COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS

MINUTES

MAY 24, 1999

ATTENDANCE:

B & A MEMBERS: Wishnie, Carsky, Kaplowitz, LaMotte, Mosiello,

Chairman Wishnie called the meeting to order at 10:05a.m.

DISCUSSION: (There is a cassette tape on file for more detailed information)

On motion of Legislator Swanson, seconded by Legislator Kaplowitz, the motion to approve the Minutes of May 17, 1999 was carried by a vote of 8-0.

• Commissioner Landi explained that this legislation consists of two pieces.
• The first piece is legislation to authorize the County to grant to Con Edison a permanent easement for the installation, maintenance and repair of an 8" gas line previously installed on the Grasslands Reservation in Mt. Pleasant. The Commissioner informed the Committee that this is a clean-up action and incurs no cost to the County. The Department of Planning has determined that this is a Type II action.

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• The second piece is legislation to grant an easement to the Westchester County Health Care Corporation for the installation and maintenance of a gas line to serve the laundry facility located on the Grasslands Reservation. The laundry building is presently leased to WCHCC. The Negative Declaration was also forwarded.
• The Committee questioned why a Negative Declaration is required for the laundry piece and not the first piece of the legislation. Commissioner Landi stated that it is because the first piece of the legislation is an maintenance action on an existing pipeline and not a new issue but he will have the Planning Department confirm this.

On motion of Legislator Swanson, seconded by Legislator Mosiello, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 8-0.

Case Management Pilot Project: Presented by Grace Minter

• Goal: Assist financial assistance customers and potential customers to achieve self-sufficiency through employment efforts, through child support activities and through other activities that remove barriers to self-sufficiency. The Case Manager will assist, coach, counsel and help arrange required referrals with the customer from first contact with the department until self-sufficiency is achieved. The process is being designed by a collaborative team of all program areas and all staff levels of the department along with community advocates, vendors and customer representatives.
• This is one of the projects designed to comply with the 1996 Federal Welfare Reform Act which mandates a 5 year lifetime limit for families to receive cash assistance beginning December, 1996.
• The pilot program began is Peekskill.

• Work plan being developed and will be out by the end of the week of May 24^th.

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Welfare Reform Employment Programs: Presented by Jewru Bandeh

• Implementing a four step employment process:

1. Employment readiness
2. Job placement
3. Retention and re-employment
4. Skills enhancement

• Workforce Investment Act: Mandate: must be in place by July 1, 2000

• Must work for at least 6 months to be eligible for Unemployment Insurance.

• Commissioner Mahon stated that the Federal government has estimated that 20% will not go to work and has exempted them from the 5 year mandate.

Office of Child Support Enforcement: Presented by Dennis Packard

• Mr. Packard reported that the news is positive in that they have collected a record amount in 1998 and running ahead of ‘98’s numbers so far this year.
• Instituted a new telephone system
• Have begun a new customer service process
• Paternity establishments are up
• Increase in support establishment percentage
• Will issue violations on non-payers (non-custodial parents)

Jiggetts v. Wing: Presented by Dennis Packard

• The Appellate Division has ruled against the State of New York in the appeal of a lower court finding in this case. This case brought in the City of New York sought to challenge the adequacy of the States shelter allowance.
• The case at both levels found that the State did not have a rental allowance that bears a reasonable resemblance to the actual cost of rental housing stock in the City. The State was directed to review the schedule and recalculate the allowances accordingly.
• There is a similar case in Westchester (Harris v. Wing) filed on behalf of recipients by Westchester/Putnam Legal Services. The outcome of this case has been suspended awaiting the outcome in Jiggetts.

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• There are 4,500 PA households residing in unsubsidized housing. 67% pay rent in excess of the PA shelter allowance.
• A higher PA standard will make it more difficult to move customers off the rolls.

Child Assistance Program (CAP): Presented by Dennis Packard

• CAP is a volunteer alternative program to Family Assistance designed to assist the customer in successfully transitioning from Public Assistance through intensive case management. This program is for customers who are employed.
• DSS requested and was approved for a grant of $999,538 to implement the CAP program in Westchester.
• Lease negotiations are currently underway for the 4^th floor of 31 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains.
• Anticipated office opening: Fall, 1999 Caseload expectation is 300 (60 cases per case manager)

Homeless Case Management Program: Presented by Nancy Travers

• Homeless Case Management began in Westchester with the formulation of a homeless case management program in March, 1999.
• Upon full implementation of this program (October, 1999) one homeless case management unit will service the homeless population of Westchester.
• The goal of this program is to reduce the homeless population by getting customers housed, employed and/or in more appropriate placement settings.
• The case managers in this unit will implement the Temporary Housing Assistance Regulations. Temporary Housing Assistance is a public assistance benefit provided temporarily for an eligible homeless individual or family to meet the provision and costs of temporary housing.

• By implementing these regulations, DSS will ensure that assistance is provided to those most in need of temporary housing.

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Child Advocacy Programs: Presented by Nancy Travers

• Child Advocacy Programs provide a clam, child friendly environment, in which specially trained professionals come together as a team to conduct investigations of child sexual abuse allegations.
• DSS plans to develop two Child Advocacy Programs to provide in-County programs able to serve as resources for the protection, care, treatment, and investigation of sexually and physically abused children in all of Westchester. One program, implemented in September, 1998 is located at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Yonkers. The second program will be located at Westchester Medical Center.

Sexual Abuse Units: Presented by Nancy Travers

• The creation of specialized units will focus the development of the skills and expertise necessary for successfully engaging these families.
• The end result should be thorough and timely investigations of child sexual abuse with appropriate on-going interventions and services that ensure the health, safety and well being of children and families.

Food Stamps/Medicaid: Presented By Olivia Rhodes

• Since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act (PRWRA) in 1996, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Program. Federal TANF funds were allocated to the states based on AFDC spending levels for Federal Fiscal Year 1995. This basis included costs of determining eligibility for Medicaid and Food Stamps.

• The Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 passed by Congress construes that because Medicaid and Food Stamp eligibility costs were a factor in determining the TANF allocation, states should not have been entitled to claim reimbursement for eligibility via the Food Stamp Program.

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• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1995 funds that could have been charges to Food Stamps will be used as the basis for recoupment. Health and Human Services has determined that the annual federal share of common administrative costs for New York is $63.3 million for food stamps and $53.8 million for Medicaid. The Federal government will recoup funds on a quarterly basis from FFY 1999-2002.

• While the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 only addresses the administrative expenses related to the Food Stamp Program, Health and Human Services has requested that states calculate common costs that could have been allocated to Medicaid.
• The estimated cost to the County for Food Stamps is $3.37 million and $2.864 million for Medicaid. Beginning April 1, 1999 claiming formulas changed. The administrative costs will be claimed to the extent that the Food Stamp and Medicaid Programs are benefited.

• The agricultural legislation stipulates that states may not use TANF funds to pay for this offset.
• It is not yet known whether or not the state will share the cost of recoupment with local DSS.

Conclusion:

Commissioner Mahon stated that he and his staff will be happy to provide periodic updates to the Legislature.

On motion of Legislator Stewart-Cousins, seconded by Legislator Carsky, the motion to Receive and File Item II, 1 (Gift Acceptance); II, 4 (Court-Ordered Certiorari Refunds); II, 7 (Inmate Labor Rates); II, 8 (Gift Acceptance) and II, 9 (Gift Acceptance) was carried by a motion of 8-0.

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The Committee reviewed the Draft May 27^th A & C Calendar.

Questions were raised with regard to Items 4, 21 & 22 which answers are pending receipt of back-up information.

Mrs. LaMotte expressed her concern with regard to the number of excess newsletters that are currently printed and stated that the process should be reviewed.

Mr. Boland informed the Committee that this newsletter was handled by Harlson Plastic Tag Company and that another printer bid less for the upcoming newsletter job. The Committee will get more information and discuss further the bidding process for printing the newsletters as well the specs for the job.

There being no further items for discussion, on motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Swanson, the meeting was adjourned at 11:40 a.m.