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NCACDSS Day Care Committee Meeting 2004-2005
Date 08/11/04
Members, staff and guest in attendance:
Name County Name County
Linda Allison Alamance County Elaine Wilson Bladen County
Mary Kidder Caldwell Co DSS Bob Eason Carteret County
Susan Parrish Catawba Co DSS Connie McAdams CCN-Chatham
Algernon McKenzie Columbus County Betty Hamby Craven County
Linda Scott Cumberland Co DSS Yvette Pollock Dare Co DSS
Wanda Smith Durham Co Karenne DeBerry Durham Co DSS
Liz White Forsyth Co DSS Nicki Griffin Franklin Co DSS
Denise Hill Guilford Co DSS Mary Smith Guilford County
Aliesa Bowman Iredell Co DSS Terry Keene Johnston Co DSS
Patti Stowe Mecklenburg Co (CCRI) Amy Johnson Mecklenburg Co (CCRI)
Jani Kozlowski NCPC Elizabeth Schulz New Hanover Co
Al Wentzy Northampton Co DSS Karatha Scott Northwest Child Dev Annette Johnson Onslow Co DSS Kathy Snethen Orange Co DSS
Heather Thomas Randolph Co DSS Tonja Hester Robeson Co DSS
Linda Leggett Robeson Co DSS Carla Bass Robeson Co DSS
Cathy Dillard Vance Co DSS Cookie Henry Wake Co
Jerry Rhodes Washington County Vickie Jackson Wayne Co DSS
Tracey Mooring Wilson Co DSS Stacy Phaby Wilson Co DSS
Regina Watkins DCD-Subsidy Fay Lewis DCD
Ron Byrd DCD Mary Stankus DCD-Policy Unit
Macy Jones DCD-Subsidy
OPENING AND MINUTES
Nicki Griffin called the meeting to order. Jerry Rhodes was welcomed as the committee's new co- chair. The minutes of the June 9, 2004 meeting were approved.
EXPENDITURE REPORT
Rob Kindsvatter reported on July's spending for June services. The report includes the funding just sent out by the Division. Non Smart Start Statewide spending coefficient is 110% with Smart Start Statewide at 116%. Smart Start spending was high, but should be noted that many of the allocations were partial year budgets and the additional Smart Start funding will hopefully be out next month. More Smart Start subsidy funding is expected to be allocated by the local partnerships as they approve full year budgets. The overall combined statewide spending is at 110%.
Rob noted that during summer months the coefficient is high due to full time school age summer care. He indicated at the far right of the report was a projected spending coefficient based on children returning to school. There is usually an average drop of 12% when the children return to school; therefore, the additional column was added to reflect the adjusted projection.
FISCAL REPORT/ ALLOCATIONS/ REALLOCATIONS:
Rob talked about the allocation of the additional subsidy funding of $24.6 million which was approved by the General Assembly. He explained that the funds were distributed to help counties maintain current service levels. A special provision in the Budget Bill included language that provided the option to allocate any additional funding to avoid termination of services. A total of $347.5 million was allocated of which $14 million was for services support. Of this total, $322.9 million was allocated through the subsidy allocation formula and $24.6 million was allocated to help counties maintain services and avoid terminations. Most of the additional funds were allocated using the allocation formula. Of the additional funds that were allocated, $7.6 million were non recurring funds. Counties were informed of the amount of their allocation which was non-recurring. The non-recurring funds consisted of SSBG funds and federal funds that carried forward from the 03-04 SFY.
Directors LaVaughn Nesmith of New Hanover County and Al Wentzy of North Hampton County initiated discussion about the spending and their concerns about funding.
Highlights of the lengthy discussion between committee members and the Division are:
Al Wentzy pointed out that it is very difficult to go to county commissioners say that more funding is needed when other counties revert funding at the end of the year. He felt $4.6 million was left on the table, and this hurts the creditability of requests for more money from legislators. He requested that DCD staff call Gary Cyrus from the Division of Aging to see how they allocate and reallocate since they spent all their funds. He also understood that their budget was much less than Subsidized Child
Care, but that there may be some basic theories that help maximize spending.
Rob explained that nearly $3 million in Smart Start allocations were distributed in April and May. Without these funds, the money reverted would have been less; however, this funding helped many counties avoid the termination of services. It was also explained that the funding left was federal funding and was part of the additional funding disbursed this fiscal year.
Nancy Guy explained that DCD continues to talk with staff of the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) about the need to encourage partnerships to allocate subsidy funds earlier in the year.
A question was also raised about the allocation formula and Nancy Guy indicated there were not plans to reconvene the Allocation Advisory Committee at this time. Committee members requested that a committee be established to talk about the reversion and reallocation process and were given the opportunity to volunteer to be a part of this Committee. Nicki Griffin asked that DCD lead the discussion of the sub-committee. It was also requested that NCPC have a representative on the committee.
Annette Johnson from Onslow County said their Finance Department were having a hard time trying to understand how the June service expenses come out of the next state fiscal year's allocation. Nancy Guy indicated they can refer to the manual and the DSS Budget Package wording, and that DCD staff can send a letter if needed.
Nancy explained new legislation regarding the More at Four Pre Kindergarten Program which requires that any unencumbered money from unfilled slots as of February 1, 2005 will be transferred to DCD to reallocate.
RECORD RETENTION
Don McLamb from the DHHS Controllers Office attended the meeting to answer questions about record retention requirements. He initially stated that the Federal Government sets the regulations on how long records must be maintained. Co chair, Jerry Rhodes , said that many records must be maintained for as many at 12 years and this was placing a huge burden on counties. He and other directors acknowledged that DCD record retention is not quite that long but along with Medicaid records, it was too much for counties.
A comment was made that since this is Federal Regulations that funding should be sought legislatively to help counties in the cost of storing records. There were also comments about imaging and reproducing records.
Don McLamb referred counties to the following Government Records website for more information:
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/archives/rec/ or to call 919-733-3540.
DIVISION REPORT
Nancy Guy introduced new staff in the Section. She introduced Macy Jones, who is a Subsidy Policy Consultant and Ron Byrd, the Program Compliance Unit Supervisor.
She then discussed the Federal funding situation. The reauthorization of TANF and CCDF has been continued through 9/30/04 at the same funding levels and the prediction from staff in the Child Care Bureau in Washington is that these block grants will probably be reauthorized again in September until the end of the year (December).
Nancy explained that about twelve counties had submitted their Business Plans. Some plans needed further clarification and they will be contacting counties regarding necessary clarification. Business Plans are due September 3, 2004.
Nancy Guy referenced the reversion/reallocation process that was explained in the allocation letter. She was questioned about the changes in the spending co-efficients that would qualify a county for a reallocation for this fiscal year. She stated that the adjustments to the percentages were a result of concerns the Division heard from counties. After discussion it was requested that for the first reversion/reallocation process DCD would revert and reallocate according to the letter; however, they would also run alternate percentage figures.
Denise Hill from Guilford County pointed out that counties may be restricted on how Smart Start funds can be spent and that in her county the money could not be spent on general subsidy services. With the restrictions it may appear that counties in similar situations are not spending funding and cause an inaccurate reflection of spending coefficients thus affecting the reallocation since combined spending coefficients are the determining factor. Nancy Guy indicated that the Business Plan should show how many counties are in this situation.
Nancy also stated the cost study conducted for certified developmental day centers was being finalized and that many of the Developmental Day Centers rates may be decreasing. The Controllers Office staff are finalizing the cost rate study rates based on the information submitted by providers. Counties' will be a 30 day notice prior to the implementation of new rates.
CLARIFICATION OF DIRECT & IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS AND WAITING LIST SURVEY RESULTS
There was not enough time to go over the contribution clarification document other than to state that there were no changes in DCD's interpretation provided earlier in the year. A handout was distributed which summarized the interpretations.
A handout was shared with those in attendance summarizing the waiting list results. However, due to a lack of time, it was decided that the results would be discussed at the next meeting. Nancy stated there were some counties that used a different format survey and which made it difficult to create a state summary. She asked that counties not send out the waiting list survey until the Division releases one. If a county wishes to use personalize the survey with some additional questions that is allowable but the questions indicated on the Division's survey must be included.
Next Month's Agenda:
Respectively Submitted
Denise Hill
