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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-10-2015 - 1 - Eligibility Changes for Food and Nutrition Benefit Recipients 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 10, 2015 Action Agenda Item No. 1 SUBJECT: Eligibility Changes for Food and Nutrition Benefit Recipients DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Coston, 919-245-2800 Lindsey Shewmaker, 245-2800 PURPOSE: To receive information about eligibility changes occurring for Orange County participants in Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), formerly known as food stamps. BACKGROUND: The Food and Nutrition Services program has included certain work registration requirements. The most restrictive work requirements apply to the Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD). Since 2008 and after the economic downturn, North Carolina has been operating under a federal ABAWD waiver of the work requirements. Because the unemployment rate has improved, some counties, including Orange, will no longer be able to operate under the waiver effective January 1, 2016. The people who are subject to these work requirements are between 18 and 49 years old, do not live in a households with minors and have not been determined to be disabled. There are also some temporary exceptions such as medical hardship. For those who are subject to the work requirements, these individuals must be employed or in approved employment and training activities for an average of at least twenty hours per week to be eligible to receive benefits for the month. Individuals are allowed to receive benefits for only three months during thirty-six months without meeting the work requirements. Initial data indicate over 1,500 individuals in Orange County who receive FNS benefits are subject to the ABAWD requirement. It appears that about half have some earned income, but the current records do not reflect the participants' hours worked or hours attending qualifying employment activities. There are many tasks that must be completed by Department of Social Services (DSS) staff related to these new requirements. The first is to assess the 1,500 clients and to identify those not already meeting these requirements. Other tasks involve developing procedures for tracking all of these activities and training staff on the new NCFAST processes related to the new 2 eligibility requirements. Not only will this require considerable effort between now and January, but the tracking will also be needed each month for all of the impacted clients. Although DSS is not required to provide employment and training activities for these participants, the agency is planning to expand the voluntary program as an avenue for them to meet the requirements. Many of the activities planned for the expansion at Hillsborough Commons should meet the requirements, and the agency is also looking at expanding work experience at both County agencies and businesses in the community. There will also be work with Durham Technical Community College to identify courses that are appropriate for these participants. The agency will be working on transportation and other support services needed to help the participants to continue receiving benefits while seeking additional employment skills. The goal for DSS is to develop strategies to assure that no recipients lose FNS benefits due to the new regulations. This will obviously require concentrated efforts by staff to identify those who may not meet the requirements and to connect them with appropriate activities. The agency will need additional staff resources to manage this, particularly in the next six months. Although the agency has sufficient unutilized permanent salaries to provide temporary staff for the next few months, this may not be sufficient to meet this demand for the rest of this year. If it appears that additional resources are needed to meet this demand, the DSS Director will present a request to the County Manager in January or February for consideration to use social justice funding for this purpose. FINANCIAL IMPACT: If the funds already allocated in the DSS budget are sufficient to support the staff needed for this issue, there will be no additional County funds requested to meet this need. If the needs cannot be met, additional County funds will be needed to allow staff to meet with all of the impacted clients. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this agenda item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. This issue relates to the County's goal of ensuring economic self-sufficiency since these changes could result in people losing access to food. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the information about the changes in the Food and Nutrition program and provide input and guidance to the Department of Social Services on plans for serving the impacted clients.