
No one reason or factor brought about the decrease in the
number of work crews needed to operate a viable Public
Works/General Services/Social Services work program. Social
Services experienced two critical changes to program, both
causing reduction in cooperation of recipients. A given
show-rate could not be guaranteed. General Services
split-off from Public Works and experienced an inablility to
obtain independent work orders; Public Works began insisting
on larger numbers of people-per-crew for their work
completed by General Services. All three departments agreed
that the only reasonable thing to do was to decrease the
number of work crews.
Since a great deal of analysis was given to this problem and
the numbers were researched very carefully, it is the
assessment of the Social Service Department that unless
there were to be a substantial reduction in the number of
General Assistance applicants/recipients, there should 'be no
further reduction in the number of work crews in the
foreseeable future.
cc: Supervisor Fanden
Supervisor Torlakson
C. L. Van Marter
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