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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD-2014-041 Request for Additional Staff to help with DSS cases and Approval of Budget Amendment #2-CORD- 2014 -041 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 21, 2014 Action Agenda Item No. 6 -h 1 SUBJECT: Request for Additional Temporary Staff to Assist with Public Assistance Cases and Approval of Budget Amendment #2 -C DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Coston, 919 - 245 -2800 PURPOSE: To approve Budget Amendment #2 -C for the acceptance of $56,259 in additional revenue for Social Services, and approve use of the funds to hire temporary staff to work in public assistance. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Department of Social Services (DSS) has been implementing new state automation, North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology (NCFAST) in all public assistance programs. Although the conversion of Food and Nutrition Services is complete, Orange County has served as one of four pilots for the Medicaid programs since January 2014. As is expected during any pilot, it has been slower to complete all the tasks and staff time has also been spent helping with issues related to piloting. After reviewing the amount of work yet to be completed, it appears that DSS will need more resources for the next 5 -6 months. The concentration for the past seven months has been to complete all the applications for Medicaid. In addition to the normal workload, Orange County received over 900 Medicaid applications through the federal marketplace. Almost the entire backlog of applications has now been completed, although this has created a significant backlog on recertification reviews. All reviews not completed during the month due were automatically extended for one month. This was with federal approval to assure that clients were not impacted but that process ends in December. As a pilot county, Orange County could only do the reviews in NC FAST and did not have the option to catch up in the old system. Almost all reviews have continuously rolled forward each month since last January resulting in over 8,500 due by the end of December. In addition, open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act begins November 15th, and last year DSS received almost 1,000 additional Medicaid applications from the federal marketplace. When DSS 2 receives one of these applications, it must be assessed for Medicaid eligibility. All of these applications must be processed in 45 days and should all be completed by March 2015. In addition to the Medicaid cases, DSS must operate the energy programs (Crisis Intervention Program and the Low Income Energy Assistance Program), requiring additional staff resources from November through March. Each year, approximately 3,000 payments are issued although employees see additional people since all who apply are not eligible. Although work and employees within the organization have been moved to meet the shifting needs, additional staff resources are needed to manage the next six months. For any review not completed by December, a DSS staff member will have to complete an action in NCFAST to manually extend the review period for another month. Obviously that creates more work but probably cannot be avoided on all of these cases. DSS is requesting additional temporary positions (up to seven positions, depending on how soon they can be filled) to assist with this work. Although the current DSS budget includes some funds for temporary staff in public assistance, these are not sufficient for the current needs. The County Manager and Finance and Administrative Services Director have worked with the Social Services Director to move some available funds within the DSS budget to fund part of the needs. Any funds expended on staff working in Medicaid, including these temporary staff, will receive 75% reimbursement from the enhanced Medicaid administration funding. In addition, some unbudgeted child welfare revenue has been received, allowing some of the County funds now used in child welfare to be used for these positions. This budget amendment reflects these additional revenue sources. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The funds for this request are located within the DSS budget and through the receipt of additional revenue of $56,259 as part of this Budget Amendment #2 -C. No additional County funds are requested. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve Budget Amendment #2 -C and approve the DSS plan to use temporary staff to complete this work.