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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 07181995 - C42 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �E L Contra FROM: Costa Social P�I � Robert Hofmann, Acting Director _ s County Social Service Department DATE: fosr Ti cP June 28, 1995 SUBJECT: APPROVE 1995/96 COUNTY PLAN FOR REFUGEE SERVICES AND AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: I. APPROVE the 1995/96 County Plan for Refugee Services. II. AUTHORIZE the Acting Director of Social Service, or his designee, to accept Federal Refugee Program funding and execute State agre- ements as follows: Funding Program Anticipated Source Period Funding Amt. 1) Refugee Employment Social Services (RESS) 10/1/95 - 9/30/96 $212 , 003 2) Targeted Assistance 10/1/95 - 9/30/96 $170, 307 Program (TAP) III. AUTHORIZE the Acting Social Service Director, or designee, to issue Request for Proposals to prospective public or private non profit bidders to deliver services to refugees under the follow- ing program components: (continued on back side) CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURES: ACTION OF BOARD ONETT's- APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _41e/_ OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT 11:- ) 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: Contact: Robert Hofmann 313-1579 ATTESTEDy-ul ��,� ckci SOCIAL SERVICE (CONTRACTS UNIT) PHIL BAT ELOR,ICLERK OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AUDITOR-CONTROLLER CONTRACTOR BY DEPUTY M382 (10/88) i SERVICE AMOUNT SOURCE Work Related English as a Second Language (West County) $ 96, 243 TAP Social Adjustment $ 57, 064 TAP Employment Services $116, 928 RESS, Youth Employment Program (West County) $ 42 , 075 RESS Refugee Case Assistance Case Management $ 24, 000 RESS Information and Referral Services * $ 29,274 Title XX * Funding level for Title XX Information and Referral Services awaits finalization of the State Budget. The anticipated amount is based upon last year's allocation. Depending upon the funding level, sepa- rate RFP' s may be issued for the West, and Central/East regions. IV. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The source of these funds is from the Federal Office of Refugee Reset- tlement (ORR) . No County funds are involved. Total funds available: Targeted Assistance $170. 307; Refugee Employment Social Services $212, 003 ; Title XX $29, 274 (anticipate(T. ) V. BACKGROUND• The Board, on March 20, 1984, designated the Social Service Department as the agency responsible for planning and writing County Plans for Refugee Targeted Assistance (TAP) services. Additionally, the Board resolved on November 10, 1987 that the Department would be responsible for administering the Refugee Employment Social Services (RESS) Pro- gram when RESS management responsibilities were transferred from the State to the County effective July . l, 1988. To receive funds for the programs shown above, Contra Costa County is submitting the present County Plan to the (State) Refugee and Immigra- tion Program Bureau (RIPB) for their final approval. This County Plan was prepared with input from the Refugee Services Advisory Council and from. 12 persons who testified at a Public Hearing conducted on June 15, 1995. The Advisory Council unanimously approved the plan and there was no opposition to the plan expressed by any of the speakers at the Public Hearing. Attached is the Executive Summary of the 1995/96 Refugee Services County Plan. i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COUNTY PLAN F�►R REFUGE E S ERV=C E S 1. 995/1. 996 Contra Costa County has an estimated refugee population of 15,000 persons and approximately 4,000 of them are receiving cash welfare assistance. Because of this, Contra Costa is one of 13 California Counties designated by the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) as being "impacted" by refugee resettlement. As an' impacted county, Contra Costa is the recipient of two federal grants to provide- services to its refugee residents. Services are intended to help refugees acculturate quickly, find jobs as soon as possible after their arrival in the United States, and avoid protracted use of public welfare programs. The two federal grants are known as the Refugee Employment Social Services Program (RESS) and the Targeted Assistance Program (TAP. ) Contra Costa County has been receiving this funding since 1984 . This is the 12th Refugee Services County Plan to be brought before the Board of Supervisors for approval . I The Social Services Department was designated by the Board of Supervisors as the county agency responsible for planning and administering refugee services programs. It has been the ongoing practice of the Social Service Department to contract out the majority of the funds to local private and public nonprofit service providers through a Request for Proposal (RFP) procurement process. Each year, the county receives federal/state guidelines which convey regulatory material and specify which services are allowable under each funding source. The guidelines also specify that the plan be prepared with input from an Advisory Council made up of representatives from refugee organizations, public and private agencies involved in refugee resettlement, and local labor and business groups such as the Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Private Industry Council (PIC. ) The Acting Director of the Social Service Department assures the Board that the planning process specified in the federal/state guidelines was followed in developing this County Plan. The Refugee Advisory Council met on June 6, and again on June 15, 1995 following a Public Hearing at which time 12 individuals commented on the proposed funding recommendations. Based upon the Advisory Council's recommendations, the Social Service Director recommends ,that .the following programs be funded with TAP and RESS funds: County Plan for Refugee Services Page 2 Executive Summary FUNDING SOURCE OPERATING PERIOD ANTICIPATED AMOUNTS TARGETED ASSISTANCE 10/1/95 - 9/30/96 $170,307 County Administration ( 10%) $ 17 ,000 Work Related English as a Second Language 96,243 Social Adjustment (33%) 57 ,064 REFUGEE' EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL SERVICES 10/1/95 - 9/30/96 $212,003 County Administration ( 10%) $ 21 ,000 Employment Services $116 ,928 Youth Employment Program (West County) $ 42 ,075 Refugee Cash Assistance Case Management $ 24 ,000 Refugee Case Assistance (RCA) Support Serv. $ 8 ,000 The Social Service Acting Director requests that the Board approve acceptance of these federal funds, approve the funding. recommendations, and authorize the issuance of RFPs to select providers for the following programs: Work Related ESL, Social Adjustment, Employment Services, Youth Employment Services, and Refugee Cash Assistance Case Management. Notes: This County Plan was developed on the basis of preliminary allocation figures issued by the State in April. The plan may be revised later in the fiscal year when final allocations are confirmed. Concerning Title XX funding for Refugee Services: The County's allocation will not be known until the State Budget is finalized. If funding is approximately the same as last year's level ($29,274) it will be allocated to provide Information and Referral Services. Depending upon the funding level , separate RFP's may be issued for the West and Central/East County regions.