HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06251996 - C52 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: < Costa
John Cullen, Director _,--�,y.;c
DATE:
June 12, 1996 sT .'�_ County
o•--_
A COU•
SUBJECT: APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE 1996/97 COUNTY PLAN FOR REFUGEE
SERVICES AND CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I. APPROVE the 1996/97 County Plan for Refugee Services.
II. AUTHORIZE the Director of Social Service, or his designee to
accept Federal Refugee Program funding and execute the
following State Agreement:
Funding Program Anticipated
Source Period Funding Amt.
Refugee Employment
Social Services (RESS) 10/1/96 - 9/30/97 $193 , 882
III. AUTHORIZE the Social Service Director or his designee, to
prepare and execute amendments for subsequent increased
funding allocations or adjustments as they are received, on
the condition that no general funds are required.
IV. AUTHORIZE the Social Service Director, or his designee,, to
enter into continuing contracts with the following service
contractors:
Catholic Charities Work Related English
as a Second Language $27, 428
Source of funds, TA 1995/96 $21,428
RESS 1996/97 6, 000
CCC Superintendent of Schools Employment Services
ROP (Central/East Region) $64, 000
RCA Case Management $18, 000
Supportiv4' e re'c s $ , 00
Source of funds, RESS 1996/97 �
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE.
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE S:
ACTION OF BOARD ON _ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED 1� OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS ABSENT r ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: V, IV, II _NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ----- ABSTAIN: ----- OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
61AN 4n
cc: Contact: K. Morgan 3-1605 ATTESTED
SOCIAL SERVICE (CONTRACTS UNIT) PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
AUDITOR-CONTROLLER
CONTRACTOR 4
M382 (10/88)
BY DEPUTY
14
Lao Family Community Employment Services
Development, Inc (West Region) $34, 000
Interpretation and $29, 000
Referral (West)
Source of funds, RESS 1996/97
Center for New Americans Interpretation and $19 , 494
Referral (Central/East)
Source of funds, RESS 1996/97
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for all of the above is from the Federal Office of Refugee
Resettlement. No County funds are involved. The anticipated
allocation for RESS 1996/97 is $193 ,882 as per a preliminary
allocation letter from the State Refugee Program Bureau dated
5/30/96.
BACKGROUND:
On March 20, 1994, the Board designated the Social Service
Department as the agency responsible for planning and writing
County Plans for refugee programs funded by Federal Targeted
Assistance (TA) services. Additionally, the Board resolved on
November 10, 1987 that the Department would be responsible for
administering the Refugee Employment Social Services (RESS) Program
when administration responsibilities were transferred from the
State to the County effective July 1, 1988.
Beginning this FFY, the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement
(ORR) changed its allocation methodology to favor areas where
newcomer refugees are settling. Consequently, Contra Costa is no
longer eligible to receive TA funding and it is anticipated that
FFY 1996/97 will be the final year of RESS funding.
To receive RESS funds, Contra Costa County is submitting the
present County Plan to the State Refugee Programs Bureau (RPB) for
their approval. This County Plan was prepared according to
guidelines issued by RPB and with input from the Refugee Services
Advisory Council and from members of the community at a Public
Hearing.
Since refugee programs in Contra Costa are in the process of being
phased out, and in the interest of maintaining stability and
continuity of services for refugees already enrolled in programs,
the Plan calls for extending contracts with current service
providers rather than go through a competitive bid process. All of
the above service providers won their contracts through a
competitive bid process in August, 1995. All are performing well
and have the capability and willingness to continue programs
through FFY 1996/97 .
The Refugee Services Advisory Council wishes the Board to be aware
of the negative impact which this 47% reduction in funding will
have on the local refugee community. The total absence of funding
expected next year will cause even greater hardship. Although most
local refugees are not newcomers, many still have problems with
cultural adjustment and need help in order to aculturate
successfully and achieve self-sufficiency.
The Executive Summary of the 1996/97 Refugee Services County Plan
is attached.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
C OUNT Y P LAN F OR REFUGE E S ERV=C E S
1 9 9 6/1 9 9 7
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 12 California counties designated by
the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) as being "impacted" by
refugee resettlement.
As an impacted county, Contra Costa has been receiving two federal grants
since 1984 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 (TA. )
Starting this year, (FFY 96/97) Contra Costawill no longer receive TA
because ORR changed its allocation methodology basing funding levels on the
numbers of refugees residing in an area who have been in the U.S. less than
5 years. The majority of Contra Costa County's refugees arrived prior to
1991. Consequently, the amount available to support refugee programs this
year is 47% less than it was last year. In all probability, Contra Costa will
also lose its RESS funding by next year if refugees continue to settle in
other parts of the country.
Acknowledging this financial reality, the Refugee Services Advisory Council's
major task this year was to design a phase out plan which would accomplish
the following three goals:
1. To preserve basic services with reduced funds
2. To transition as many refugees as possible into the labor market
3 . To prepare refugees to utilize mainstream services by the end of
the year when specialized programs are no longer available.
The Refugee Services Advisory Council is made up of 10 knowledgeable,
individuals who have been meeting and developing County Plans for several
years. The Advisory Council makes funding recommendations to the Social
Service Department Director who, in turn, requests approval of the County
Plans by the Board of Supervisors. The Advisory Council is composed 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) .
Since funds under consideration are minimal and options are limited, the
Advisory Council completed the planning process in one meeting. The Council
met on June 19, 1996 in Richmond and a Public Hearing was held on the same
night. At the Public Hearing, several individuals spoke in favor of the plan
although many expressed regret over cutbacks in programs caused by the loss
of TA funding.
Based upon the Advisory Council's recommendations and testimony obtained at
the Public Hearing, the Social Service Department Director recommends that
the following programs be funded with RESS funds:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Pale 2
COUNTY PLAN FOR KESS SERVICES - 1996/97
REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL SERVICES, (10/1/96 - 9/30/97)
Preliminary Allocation $193 ,882
Less County Administration (10%) - 19, 388
Total available for Direct Services: $174,494
1996/97 RESS SERVICES PROGRAMS:
COMPONENT CONTRACTOR CONTRACT EXTENSION
AMOUNT
Work Related Catholic Charities/ $ 6,000
English as a Second EB International
Language (WRESL) Institute
(West)
RCA Case Management County Dept. of 18,000
Educ. - ROP
RCA Support Serv. County Dept. of 4,000
Educ. - ROP
Employment Serv. County Dept. of 64,000
(East/Central) Educ. - ROP
Employment Serv. Lao Family 34 ,000
(West) Community
Development, Inc
Interpretation and Lao Family 29,000
Referral Community
.(West) Development, Inc
Interpretation and Center for New $19,494
Referral Americans
(East/Central)
The Advisory Council feels that the above plan fulfills the three goals set
forth in the planning guidelines. Since this is a phase out plan, service
providers will not be selected through the usual competitive bid process.
Rather, since existing contractors are performing well according to the
County's last monitoring review, current service contracts will be amended
and extended until September 30, 1997.
Note: This County Plan was developed on the basis of a preliminary RESS
grant amount. The plan may be revised later in the year when the final
allocation is confirmed.
* For the period 10/1/96 to 6/30/97, Work Related ESL (WRESL)will be funded
by RESS 1995/96 carryover funds in the amount of $21,428. RESS 1996/97 will
finance the WRESL program for the period 7/1/97 to 9/30/97.