Agenda Package - 01-18-11 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

645 • Maintain TANF Funds to counties – Seek legislation to maintain existing levels of county TANF funding to support and fund county DSS programs. • Explanation: Federal welfare funds, under the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) block grant program, can be used for direct cash assistance, wrap around services for eligible families, and to defray administrative costs. The General Assembly has increasingly redirected these funds to offset state social services costs. Maintain childcare subsidy administration – Seek legislation to maintain the Child Care Subsidy Administration funding at 5 percent. • Explanation: Counties currently can use 5 percent of childcare allotments to offset daycare administrative costs. The General Assembly increased this percentage from 4 to 5 percent in both years of the 2009 -10 biennium via a special budget provision. Similar action is needed to maintain the administrative funding at 5 percent. Increase State /County Special Assistance Residency Requirements – Seek legislation to increase the number of days to establish residency for Special Assistance from 90 to 180 days, except for persons who have entered the state to be supported by a close relative. • Explanation: The state /county special assistance program funds adult home care for qualifying seniors. Counties provide 50 percent of the cost of this care and 100 percent of administrative costs. State funds provide the remaining 50 percent of program expenses. There are no federal dollars to offset placement costs, and not all other states provide similar programs. For 2010 -11, county program expenses are estimated at $65 million, with an additional $5.6 million in county administrative expenses. Counties, especially counties that border another state, are concerned that senior citizens without any N.C. ties are relocating to establish residency specifically and only for state /county special assistance eligibility. • Require Back -up Generators for Adult Care Homes – Seek legislation to require all new adult -care homes to have back -up generators prior to receiving certificates of occupancy and require all existing adult -care homes to be equipped with back -up generators within three years. • Explanation: In the event of an emergency and an extended loss of power, county Emergency Medical Services are called upon to move residents from an adult -care home to a shelter or other safe placement. Expedite NCFAST Automation and Policy Simplification – Seek legislation to expedite the implementation of NC FAST and ensure automation builds on program and policy simplification and includes interface protocols. • Explanation: NC FAST (Families Accessing Services through Technology) is currently projected to be fully implemented by 2017. The first modules, Food Stamps and Case Management, are under development. The expedited development and successful implementation of automation efforts should enhance local administration of services applications, improve accurate and efficient eligibility determinations and enhance effective services delivery and management. Retain "Electing" Counties' Financial Incentives – Seek legislation to retain financial incentives for counties to be "electing" counties. • Explanation: North Carolina's implementation of the landmark 1996 federal welfare reform legislation (TANF), known locally as WorkFirst, introduced the notion of "electing counties' — counties who could structure their benefits, services and eligibility requirements to address specific community problems and needs. These "electing counties' are allowed to retain any savings from their normal TANF block grant, but also assume liability should costs exceed federal and state funding. •