Program B: Client Services
Program Authorization: R.S. 36:477(B)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The mission of the Client Services Program is to help people meet basic needs and move toward self-sufficiency through the provision of direct services to applicants for, and recipients of, benefits under the federally funded programs administered by the Office of Family Support.
The goals of the Client Services Program are:
1. Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of operations within the Office of Family Support.
2. Continue to implement the provisions of the Family Support Act of 1988.
3. Improve the quality of work life for agency staff in the Client Services Program.
Major activities of this program include: eligibility determinations for the Family Independence Temporary Assistance (FITAP) Program (known at the federal level as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families [TANF] Program, and formerly as the Aid to Families with Dependent Children, or AFDC Program), the FIND work training and employment services program (formerly called the JOBS Program), Food Stamps, Child Support Enforcement Services, and Disability Determinations Services.
The Financial Assistance Division administers programs which recognize each individual’s need for an income that will provide him with the basic necessities of life consistent with a standard of decency, and in recognition of the fact that some individuals have physical, mental, or societal handicaps which effectively deny them the opportunity of achieving a goal of self-support. Programs include Family Independence Temporary Assistance (FITAP) monthly cash assistance payments, refugee cash assistance, disaster relief in times of natural disaster, and transitional services to former FITAP recipients.
The FIND work training program was established to assist needy families with children to obtain the education, training and employment needed to move toward self sufficiency, and to help them to avoid long-term welfare dependency.
The Food Stamp Program is a cooperative effort of Louisiana's Department of Social Services and the United States Department of Agriculture to provide low-income households in Louisiana an opportunity to obtain a more nutritious diet.
OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Unless otherwise indicated, all objectives are to be accomplished during or by the end of FY 1999-2000. Performance indicators are made up of two parts: name and value. The indicator name describes what is being measured. The indicator value is the numeric value or level achieved within a given measurement period. For budgeting purposes, performance indicator values are shown for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and alternative funding scenarios (continuation budget level and Executive Budget recommendation level) for the ensuing fiscal year (the fiscal year of the budget document).
RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM
SOURCE OF FUNDING
This program is funded with General Fund, Interagency Transfers, Self-generated Revenue and Federal Funds. Interagency Transfers are from the Office of Community Services and the DSS, Office of the Secretary for joint and shared space costs, and from the DHH, Medical Vendor Administration program for shared space costs. Self-generated Revenue includes Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement collections; other miscellaneous collections including the state share of recoveries, recoupments, and refunds, and Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) child support collections and fees. Federal Funds are obtained from: The Social Security Act, Title IV-D, for support enforcement services; The Refugee Resettlement Act of 1980 (P.L. 212) for payments to needy refugees; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant for temporary monthly cash payments; the Child Care Block Grant for child care assistance payments; the Social Security Act for disability determinations services; U.S. Citizens Repatriated (P.L. 86-571 and Section 1113 of the Social Security Act) for payments to impoverished U.S. citizens returned to this country, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Service for Food Stamp eligibility determinations services.
ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDATION
|
GENERAL FUND |
TOTAL |
T.O. |
|
DESCRIPTION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$64,116,998 |
$209,969,434 |
3,397 |
|
ACT 19 FISCAL YEAR 1998-1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BA-7 TRANSACTIONS: |
|
$0 |
$52,943 |
0 |
|
Carry Forward federal funds for equipment not delivered prior to June 30, 1998 |
| |
$355,675 |
|
|
Transfer interagency transfer expenditure authority from the Administration program to reflect the payment of maintenance costs in State buildings in the proper program |
|
$0 |
$600,000 |
0 |
|
Transfer surplus federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds from the Client Payments program to fund a pilot teenage pregnancy prevention program in New Orleans and a statewide teenage pregnancy prevention media campaign |
|
$0 |
$7,982,870 |
0 |
|
Increase federal funds to reflect the receipt of Food Stamp "bonus" funding for achieving a very low error rate in the Food Stamp eligibility determinations process, with the proceeds to be used to pay 4% of salary supplements for the field office staff responsible for the low error rate, to a maximum of $500 per employee, and for various computer enhancements in the field services operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$64,116,998 |
$218,960,922 |
3,397 |
|
EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET - November 20, 1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$691,935 |
$1,572,580 |
0 |
|
Annualization of FY 1998 –1999 Classified State Employee Merit Increase |
|
$798,494 |
$1,814,760 |
0 |
|
Classified State Employees Merit Increases for FY 1999- 2000 |
|
$1,026,000 |
$2,052,000 |
0 |
|
Acquisitions and Major Repairs |
|
($585,460) |
($2,307,694) |
0 |
|
Nonrecurring Acquisitions and Major Repairs |
|
$0 |
($52,943) |
0 |
|
Nonrecurring Carry Forwards |
|
$24,477 |
$48,954 |
0 |
|
Rent in State-owned Buildings |
|
$59,042 |
$118,084 |
0 |
|
Maintenance of State-owned Buildings |
|
$90,244 |
$180,488 |
0 |
|
Salary Base Adjustment |
|
($1,490,429) |
($3,387,340) |
0 |
|
Attrition Adjustment |
|
($90,244) |
($180,488) |
(6) |
|
Personnel Reductions |
|
$28,000 |
$83,000 |
0 |
|
Workload – Fund of cost of additional support enforcement collections associated with an increase in the support enforcement caseload |
|
$41,000 |
$121,000 |
0 |
|
Workload – Fund the cost of additional support enforcement postage associated with an increase in the support enforcement caseload |
|
$452,000 |
$2,143,000 |
0 |
|
Annualize the cost of district attorneys support enforcement costs funded for part of FY 1998-1999 |
|
$53,000 |
$156,000 |
0 |
|
Annualize the cost of the support enforcement section phone system funded for part of FY 1998-1999 |
|
$4,000 |
$12,000 |
0 |
|
Annualize the cost of the support enforcement new hires reporting system funded for part of FY 1998-1999 |
|
($110,734) |
($325,687) |
0 |
|
Nonrecurring general and federal funds for a completed professional services contract |
|
$0 |
($7,982,870) |
0 |
|
Nonrecurring one-time federal Food Stamp "bonus" funds added by BA-7 during FY 1998-1999 |
|
($74,208) |
($2,629,023) |
0 |
|
Reduce funding for Food Stamp employment and training services to reflect a decrease in federal funds for this purpose |
|
|
($200,000) |
0 |
|
Reduce interagency transfer funds from the Office of Community Services for shared space costs to reflect a decrease in the number of co-housed units |
|
($312,000) |
($312,000) |
0 |
|
Reduce funding for travel costs to prior year actual expenses |
|
($135,000) |
($135,000) |
0 |
|
Reduce funding for supply costs to prior year actual expenses |
|
$4,000 |
$12,000 |
0 |
|
Fund the cost of an equipment maintenance contract for a voice response telephone system that is out of warranty during FY 1998-1999 |
|
$17,000 |
$50,000 |
0 |
|
Fund the cost of increased support enforcement financial institution data matching to meet new federal requirements |
|
$0 |
$102,000 |
0 |
|
Provide federal funds for the cost of additional nutrition education provided by LSU and Southern Universities |
|
$0 |
$19,204 |
0 |
|
Increase interagency transfer revenue from the DSS, Office of the Secretary for shared space costs |
|
$0 |
$12,000 |
0 |
|
Add federal funds for one additional student worker for the disability determinations unit |
|
$0 |
$26,000 |
0 |
|
Add federal funds to upgrade the disability determinations unit mailing equipment |
|
$0 |
$49,580 |
0 |
|
Add federal funds for a new "Linkages to the Workplace" grant for Tensas parish |
|
$0 |
$396,000 |
0 |
|
Provide federal funds for additional support enforcement clerks of court costs |
|
$0 |
$2,600,000 |
0 |
|
Provide federal funds to upgrade the disability determinations computer system |
|
$0 |
$425,000 |
0 |
|
Increase self generated revenue to fund a contingent fee child support enforcement collections contract, to be funded from a percentage of the amounts collected |
|
$0 |
$0 |
0 |
|
Means of Financing Substitutions – Replace $9,585,855 of federal funds with self-generated revenue from the Client Payments program to reflect revenue in the proper program |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$64,608,115 |
$213,565,127 |
3,391 |
|
TOTAL RECOMMENDED |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
$491,117 |
($5,395,795) |
(6) |
|
DIFFERENCE (TOTAL RECOMMENDED AND EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET) |
The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 97.4% of the existing operating budget. It represents 94.2% of the total request ($226,491,647) for this program. Major changes include a reduction of $7,982,870 to non-recur federal Food Stamp "bonus" funds earned by achieving a very low error rate in the eligibility determinations process, and a reduction of $2,629,023 reflecting a decrease in the level of federal funding provided for Food Stamp employment and training services. These reductions were partially offset by $2,143,000 of increased funding to annualize the cost of District Attorney support enforcement contracts, and $2.600,000 of increased funding to upgrade the disability determinations computer system.
Included as a source of funding is the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) federal block grant which is used in this program to assist eligible persons to move toward self-sufficiency through the provision of case management and supportive services such as job training, transportation and child care. This grant is part of a comprehensive piece of federal legislation (The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) that provides temporary cash assistance to needy families with children, and social services designed to reduce dependency by promoting job preparation, work and marriage. The legislation eliminated the open-ended federal Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program, and placed a maximum five year time limitation on cash assistance. The legislation also made significant changes to the child care assistance, Food Stamp, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for children, benefits for legal immigrants, and the child support enforcement programs. States must meet an 80% Maintenance-Of-Effort requirement to receive their full block grant allocation. The Maintenance Of Effort level is based upon a state's Fiscal Year 1994 spending on the AFDC, now called FITAP, and the JOBS, now called FINDWORK programs. For Louisiana the current maintenance of effort amount is $59.1 million of general fund.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
|
$4,774,587 |
|
Delux Data for EBT processing |
|
$3,832,886 |
|
Disability Determinations medical evaluations |
|
$1,738,000
|
|
Central Collections support enforcement collections services |
|
$425,000 |
|
Contingent fee child support enforcement collections contract |
|
$400,000 |
|
Teen pregnancy prevention |
|
$188,100 |
|
Professional travel |
|
$61,820 |
|
Covington & Burling for legal services |
|
$18,000 |
|
Support Enforcement "new hires" computerized reporting program |
|
$5,500 |
|
Fraud control services |
|
|
|
|
|
$11,443,893 |
|
TOTAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES |
OTHER CHARGES
|
$14,660,000 |
|
Disability Determinations medical exams |
|
$15,690,760 |
|
District Attorneys for support enforcement collections services |
|
$8,316,000 |
|
Clerks of Court for Support Enforcement collections and recording services |
|
$7,000,000 |
|
Data processing services |
|
$2,545,666 |
|
Food Stamp employment and training services |
|
$2,850,000 |
|
Paternity blood testing services |
|
$665,184 |
|
Food Stamp sanctions compliance |
|
$423,415 |
|
Food Stamp recipient reimbursements |
|
$407,288 |
|
Findwork insurance costs associated with employment |
|
$205,732 |
|
Access & Visitation Grant for the support enforcement program |
|
$200,000 |
|
Teen pregnancy prevention evaluation |
|
$179,776 |
|
Staff training costs |
|
$163,000 |
|
Support Enforcement parent locator services |
|
$200,000 |
|
Financial institution data matching fees for support enforcement |
|
$60,519 |
|
Field Services for grounds maintenance costs |
|
$54,584 |
|
Field Services for moving costs |
|
$45,752 |
|
Child care assistance computer services |
|
$49,580 |
|
Federal "linkages to the workplace" grant for Tensas Parish |
|
$40,000 |
|
Headstart collaboration services |
|
$25,000 |
|
Field Services for building maintenance |
|
$20,000 |
|
Internal Revenue Service for computer matching |
|
$8,290 |
|
Deaf Interpreter services |
|
|
|
|
|
$53,810,546 |
|
TOTAL OTHER CHARGES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interagency Transfers: |
|
$1,732,565 |
|
Division of Administration for building rent & maintenance |
|
$735,438 |
|
Department of Labor for Food Stamp training |
|
$925,526 |
|
LSU for nutrition education |
|
$500,000 |
|
LSU & Southern for TANF evaluation |
|
$404,551 |
|
DSS, Office of the Secretary for supplies |
|
$123,600 |
|
Office of the Attorney General for disability determinations antifraud services |
|
|
|
|
|
$4,421,680 |
|
TOTAL INTERAGENCY TRANSFERS |
ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS
|
$4,652,000 |
|
Replacement of obsolete, damaged, or inoperative equipment |
|
|
|
|
|
$4,652,000 |
|
TOTAL ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS |
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