HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06161998 - D2 D.2
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on June 16, 1998, by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Uilkema, Gerber, DeSaulnier, Canciamilla and Rogers
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SUBJECT: 1998 VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT
PERFORMANCE REPORT
IT IS BY TBE BOARD ORDERED that the Veterans Services 1998 departmental
performance report is ACCEPTED.
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and
correct copy of an action taken and entered on the
minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED; _
Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
Supervisors and County Administrator
By _.
June L. McHuen, Deputy Clerk
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1998 DEPARTMENT PERFORMANCE REPORT
VETERANS SERVICES
MAY 1998
GARY D. VILLALBA
DIRECTOR, COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER
10 DOUGLAS DRIVE, SUITE 100
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
PHONE: 925-313-1481
FAX: 925-31'3-1490
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1. Organizational Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (i)
2. Section I _ Department Overview . . . . . . . . . . 1
3. Section II - Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
4. Section III - Customer Services . . . . . . . . . . 5
5. Section IV - Annual Performance . . . . . . . . . 8
8. Section V - Challenges and New Directions 12
VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE
10 Douglas Drive, #100
Martinez, CA 94553
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
VETERANS SERVICE
OFFICER
Gary Villalba
BRANCH OFFICE VETERANS SERVICE
MANAGER REPRESENTATIVE
Jill Martinez Roy Brooks
EXECUTIVE CLERK
SECRETARY SENIOR LEVEL
Debbie Garcia Vicki Turner
Management 4
Non-management 1
Total 5
ti)
1998 VETERANS SERVICE DEPARTMENT
PERFORMANCE REPORT
SECTION I - DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
A. DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
MISSION STATEMENT
The County Veterans Service Office/Officer (CVSO)
provides assistance and advocacy to the men and women
who served in the Armed Forces of America, their dependents
and survivors, and the general public in obtaining benefits and
entitlements from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), Department of defense, state and local programs for
veterans and their families.
A major component of our department is to provide cost-
avoidance to the County Departments of Health and Social
Services through the County "Welfare Referral Program".
(see Section III - Customer Services)
B. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
We have one department division which provides multiple
services as detailed in Section Ill - Customer Services.
We have two office locations with the following hours for
the public:
Main Office: 10 Douglas Drive, Suite 100
Martinez, CA 944553-4078
Phone: 925-313-1481
Fax: 925-313-1490
Flours: 8 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 5 pm
Monday through Friday
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Branch Office: 100 - 37th Street, Suite 270
Richmond, CA 94805-2179
Phone: 510-374-3241
Hours: 8 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 4 pm
Tuesday and Thursday
SECTION 11 -i RESOURCES
A. FI'NA'NCIAL RESOURCES
BUDGET FY 1997-98: 10579)
Expenditures -
Salaries & Employee Benefits = $296,583
Services & Supplies - 14.159
Gross Expenditures = 310,742
Financing -
Intergovernmental Revenue = 64.243
Net County Cost = $246,499
FINANCIAL SOURCES-
Our department has four funding sources per the
Military and Veterans Code of California.
1. Section 972, State Subvention to help fund
CVSO.
2. Section 972.1, State Subvention Augmentation
to help fund CVSO.
3. Section 972.2, State CVSO fund from sales of
special interest veteran license plates through
DMV. This program began initial funding
distribution in 1995.
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4. Section 972.5, California Department of
Veterans Affairs (CDVA) contracts with
State Department of Health Services for the
purposes of obtaining federal funds for CDVA
to distribute to CVSO for workload of Medi-Cal
cost-avoidance activities.
The above funding sources are paid semi-annually to
CVSO per annual audits performed by CDVA in accordance
with the California Code of Regulations, Title 12, Sections 450-
455.
State Senate Bill (SS 1428-Johannessen) if:passed
would increase CVSO state subvention from 1.6 million to
5 million per year for the 56 counties participating;in the
program.
B. PERSONNEL RESOURCES
This department has five (5) FTE. (see organizational
chart)
During the past 7 years, our department has lost one (1)
FTE and two (2) temporary parttime positions due to budget
reductions. These reductions are equivalent to a 29% staff
loss. In the recent past, some of the remaining staff have been
placed on furlough in order to comply with a balanced budget.
C. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
The Affirmative Action (AA) representation of Veterans
Services exceeds the established Contra Costa County goals
of the 1990 census labor force and 1997 work force percent-
ages.
The Department Head is the AA Officer for our depart-
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..............
meat. The Department AA Plan and Implementation Plan is
reviewed periodically with staff and each staff person has a
copy of the plans.
Discrimination of any kind is the enemy of us all.
D. SICK LEAVE
SICK LEAVE USAGE - 1997
HOURS HOURS
USED ACCRUED # STAFF % USffQ
175.60 480 5 36.5
- 1997 sick leave usage increased by 98.9 hours (20.5%)
over 1996 due to a very bad "flu year for all staff.
- 14.4 hours of family sick leave was used during 1997.
- One employee utilized 90.7 hours of sick leave due to
serious chronic illness which exceeded the department
sick leave standard but met the mitigating circumstance
requirement.
The Department Sick Leave Policy is reviewed frequently
with staff and each has a copy.
E. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Each employee is evaluated annually (20-year county
employees are evaluated every two years) regarding the
following performance criteria: productivity, innovation/
analysis, organization, communication skills, attendance and
other job related subjects.
Staff is encouraged to participate in career enhancing
activities, county sponsored training and wellness programs.
The Department Head and professional staff attend:periodic
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mandatory accreditation training sponsored by the U.S. Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the California Department of
Veterans Affairs (CDVA).
The Department Head recognizes that the employees of
this department are its most important resource.
F. AUTOMATION
The following automation improvements have been
accomplished:
- WINDOWS 95 installed on five (5) PC's
- Peer to Peer network for office PC's
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approval to
access the VA Benefits Delivery Network (BDN) Remote via
local PC modem. This has resulted in a significant enhance-
ment for case management and client service. This was an
automation goal last year.
FUTURE GOALS:
1. To acquire an appropriate software program designed
for CVSO work related activities. My goal last year to acquire
"VET-PRO" was put on hold indefinitely. The Department of
Information Technology rejected the maintenance contract for
VET-PILO. It was determined that several provisions of the
maintenance-contract did not conform to the county standard
required by the purchasing division of General Services. The
success of this goal will also depend on funding availability.
SECTIONIII - +CUSTOMER SERVICES
A. SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM
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Clients access our services in person at our two office
locations, over the phone, via the mail and we also do field
visits to residences, hospitals and nursing homes.
The following services are provided:
- Comprehensive benefit counseling of veteran
programs at the federal, state and local level
- Claim preparation, procurement of supporting
documentation, submission of claim
- Claim tracking and review of final determinations
- Appeal process review (VA appellate level) and
development when appropriate
- County Welfare referral (CA-5) program which
assists these on public assistance (AFDC, Medi-
Cal, Food Stamps and GA) to be referred to our
services in the hope of entitlement thereby
reducing local county costs
- Information and referral services for the fallowing:
1. Crisis intervention
2. Employment
3. Public assistance
4. Social Security
5. Miscellaneous issues
The following brief list of programs are a fewof the
primary entitlements that we assist clients with:
a. Disability Compensation (service-connected)
b. Disability Pension (non service-connected)
c. Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC for
surviving spouse and children)
d. Death Pension (surviving spouse and children)
e. VA Medical care
f. Education and Dependent Education
g. College Tuition Fee Waiver for Dependents
h. Vocational Rehabilitation
i. Housebound, Aid and Attendance benefits
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j. Clothing and Dependent Allowances
k. Special Adaptive Housing and Auto Grants
1. VA Home Loans and Cal-Vet Home Leans
m. VA Lite Insurance
n. State Veterans Home - 'Yountville and Barstow
o. Burial benefits
A major component of our department workload is the
county "welfare referral program" whereby we receive welfare
referrals (Form CA-5) from the Department of Social Services
(DSS). We process these referrals to determine if any VA
monetary benefits are being paid to the welfare applicant/
recipient. We notify DSS via the CA-5 confirmingmonetary
payment or non-payment. In addition, we attempt to contact
each referral to explore eligibility to all monetary benefit
programs and other services for veterans, their dependents
and survivors. The results of this program annually provides
significant cost-avoidance savings to the Department of Social
and Health Services in Contra Costa County.
We have little discretion over the number and type of
services. Our job is to be thorough with clients to assure
access and potential eligibility to an enormous inventory of
benefits and services. The only constraints that we face deal
with budget.
B. CUSTOMER PROFILE
Our customers are county residents, the men and women
who served honorably in the Armed Forces of America, their
dependents and survivors.
Current Federal and State Census estimates show
approximately 99,083 veterans and 247,708 dependents living
in Contra Costa County. There are 5,500 disabled veterans in
receipt of VA disability payments in our county.
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Our customers earned their entitlements through sacrifice
and service to our nation during war and peacetime. We are
often inspired by the courage and humility of our veterans,
especially those who served in combat. We assist daily those
who struggle valiantly with their disabilities and pain. We are
also hearten by the dignity and grace of survivingspouses who
last their partners in life and children who lost a parent due to
the cruelty of war or disability.
Our clients represent all ages, ethnic and socio-economic
backgrounds. Many of our clients are county employees.
Some clients may be healthy while many are physically and
mentally disabled. We deal with all aspects of disablement
and profound bereavement. Some of our clients are hostile
and belligerent. We endeavor to be alert, sensitive and
compassionate to the needs and concerns of our clients.
C. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
It is vital that our staff develop a relationship:of trust,
respect and confidence with clients. Our work involves
sensitive and complex issues that are often very personal in
nature. Disability and death are daily reminders of the
necessity to foster excellent relationships because the results
of our work, in terms of monetary benefits and services our
clients receive, profoundly impacts their lives for the better.
The satisfaction rate of our clients is high. The Board of
Supervisors and CAO receive unsolicited letters of appreciation
by our clients on a regular basis. Most of our clients view our
department as an effective comprehensive service that gets the
job done.
The customer demand for our services is constant,
essential and, at times, life preserving. Our department was
established in the 1940's to accommodate this need and the
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perpetual high cost of our national defense. We have stood the
test of time.
SECTION IV - ANNUAL PERFORMANCE
A. Performance Indicators
The relevant fiscal year indicators listed below reflect
significant county cost-avoidance, high volume of workload and
enhancement of the Contra Costa economy. This activity is
performed by a dedicated staff with limited resources. Therefore, the
Veterans Service Department is cost-effective, efficient and a vital
asset for the local economy and the thousands of county residents it
services.
- Cast-avoidance (VA monetary payments and the
savings from the Welfare Referral Program with the
Department of Social Services)
199598 - # of Clients
Medi-Cal (includes AFDC) $1,340,458 - 315
General Assistance (CA) 159,270, - 29
Total $1,499,728 - 344
1997-98 - # of Clients
Medi-Cal (includes AFDC) $1,567,447 '; - 307
General Assistance (GA) 31,056 - 14
Total $1,598,503 - 321
GA cost-avoidance declined due to increased VA
adjudication backlog and decrease in eligible GA clients.
The above cost-avoidance figures do not reflect the value
of significant VA medical care and other services.
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New Recurring Payments and Lump Sum Payments:
1995-96 - # of Clients 1996-97 - # of Clients
$4,418,727 - 1,101 $4,360,319 - 890
Centra Costa CVSO State Ranking of 56 Counties:
1995-96 1336-97
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-Workload Indicators
1995-96 1996-97
Claims/Appeals Filed 1,192 1,260
Office Interviews 2,926 2,994
Field Interviews 46 100
Incoming Telephone Calls 11,601 12,194
Correspondence In 12,394 10,987
Correspondence Out 6,530 6,215
Welfare Referrals 3,519 2,044
Welfare Referral Claims Filed 97 93
- College Tuition Fee Waiver Program
Effective July 1, 1993, the administration and
adjudication of the California College Tuition Fee Waiver
Program for dependents of service-connected disabled
veterans was delegated to CVSO's by the California
Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA). Under this program,
eligible dependent college students are provided with a CVSO
approval letter which grants the waiver to tuition, incidental and
registration fees at the State supported schools of the Univer-
sity of California (UC), California State University (CSU) and
Community Colleges (CC). A history of our department
involvement is provided:
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Students Approved:
1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97
UC - 15 UC - 57 UC - 46 UC - 62
CSU - 25 CSU - 54 CSU - 81 CSU - 70
CC 3031 CC =_ -_0 CC - 108 CCS- Q1
Total 70 191 235 233
Applications Denied:
1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97
6 8 6 15
The following savings have been realized by these
students and deserving families just in tuition waiver
alone:
1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97
$155,850 $479,780 $494,8612 $554,642
- Other Significant Indicators
a. Veteran Services (CVSO ) is an important
investment in County government. Using the State
Department of Finance estimating techniques and
the example of 1996-97 CVSO3 generated new cash
payments of $4,3601,319, it is estimated that
$697,651 ( 16% of total) becomes new focal tax
revenue. The CVSO net county cost was
$224,704. Therefore, the County earned an
approximate 310% return on its CVSO :investment.
Furthermore, Contra Costa County veterans,
their dependents, and survivors received
$46,078,705 in cash benefits for disability, death,
education and life insurance indemnities during
1995-96. The local tax revenue for this period is
$7,372,592. Our department is most responsible,
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through decades of service, for the creation and
maintenance of this annual cash flow into the
County economy and for the betterment of
thousands of families.
b. Considerable staff time is spent on assisting
clients with access to VA/CAL-VET home loans.
There has been approximately 4 billiondollars in
VA loans in Contra Costa County since 1945. Our
office has been the primary source to assist these
families with information and eligibility.
Dollar amounts for CAL-VET loans in Contra
Costa County are unavailable per CAL-VET. The
impact on the local banking and construction
industries is significant.
C. We assist thousands of veterans each year with
access and eligibility to VA medical care and
related services. We assist veterans to, establish
VA recognized service-connected disabilities which
brings mandatory life time free VA medical care for
those conditions. In addition, we help low income
and indigent veterans with entitlement to VA medi-
cal care. The undocumented cost savings to the
county is enormous.
B. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Accomplishments for the Veterans Services Department
are measured in terms of the daily client satisfaction regarding
the qualityfuantity of service provided. In addition, our depart-
ment has earned' the respect from numerous federal, state and
local agencies.
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The Veterans Services staff, Jill Martinez, Debbie Garcia,
Vicki Turner and Ray Brooks, deserve commendation for their
daily excellence, dedication and team work. The success of
this department is directly due to their hard work and 1 am
proud to be associated with them.
In short, the performance indicators, customer services
and other sections detailed in this report reveal significant
accomplishments for a staff of 5 people.
SECTION V - Challenges and New Directions
A. Challenges
1. To keep pace with the continued increase workload
from the College Fee Waiver Program.
2. To dispel the perception that our client base is in
decline. With the current downsizing of the ,Armed ':Forces, the
demand for services remains active and normal demand will
remain as long as there is a need for national' defense.
Furthermore, older clients have increased geriatric needs and
require special services and benefits to fulfill those needs.
Staff visits to hospitals, nursing homes and private homes will
continue to increase. When these older veterans do not have
access to our services, they will loop toward County Health and
Social Service Departments to provide them.
3. For the Department Head to continue to perform
multiple duties such as program manager, budget officer,
personnel officer, affirmative action officer, public/media
relations, supervisor, full-time veterans service representative
and many other miscellaneous tasks all for less than salary
parity to many mid-management county positions of lesser
responsibility and accountability.
4. The annual challenge for staff to adapt to change in
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an environment of perpetual limited resources.
5. There is a challenge for increased competition for
general fund dollars among county departments. 1 can only
hope that the Board of Supervisors and CAO will fully assess
the merits and value of our department services, our
contribution to the cash flow of Contra Costa County and the
cast-avoidance activities all detailed in this report.
Respectfully,
Gary Villalba
Director, CVSO
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