HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-18-1994-IX-C ' 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
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ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Item No. _1;M__#_
Meeting Date: January 18, 1994
SUBJECT: Smart Start: Phase I
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DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING YES: NO: X
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ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT:
1. Orange County Subsidy Plan Marti Pryor-Cook, ext. 2802
2. Funding Allocations Plan
3 . Funding Requirements for
Positions TELEPHONE NUMBER-
Hillsborough - 732-8181
Chapel Hill - 968-4501
Mebane - 227-2031
Durham - 688-7331
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PURPOSE:
To approve the creation of 3.5 full-time equivalent positions in
Social Services to support the expansion of the child care subsidy
program through the Smart Start initiative.
BACKGROUND:
Orange County received one of the initial twelve Smart Start Grants
awarded by Governor Hunt. The initiative was designed to provide
every child in N.C. access to affordable, quality childhood education
and other services. Children from birth to five years old are the
targeted population. Orange County has been awarded $1.2 million
dollars for the current fiscal year and anticipates approximately
$2 million dollars for fiscal year 1994-95. County agencies and
private agencies are working together in a true partnership to initiate
programs and services designed to meet the individual needs of Orange
County children and families.
The requests which are outlined for DSS are only a small component of
a greater effort in the county. In the first round of funding,
allocations have been made to child care facilities and homes,
private agencies and public agencies. Additional proposals are
being developed and will be submitted in subsequent rounds of funding.
For example, the Orange County Public Health Department may be funded
for programs and/or staffing which will increase access to health
services for young children and their families. The Department on
Aging may be funded for child care transportation, and the Orange County
Public Library may receive funds for materials, supplies and books which
may be located on the mobile unit. These are in the initial stages of
development and much is yet to be determined.
2 !
Because Orange County has struggled with the issue of child care subsidy
for a number of years, the Orange County Partnership for Young Children
(OCPYC) prioritized a plan to expand child subsidy programs for families.
The DSS has historically maintained a long waiting list of families
needing subsidy. Many more families in the community need financial
assistance with child care but do not meet the limited income eligibility
guidelines.
The DSS Board and the Board of Orange County Partnership for Young
Children have approved a comprehensive subsidy plan (Attachment I) to
address the child care needs of low income families and children.
Essentially this plan allocates up to $350,000 of Smart Start service
funds for child care subsidy. This plan will be administered by both
DSS and Day Care Services Association for eligible families.
In order to maximize use of all federal and state dollars for child
care subsidy, DSS will administer the subsidy program for all families
who are eligible under current program guidelines. Families whose
income exceeds current DSS guidelines but is less than $25,000 per
year will be funded through Day Care Services Association. Families
will share in the cost of the day care based on their eligibility,
income, and family size.
Families may apply for child care subsidy at the place which is most
convenient and comfortable for them: their day program, Day Care
Services Association, Child Care Networks, or DSS. Agencies have all
agreed to accept applications and forward them to the appropriate source
for funding. Many parents will be able to access child care subsidy
without ever going into an agency office.
While the overall goals of the subsidy plan are to increase the
availability of and access to child care subsidy for families earning
less than $25,000 a year, the program has three measurable outcomes:
1) reduce the number of children on the waiting list by 150, 2)
reduce the number of families who are paying more than 10% of their
income for child care by 200 and 3) increase the number of higher
quality child care spaces for low income children by 80 spaces.
In addition to Smart Start Funds which are available to expand the
subsidy program, DSS has been awarded $38,343 in state funds through
June 30, 1994 ($76,696 will be available in fiscal year 1994/95) .
These funds are to be used to pay for staff and other administrative
support needed for the expansion of the subsidy program and
cooperation between the various funding sources for child care. An
additional $17,911 was awarded by OCPYC for a social work position
which will improve and expand services for families receiving subsidy
through the Family Support Act.
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The Department's plan is to hire two full time Social Workers, one
full-time office assistant, and one half-time (20 hours per week)
accounting clerk, at no cost to the county. The office assistant and
accounting positions will be available to provide support for the
total child care subsidy program which is expected to serve
approximately 550 children when all funds are being maximized and the
waiting list has been reduced. One social work position will provide
eligibility determination, case management, and social work support
to serve approximately 150 children from the Day Care Waiting List.
The second social work position will provide support and services to
approximately 100 families who are eligible for child care benefits
through the Family Support Act program and who currently have no
social worker assigned. It is expected that this position will
assist families in making better choices for child care and help them
to negotiate a more stable, ongoing eligibility status for child
care. This position will also work with child care providers to
expand child care and to enhance quality of child care in Orange
County.
The General Assembly funded the State Smart Start initiative through
June 30, 1995. Continuation of these positions from year to year
will be contingent on the allocation of Smart Start funds.
RECOMMENDATION(S) :
The Manager recommends that the Board approve:
A. That the Smart Start Program be considered a grant project
ordinance in a fund distinct from the General Fund. This
will allow the County to track funding and outcome of Smart
Start separately from other Human Services programs.
B. The creation of 3.5 full-time equivalent positions to
support the Child Care Subsidy Plan as approved by the
Orange County Partnership for Young Children and the
DSS Board.
ATTACHMENT I 4
Orange County Child tare Subside flan
introduction
Oran,,c County has struggled with tic issue of child care subsidy for a number of years. The
DC-partment of Social Services has historically maintained a Ion(, waiting list of families needing
subsidy. Many more families in the community need assistance with child care subsidy but do not
mgt the limited income eligibility guidelines that are required for this type of assistance. The high
cost of child care in this community forces many families to have to choose between work and public
assistance and between quality, stable child care and care that is uneven and unstable at best. In
addition to the child care subsidy program within the Department of Social Services, Day Care
Services Association (DCSA) has provided child care subsidy for low income working or student
families since 1975. However, because of limited funding, often families receiving subsidy through
this program look very much like the working families receiving subsidy through the Orange County
Department of Social Services. The Board of the Orange County Partnership for Young Children
has unanimously approved the initial expenditure of$350,000 to address these problems, with the
possibility of another$100,000 to be used, if needed.
Strategy
The Orange County Department of Social Services and Day Care Services Association have
developed a collaborative strategy to improve the availability of and access to funds to subsidize cluld
care costs for families in Orange County. This strategy mandates close collaboration between the
two agencies, the cooperation of the child care community, an innovative application process for
families, and a reimbursement system that serves as an incentive for programs to improve the quality
of the child care they provide to children and families.
Families who are eligible under current state day care program guidelines will be funded through the
Orange County Department of Social Services. Families whose income exceeds those guidelines but
is less than S25,000 a year will receive subsidy through Day Care Services Association. Families
who are eligible for assistance through DCSA will be expected to pay 8-10% of their income for
child care, depending on the size of their fam0 . Funding under this program will be limited to
families who need child care to work or to attend school. Because Orange County is a university
community, many student families need child care assistance. However, no more than '5% of the
available funds will be used for student families. Additional limitations on funding student families
will apply. Subsidy through DCSA will be awarded on a need basis, not a first come-first served
basis. Applications will be screened monthly, with subsidy being awarded to families on the basis
on their income (need) and the availability of funds. Lower income families will be given priority.
Applications for child care subsidy will be available in any regulated day care center or family day
care home that is willing to participate in the program. Providers must be willing to accept the
reimbursement rates paid by both agencies and sign a simple agreement form. The application form
will include a Ietter to parents telling them that they may be eligible for child care subsidy through
either DSS or DCSA, depending on their income. Child care providers will collect applications and
verification of income from their parents, review those applications for completeness, and then
forward them to DCSA. There they will be screened. Parents may be contacted about information
on the application. If it appears that the family falls within the DSS guidelines, then those
applications will be sent to DSS, with a copy being maintained at DCSA. There a day care social
worker will contact the family, determine eligibility, send them the state application voucher, and
authorize payment, if funds are available. If funds are not available, DCSA will be notified and the
family will placed on DCSA's list to receive funds through their community scholarship program.
Monthly meetings will be held between DSS and DCSA staff to review applications and to insure
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good communication about family's needs and eligibility issues. Famlies may also apply for
subsidy through DSS, as the}, have done in the past.
By involvin- the child care provider in the recruitment of families, we hope to provide parents easy
access to child care subsidy and to reduce the administrative costs of the program. Parents may be
able to access child care subsid} and never have to go into any agency office. They will be given the
opportunity to apply within the comfort of thc child care program that they have already selected.
Applications for child care subsidy will also be available at Child Care Networks, DCSA and DSS,
however funding will not be awarded until they have the signature of the child care provider.
Families will be given a.list of all the programs willing to work with child care subsidy in our
community. It is hoped that this list will include almost all centers in the county and most of the day
care homes.
Both the DSS and DCSA will pay providers up to the county market rate with the following
exception: (1) any AA licensed center or NAFDC accredited day care home can be reimbursed up to
110 0 of market rate or their own fee, whichever is less; (2) any NAEYC accredited day care center
can be reimbursed up to 120% of market rate or their own fee, whichever is less; and (3) any
program can be reimbursed up to 175% of market rate for a child with documented special needs if
the program can demonstrate additional programmatic costs associated with the care of the child.
Using Smart Start funds, priority will be given to families who are working or in school and earn
less than$25,000 per year. Smart Start funds will also be used to fund the reimbursement rate
differences for both FSA and non-FSA families between what is currently allowed for Category B
centers and those proposed above. In addition, Smart Start funds will be used by both DSS and
DCSA to insure that baps in the current subsidized child care system are closed. For example,
families who lose funding after one year on Transitional child care benefits and who are not DSS
income ch-ible will be given funding priority through DCSA. Families who receive subsidy through
DCSA, experience a fancily crisis, and need the help of a trained social worker, will be referred to a
DSS day care social worker for help. Funding for child care will still come from DCSA.
Intended Outcomes
While the overall goals of this program are to increase the availability of and access to child care
subsidy for families earning less than $25,000 a year, the program has set forth three measurable
outcomes on which its success is to be measured. These are to 1) reduce the number of children on
the DSS child care subsidy waiting list by 150, 2) reduce the number of families who are paying
more than 10% of their income for child care for one child by 200, and 3 increase the number of
higher quality child care spaces available to children receive child care subsidy by 10% or 80 spaces.
Request for Funds
The Board of Directors of the Orange County Partnership for Young Children requests that the
Division of Child Development provide:
1. the Orange Count}, Department of Social Services with an additional $75,000 in Smart Start
funds to be used as reimbursement for child care subsidy,
2. the Orange County Department of Social Services with $38,343 in administrative funds to
provide staff support for the expansion of the child care subsidy program,
3. Day Care Services Association with $275,000 to be used for child care subsidy, with no more
than 12.5 C of these funds to be used for administrative costs associated with training and
recruiting child care providers, screening applications and reimbursing child care providers.
ATTACHMENT IIa
6
SNIAI"T START ALLOCATIC. FOR
ORANGE COUNTY
SFY 1993 - 94
,rpose of Funds Allocation
�,eds and Resources Assessment
tack county, including each Smart Start County, must conduct al indcp.h
assessment of the county's early childliood education and child care needs,
ealth care and family support, needs, and tlic county's current ability to address S 15.515
those needs.
x.al Partnership for Children
Each Smari Start County or Consortium must establish a tax-exempt. non-
pro:`it organization to oversee the development and implementation of the
county's Smart Stan plan. Funding for the local partnership may be used to pay S 100.000
for staff and administrative support for the partnership board activities.
art tip
Star-up funds may be used to pay approved one-time costs necessan for
:-npiemcntation of the county's Smart Start plan. For cxarriplc, counties may
sick approval to purchase equipment needed to provide or administer services,
pay for minor renovations to facilities to comply with codes or to expand
services or upgrade quality. S 100.000
Care Resource and Referral
teach Smart Start county must provide CCR&R core services as defined by Lhe
N.C. Child Care Resource and Referral Network. The county's approved plan
may include start-up costs for developing or expanding CCR&R services in L'ie S 12,500
counn or administrative costs necessary to suppor existing soviets.
ount-• Administration
County administration funds must be used to pay for staff o: other
admin,isL-alive costs associated with linking children and families with
appropriate services, other than activities provided b, CCR&R agencies.
County administration may include such activities as assessing and det~rminino
;wnily eligibility for S:aart Start services,recruiting and providing t.ecludcal
Z.&Sistance to service providers, paying for the sen•ices provided, and clal�r ing
reimbursement from the appropriate state agency. S 3S.343
-�nices to Preschool Children and their Families
Services funds must be used to pay for Services which di_ctiy benefit a
-,reschool child or his famiJ}•. Suc;I services must be included in the county's
approved plan and be consistent with the statewide goals of the prog:..m. Such
sc;vices may include a variety of early childhood education and child care
services. p=nt L-almng anal suppon programs, health assessments a;id follow-
uo services. p:ena`u:i catn and zaininc, earl}• intervention services :or children S 955.734
W.th disabilities. cte.
oral County Allocation FS 1.222.092
t
ATTACHMENT IIb 7
a
Orange County Partnership for Young Children
A Vision for Young Children and Their Families
Potential Funding Allocation for Dollars
Based on $1,000,000 to be spent by 6130193
1. Improve child care services (does not include start-up) $150,000
(eg. technical assistance, training, salary supplement, etc.)
2. Increase access to health services for young children and
their families (eg. well-baby/immunizations,T.A. & training $100,000
for child care providers, newborn visits, etc.)
3. Develop and enhance family support and education services $150,000
(eg. mobile resource center, resource and referral, parenting
education, etc.)
4. Improve and enhance mental health and early intervention
services for young children and their families $1001000
(eg. KidSCope & other early intervention services for children
with special needs, transp. to services; outreach, etc.)
5. Provide economic support programs for low income families $450,000
(eg. subsidy for DSS eligible families & low income working
families, payment incentives for quality)
6. Insure that all young children are safe from violence -0-
7. Improve the delivery of human services for young children $50,000
and their families (eg. access to services for homeless families, & Admin $
families without transportation, coordination, etc.)
8. Educate and enlighten the community about the value of early
services for children Admin $
9. Insure adequate financial and human services resources to
support the vision Admit $
Other expected funds include $100,000 for facilities expansion/start-up; $100,000
for the OCPYQ $12,500 for child care resource and referral; $60,000 + in
county administration funds; and a possible $250,000+ in reallocated funds.
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ATTACHMENT III 8
z
FUNDING ANALYSIS FOR SMART START POSITIONS
FY 93-94 Social Office Accounting
(5 Months) Worker Assistant Technician
(2 Positions) (20 hrs per week)
Personnel Costs
Salary $ 17,716 $ 6,940 $ 4,017
FICA $ 1,356 $ 531 $ 307
Ret. $ 876 $ 343 $ 199
Hosp. Ins. $ 3,020 $ 1,510 $ 1,510
Dental Ins. $ 118 $ 59 $ 59
Life Ins. $ 54 $ 21 $ 12
Travel/Training $ 1,000 $ 50 $ 50
Sub-Total $ 24 , 140 $ 9,454 $ 6,214
Equipment Costs
Desk $ 960 $ 480 $ 480
Desk Chair $ 320 $ 160 $ 160
Calculator $ 160 $ 80 $ 100
File Cabinet $ 310 $ 155 $ 155
PC $ 1,270 $ 635 $ 635
PC Stand $ 460 $ 230 $ 230
Printer $ 400 $ 800 $ 200
Sub-Totals $ 3,880 $ 2,540 $ 1,960
Operating Expenses $3, 000
Total Cost for FY 93-94= $ 51,188
Total Funds Available for FY 93-94=$ 56,254
($38,343 state + $17,911 local partnership)
Total Cost to County= $ 0
FY 94-95 Social Office Accounting
( 12 months) Worker Assistant Technician
(2 Positions) (20 hrs per week)
Personnel Costs
Salary $ 46,016 $ 18,027 $ 10,434
FICA $ 3,520 $ 1,379 $ 798
Ret. $ 2,274 $ 891 $ 518
Hosp. Ins. $ 7,840 $ 3,920 $ 3,920
Dental Ins. $ 306 $ 153 $ 153
Life Ins. $ 138 $ 54 $ 31
Travel/Training $ 1,000 $ 200 $ 200
Sub-Totals $ 61,094 $ 24 , 624 $ 16,054
Operating Expenses $ 10,000
Total Cost for FY 94-95= $ 111,772
Total Funds Available for FY 94-95=$ 112,508
($ 76,686 state + $ 35,822 local partnership)
Total Cost to County= $ 0