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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-20-2002 - 4b dd-�1 4L j6/20; 2 Potential Uses for Social Safety Net The list on the following pages outlines State cuts that the County has experienced in the past year or anticipates to experience in the upcoming fiscal year. The General Assembly continues to deliberate the State's 2002-03 budget, and it is likely that the County will face additional cuts once the State budget is adopted. In anticipation of these cuts, the Manager has included a reserve of$110,000 in the recommended 2002- 03 budget (Miscellaneous Function, beginning on page 12-23 of the Manager's Recommended Budget document) to cover some of the cuts that may come our way. The "reserve" was created by re-allocating funds from the Department of Social Services ($70,000) and the Child Care Challenge Grant ($40,000). Since the General Assembly has not adopted the State's budget, this is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of cuts for next year. It is also important to note that the State budget proposes significant cuts for Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health. It is not clear at this point, how much the cuts will total and what the impact will be for OPC. As the State deliberates further and adopts the budget, staff will provide additional information to the Board. Page 1 6/20/2002 State Funding Cuts Reductions that took place with State budget approval in fall 2002 or Category 1. enacted mid-year by the Governor's Emergency Budget Actions. These reductions were absorbed in the individual departmental budgets for the current(2001-02)fiscal year. Department Description $ Impact on 2002-03 Budget Block Grant Reduction -used mainly to offset overall salaries of DSS social work staff $21,851 Program Integrity -offset costs of fraud investigations $25,000 State Adult Home Specialist -offset cost of position related to monitoring rest homes throughout the County $8,087 DSS Carolina Access -offset cost associated with the position who coordinates services for recipients of this Medicaid- related program $22,083 Smart Start -reduction in day care staff and elimination of funding for the adolescent parenting program $35,616 Sub-Total DSS $112,637 Health Smart Start Programs -including elimination of Welcome to the World Program and funding for associated position $63,280 Library State Aid to Libraries $17,703 Total Category 1 $193,620 Category 2. Reductions that were anticipated and incorporated into 2002-03 Manager's Recommended Budget Department Description $ Impact on 2002-03 Budget IV-E Administration -result of a change in federal guideline interpretation; offsets child welfare costs $61,585 Smart Start -offset costs of Day Care Social Worker; DSS DSS director has frozen position $40,000 Health Choice -offset total cost of Income Maintenance . staff $81,000 Sub Total DSS $182,585 Block Grant- Associated with In-Home Care and Adult Aging Day Care $3,798 Library State Aid to Libraries $10,721 Total Category 2 $197,104 Page 2 6/20/2002 State Funding Cuts Potential reductions as proposed by the Governor and/or Senate budget plans. This list is what staff is aware of at this point and is not Category 3. meant to be an all-inclusive list. As the State deliberates further and adopts the budget,staff will provide additional information to the Board. Department Description $ Impact on 2002-03 Budget Communities Alternative Program(CAP) -Offsets costs of Final cuts to be social work program that keeps disabled adults from going determined by DSS to nursing homes Legislature State Aid to Counties -offsets costs of public assistance programs $58,000 Sub-Total DSS $58,000 Intensive Home Visiting Program -offset partial cost of staff. $9,000 Overall reduction of public health programs and increased Health fees for lab services $28,930 Revenues that offset costs of case management Final cuts to be determined by Legislature Sub-Total Health $37,930 .Library Further reduction in State Aid to Libraries $1,245 Increase in amounts that Counties pay to the State for Final cuts to be Sheriff "safe-keeping"of inmates determined by Legislature Total Category 3 $97,175 Page 3 6/20/2002 Orange/Chatham Justice Partnership The Governor's proposed budget eliminates funding for the Criminal Justice Partnership State Funds. The Senate proposal includes only a 33 percent reduction. Funds set aside in the Orange Chatham Justice Partnership Reserve fund (page 12-23 of the recommended budget document) include$15,000 that the Commissioners could add to the Orange and Chatham County contributions in order to fund the Pre-Trial Release program for one-half of the year. Chatham has included a similiar scenario in the Manager's Recommended budget. Should funding be eliminated completely, there would be no funds for the Pre-Trial Release or Substance Abuse Programs that are currently funded by the grant. Allocation re-I nal Substance Total Release Abuse Administra Revenue Program Treatment tion Programs Criminal Justice Partnership State Funds 165,221 65,514 89,707 10,000 0 Juvenile Justice State Funds 261,250 0 0 15,500 245,750 included in the Orange County Contribution County's Contributions (As included in Manager's to outside Agencies (page 12-1 of the Recommended 2002-03 Recommended Budget) 11,514 0 0 11,514 66,353 budget) Chatham County Contribuilon (As included in Manager's Recommended 2002-03 Budget) 59,237 0 0 28,000 31,237 Page 4 A CALL FOR ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR NORTH CAROLINA HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina has experienced a significant increase in population including the nation's fastest growing Latino population, many of whom require support and assistance, and; WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina has experienced a devastating economic downturn with some counties facing the highest unemployment rate in the nation, and; WHEREAS,the State of North Carolina's economy has been dependent upon textiles and manufacturing industries which have lost thousands of jobs, leaving employment opportunities very scarce,and; WHEREAS, Human Services Agencies in North Carolina, including the Departments of Social Services have experienced increased demands on all public assistance programs; Work First Family Assistance,Child Care Subsidy, Food Stamps,Medicaid,Child Support,Transportation, and Emergency Assistance programs,and; _ WHEREAS, these same North Carolina County Departments of Social Services have also experienced increased demands on all service programs, as unemployment and economic stresses contribute to increases in crime, juvenile delinquency, child neglect and abuse,elder neglect and abuse, dmglalcohol abuse, and an erosion in the quality of life for all citizens, and: WHEREAS, the Covernor of the State of North Carolina has withheld millions of dollars from county governments forcing many counties to increase property taxes and with legislative approval a one-half cent in sales tax, and: WHEREAS, the Senate Human Resources Appropriations Committee's Budget includes a reduction of$5.5 million for County Departments of Social Services for the administration of programs of public assistance. The reduction of$5.5 million equates to an$I I million cut and the reduction of 392 position. The State funds are used to leverage federal funds. These funds are used to support staffs who deliver direct services to the State's most vulnerable citizens. The reduction will severely hinder our ability to provide essential services. WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina operates Social Services programs in partnership with county government but the portion of cost paid by county governments places us in the top 10% of counties nationwide, and: WHEREAS the State of North Carolina has seen a 60%reduction in Work First Family Assistance caseloads county governments have maintained the same level of financial support to this program while the State reduced its financial commitment to the Work First Program. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the State of North Carolina shall explore all avenues to increase revenues, including tax on tobacco and alcohol to invest in all the State's children, families,disabled and elderly individuals so that they can all fully participate in the American Dream. PROPOSED ADDITION TO SECOND RESOLUTION PROPOSAL Insert the following as Item#11 under the SOCIAL SAFETY NET section of the second resolution and renumber all remaining items consecutively: 11) Support legislation to maintain the current level of funding for State Aid to Counties in the Social Services Budget. These funds have been available from the state for decades to support the administration of state and federal public assistance programs provided through county governments. These funds are used to pay some of the costs of the staff who determine eligibility for Food Stamps,Medicaid and other financial assistance programs. These programs are experiencing growth in the number of persons needing assistance,which has increased the workload for the staff at Social Services. The state should maintain its current level of funding to support the county administration of these programs, especially since this is one of the few sources of state funds in any of the operational costs of the local Social Services programs. The Senate budget proposes to cut $5.5 million of these funds which would reduce Orange County's allocation from approximated$69,000 to$11,000 annually. Since these funds can be used to match federal funds, loss of these funds could result in$116,000 in funds for staff at Social Services.