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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04221997 - SD3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS F&HS-02 Contra FROM: FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE Costa n; s nf.- o County DATE: ��SrA coon' cPJ April 15, 1997 SUBJECT: PROVIDING CITIZENSHIP SERVICES TO LEGAL ALIENS SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. APPROVE the plan outlined in the attached report from the Social Service Director, John Cullen, for the release of an RFI to determine interest in contracting with the County to provide citizenship services to legal aliens who are receiving SSI, with the emphasis to be on those SSI recipients who are also receiving In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and are, therefore, at greatest risk if their SSI grant is eliminated. 2. REQUEST the Social Service Director to report this item back to our Committee at the point that events warrant a further report. BACKGROUND: On February 4, 1997, the Board of Supervisors approved a report from our Committee which directed the Social Service Director to work with the International Institute of the East Bay and other groups to determine how the Social Service Department could best cooperate with the efforts to obtain citizenship for legal aliens at risk of losing their SSI benefits and what the best use would be for up to $40,000 in resources from this County. The Social Service Director was asked to report back to our Committee during the month of April. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): &KAA R'JKe<_�_nP.(;A I I I N I P R nQNNA rr.'FPR P ACTION OF BOARD ON April 22, 1997 APPROV ECOMMENDED X OTHER X Chairman DeSaulnier invited the public to comment on the issues and the following person spoke: Kagey Dorosz, West County Senior Coalition, Richmond. All persons desiring to speak having been heard, Chairman DeSaulnier ended public comment on the matter. The Baord then discussed the issues and took the following action: APPROVED the recommendations as set forth avove; and REFERRED the comments of Kagey Dorosz, West County Senior Coalition, relative to outreach to the elderly and disabled to the Social Services Director for report to the Family and Human Services Committee. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I 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 ATTESTEDApril22, 1997 Social Service Director PHIL BATCHEL R,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Sarah Clark SUP O AND COUNTY ADMI TOR International Institute of the East Bay 297 Lee Street w Oakland, CA 94610 BY uT M382 (10/88) F&HS-02 Our Committee met with the Social Service Director, John Cullen, and members of his staff on April 14, 1997. Mr. Cullen reviewed the attached report with our Committee. We also heard from Sarah Clark of the International Institute of the East Bay as well as from Kagey Dorosz, an advocate for senior citizens in West County. There were expressions of support for what the Department is planning to do. However, concern was also expressed for the balance of the SSI recipients who are at risk of losing their SSI benefits. The consensus was that, with the limited amount of money that is available, targeting the IHSS recipients was the best use of the funds. -2- i CONTRA COSTA COUNTY - _ Social Service Department John Cullen, Director Sp9.COOlZ'� DATE: APRIL 7, 1997 TO: FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE SUPERVISOR MARK DE SAULNIER SUPERVISOR DONNA GERBER FROM: JOHN CULLEN, DIRECTOR) SUBJECT: REPORT ON PLAN FOR ASSISTING,THE LEGAL-IMMIGRANT/NON- CITIZEN POPULATION TO ACHIEVE CITIZENSHIP Implementation of welfare reform legislation passed into law by the U.S. Congress on August 22, 1996 impacts legal non-citizen immigrant, elderly, disabled, and blind persons in Contra Costa County who receive Supplementary Security Income (SSI). Those who are unable to become naturalized citizens or qualify for certain exceptions under the new law will lose their cash SSI benefits by August 1997, and In-Home Supportive Services. There were approximately 5,500 non-citizen immigrants receiving SSI in Contra Costa County at the time of the law's passage. According to a recent survey of this population, 32% have become naturalized citizens, 13% qualify for exceptions to the rule, leaving approximately 55% or 3,025 who will be in danger of losing their benefits by this summer unless they become natural ized. On February 4, 1997, the Board of Supervisors directed the Social Service Director to work with the International Institute of the East Bay, the East Bay Citizens Network, and the San Francisco Foundation to assist local non-citizens to acquire citizenship and retain their benefits. The Board authorized an expenditure of$40,000 to assist in the regional effort. The Board further directed the Social Service Director to report back to the Family and Human Services Committee on this issue at its April 14, 1997 meeting. During the past two months, the Social Services Citizenship Project Coordinator has consulted with the organizations specified by the Board and has reviewed Alameda County's plan for expenditure of funds which it has dedicated toward the citizenship effort in that county. In addition, we have joined with 11 other Bay Area counties in submitting a proposal to the Emma . Lazarus Fund of New York under the sponsorship of the San Francisco Foundation and the East Bay Community Foundation. Approximately $5 million is expected from that source of which Contra Costa's share will be approximately $362,000 for a two-year service period. 1 of 3 Pages ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE: 40 Douglas Drive • Martinez • CA • 94553-4068 • Voice (510) 313-1500 • FAX (510) 313-1575 • 5R3 To: Board and F/HS Committee Subject: Report on Plan for Assisting the Legal Immigrant/Non- Citizen Population to Achieve Citizenship Since the Lazarus Fund grant has not yet received final approval, it is therefore recommended that we follow Alameda County's lead and dedicate our $40,000 in county funds toward the needs of the SSI non-citizen population who are current recipients of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). This group is considered most vulnerable and needful of services because they stand to lose not only cash assistance, but household help and personal services as well which make it possible for them to remain in their own homes and avoid institutionalization. There are 840 non-citizens receiving SSI/IHSS in Contra Costa County. Assuming that the same ratio (45%) are already citizens or qualify for exemptions, approximately 468 will require services to guide them successfully through the naturalization process. The following is an outline of the Social Service Department's plan for providing citizenship services to SSI/IHSS non-citizen residents of Contra Costa County: Procurement Process The Social Service Department Contracts and Grants Unit will issue a Request for Interest (RFI) to local public and private non-profit agencies who have the capacity to serve the target population. The Department will be seeking those agencies who have demonstrated expertise in guiding non-citizens through the naturalization process. Agencies should have multi-language capability and office facilities within the geographical regions they intend to serve. The Social Service Department will allocate the entire $40,000 for contracts with local Community Based Organizations (CBOs). Contractors will be selected in a fair and impartial bid process. Four (4) or five (5) contracts will be executed at $8,000 to $10,000 apiece to assure that there will be access to services in all regions of the county-- 2 or 3 contracts in West County, 1 each in Central and East. Duration of the Contracts The contract service period will be 6 months, from June 1, 1997 to November 30, 1997. Services Contractors will provide the following services to the SSI/IHSS target population in their respective county regions: 1. Accept referrals of SSI/IHSS individuals from the Social Service Department 2 of 3 Pages SIO 3 To: Board and F/HS Committee Subject: Report on Plan for Assisting the Legal Immigrant/Non- Citizen Population to Achieve Citizenship 2. Provide an Intake and Assessment on each individual referred 3. Assist in completing and filing N-400 Citizenship application 4. Assist with fingerprinting and photo taking 5. Assist with acquiring a physicians letter (N-648) Disability Waiver, if appropriate 6. Refer to legal services if appropriate 7. Refer to tutoring, testing services, if needed 8. Provide records and statistical reports to the Social Service Department Citizenship Coordinator as requested Method of Payment The Social Service Department will pay contractors on a service unit basis similar to the method used in Alameda County. The details will be worked out later with the selected contractors. Approval by Citizenship Network Partners The above plan has been established With input from the International Institute of the East Bay, the East Bay Citizens Network, and our colleagues at the Alameda County Social Service Department. It has been reviewed and approved by Sarah Clark, Network Coordinator, and by David Pontecorvo at the East Bay Community Foundation. We believe that this is the "best use" of the County's $40,000 allocation. Expenditure of the funds in this manner will help SSI/IHHS non-citizens naturalize, keep their benefits and avoid having to rely upon the County's General Assistance Program for their livelihood. Disk2\JohnLee\ymp\WP6.0a\a:ihsrpt.497 April 7, 1997 3 of 3 Pages