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Employment Programs Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2004
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• Review Agenda, Approve Minutes and Set New Agenda Items |
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Present: Wayne Black, Marva Scott, Denise Clemmer, Jerwold Dennis, Angela Bruinton, Susan Parker, Linda Allison, Johnice Tabron, David Troutman, Barbara Harris, Pat Spears, Sandra Cox, Angela McDuffie, Algernon McKenzie, Ron Byrd, Mildred Page, Susan Thompson, Susan Buckner, Sherri Walker, Deborah Maynor, Kay Seymour, Alecia Williamson, Gwendolyn Price, Yolanda Vance, David Prince, Sharron Champion, Lula Jacbson, Terry Keene, Nancy Brandt, Denise Coley, Carla McNeil and Sarah Anderson Mims.
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Conclusion: Approved minutes of December 10, 2003 meeting.
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Action Items: N/A • |
Person Responsible:
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Deadline: |
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• Work First Caseload Report – Marva Scott Discussion: From December 2003 to January 2004 the caseloads have decreased from 39,751 to 39,654 for All Families. Total number of cases is the lowest it has ever been. Child Only caseload is slightly up from 54% in December 2003 to 55% in January 2004. Benefit Diversion over 1,700 families served during the month of January 2004. |
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Conclusion:
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Action Items: N/A • |
Person Responsible:
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• VITA Sites & EITC – Wayne Black |
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Discussion: Wayne mentioned he saw a TV commercial recently about Wake Forest University 's location and tax preparation sites. Wayne asked counties to share what they are doing. Johnston County : Terry Keene said Johnston County was trained in basic taxes and E-Filing and is preparing taxes. So far they have done about 8 – 10 families ranging from $100.00 to $4,000.00 in returns. She said this is another resource for their county. Columbus County : Marva Scott said since the end of January, 16 returns have been completed, 10 were Earned Income Tax Credit eligible for a total of $18, 941.00. This service is also available for our staff to utilize. Wilson County : Susan Parker said they opened their site February 10, 2004 and had five clients for a total of $2,400.00. Susan said one man has to pay back $900.00. The clients were very appreciative of the service.
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Conclusion:
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Action Items: N/A • |
Person Responsible:
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• Healthy Marriages Initiative – Wayne Black |
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Discussion: Wayne has not been able to get any information from Bobby Boyd on the conference he attended several months ago in Chattanogga , Tenn. Wayne shared two articles over the debate on Healthy Marriages entitled: Two Fronts: Promoting Marriage, Fighting Poverty and Does Marriage Need Government's Help?
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Conclusion: Wayne will try to obtain a report from Bobby Boyd on the Healthy Marriages Conference.
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Action Items: N/A • |
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• Career Start - David Prince |
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Discussion: David updated the committee on the progress of Career Start. The local community college is where we will do the project. A contractual issue has arisen. David said the Contract Office (DHHS) requires that they have contracts with all 15 counties (local community college) before our contract is signed. The Community College System said they need our contract before they can do the 15 contracts. David said he does not foresee much of a problem. The starting date is still March 1, 2004 . David will send an e-mail if that date changes. Marva Scott stated that Columbus County, one of the 15 surplus counties, had a very good joint meeting with ESC and the Community College (local) and they are ready to get started. The question was asked if this would be an option to go beyond the 15 counties. David said the 15 counties would be a demonstration, because these are labor surplus areas. This demonstration will test how better off the clients are in getting jobs. The demonstration is supposed to last from March – June 2004. In July, David said they want to bring on some “regular” counties just to have something to compare. The Employment Security Commission matches Federal money for the E & T Program. A letter was sent to ESC on January 26, 2004 to see if they will match funding this year out of their Worker Trust Training Funds, but have not gotten a response. David said, “if we do not contract with ESC in June 2004, we are going to have to work on something else.” To meet the letter of the law, all individuals have to do in the Food Stamp Program is to be registered for work and the caseworker can do this. David said, “ we are fortunate in North Carolina to have funding to work with ESC, but it may turn into an eligibility function.” |
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Conclusion:
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Action Items: N/A • |
Person Responsible:
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• Participation Rate Issues / Countable Components– Wayne Black |
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Discussion: Wayne asked for open discussion on participation rates since the committee has expressed concerns. Countable components: One person said that more countable components are needed. We are promoting self-sufficiency and 1/3 to 1/2 of TANF clients do not have a high school diploma or equivalent. We are forcing them into a work force that is becoming more technological everyday. They can not get a GED or high school diploma, yet they can go for 12 months and learn how to do hair, where that market is saturated. We need more countable components or allow education to be a countable activity with maybe a limit of 12 months. The education is needed. This would allow the clients to have a basic foundation, better sell themselves in the workforce and be successful. The caseloads are going down, but are the people really self - sufficient or are we seeing them 3 – 4 months later? Participation rate: Someone said that their county is not able to meet participation rate because of limitation of countable components. It is useless sending people out without high school diplomas or equivalent to compete in the job market. It sets them up to fail. What happens to those who go off Work First? Some have jobs, some don't, but somehow they survive. Some are successes going to work, and some we probably count as success in the reduction of caseload, but they probably don't feel like they have been successful. Economic situation: A committee member acknowledged that some of the issues raised are federal issues. Countable components has been a struggle for years and is still a current issue. Coding: It was mentioned by a committee member that F's and I's which don't count is an issue in meeting participation rate. He said that when you start out with 50% of your mandatory clients coded F or I, how are you going to meet the 50% participation rate? He went on to say that is another Federal issue, but an issue that says up front we are set up to fail, because federal government will not recognize a person who is applying for disability or is caring for someone who requires 24-7 care in the home. What do you do? Ron Byrd said that the Fed's came to North Carolina about a week ago. The General Accounting Office and the Federal Team visited and interviewed a couple of counties and the state office. Ron said the team visited Harnett County and he had the opportunity to talk with them for about three hours concerning the issues mentioned above. Ron said he talked about countable activities and not getting credit for all the time spent with the clients trying to help them become self-sufficient. Ron said, “ the team listened and took a lot of notes.” Sarah Anderson Mims stated that she had the opportunity to sit in on the exit conference and that Pheon Beal stressed the issue about jobs and NC economy (textiles, farming industry, plant closings and job losses). Harnett County , Duplin County and the Call Center were visited by the team. Sarah said, “ the primary focus of the visit was TANF in rural areas.” System Concerns: Counting those cases that are going to Medicaid (transitional) don't get counted into participation rate. A committee member said they are constantly being told that this is something that is being worked on. Another concern is not being able to count partial months. This would help in meeting the participation rate. Sarah A. Mims will check into this and report back to the committee next month.
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Conclusion: Changes need to be made in reference to countable activities and participation rate for North Carolina . Can North Carolina apply for waivers for participation rate and countable components?
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Action Items: • N/A |
Person Responsible:
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• Work First Policy Issues – Sarah Anderson Mims |
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Discussion: Sarah introduced her staff. She oversees the Work First/Child Protective Services Policy Team. There are seven policy consultants, three Child Welfare; one of which is vacant working to fill and four WF Policy Consultants. Sarah said she has filled two positions in the last few weeks with Denise Coley and Carla McNeil. She has made offers for the other two positions and hopes to have them on board by March 1, 2004 . Sarah mentioned the following: Legislature allotted $ for contracting with the Department of Labor for Individual Development Accounts (IDA). DHHS Budget Office is in the process of approving that contract. That money will go to the Department of Labor to match – clients who have money and they want to go back to school, purchase a home, or start a business; the IDA will match about two times the amount the clients put forward. Sarah said once the contract is signed a letter would go out to the county directors. A question was raised as to if the money does not come through DSS, then our clients may not be eligible for it. It was suggested that a sign-off from the director to make sure DSS has access to the money and the director is aware. Members said they want to make sure that TANF money is spent on our clients. Sarah will check into this and report back next month.
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Conclusion:
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Action Items: N/A • |
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• State level Memorandum of Agreement Between DSS & Vocational Rehabilitation – Sarah Mims |
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Discussion: Memorandum of Agreement between the Division and Vocational Rehabilitation by the first of the next fiscal year. Sarah said she has heard about clients not wanting to work and VR not working with them because it is voluntary. Several counties have Memorandum of Understanding with their local VR that are models. The state would like to come up with a state level MOA that can be passed down to the local level. Sarah said she would like to see a work group formed with county DSS , local VR, along with state partners to explore the issues. There is an existing MOA that was signed around 1986. Sarah is asking for volunteers to be apart of this work group. They would probably need to meet once or twice between now and May. A few counties shared what they are doing with VR. If anyone would like to volunteer or appoint someone to this work group, you may contact Sarah A. Mims at (919) 733-3360 or sara.mims@ncmail.net .
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Conclusion: Sarah will ask Terrye Fish to come talk with the Employment Programs Committee.
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Action Items: N/A • |
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• Social Services Consortium Agenda Items – Wayne Black |
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Discussion: Work First funding to support core functions and consideration of “standard of need” cash payment increase were discussed. Wayne reviewed the following agenda items: Day Care, Adult Services, Work First, Children's Services, Medicaid, Health Choice and Personnel. It appears that Day Care is number one on the list. Committee members do not think that the Work First cash payment should be raised because it may be more attractive to clients. It was said that clients could get back more by working and through Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) instead of through Work First.
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Conclusion:
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Action Items: N/A • |
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• General Discussion – |
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Discussion: Day Care: One county reported that clients are asking to be put in CPS in order to get child care. The state waiting list for child care is 22,824. TANF Reauthorization and Pay after Performance was discussed. First Stop: First Stop registration does not apply to food stamp applicants or recipients according to manual section 104C. It was stated that exemptions are listed several places in the manual and this is not one of them and needs to be changed. It was said that the manual contradicts itself. Kinship (step parent): The question came up about a step parent being included in the assistance unit in a Work First case. This was discussed in the Tuesday Advisory Committee Meeting. A step parent relationship that has been severed by divorce and a child is placed with the ex- step parent, the ex-step parent can be a family unit member and be included in the payment. Sarah A. Mims said they would go back and look at this. Q-Sap Worker: Question arose about Mental Health deducting about 13% - 14% Administrative money for the Q-Sap worker's position. One county said Mental Health told them that they have to administer the contract, so that is why this percentage is being deducted. It was stated that the only thing Mental Health has to do is get the contract signed by the partners.
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Conclusion: Sarah A. Mims will check into these items and report back at the March meeting.
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Action Items: • |
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• March Committee Meeting Agenda |
Discussion: Items for March meeting was established. Susan Parker ( Wilson County ) will also report on their trip to Washington DC to speak at the National Association of County Officials.
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Conclusion: Meeting Adjourned
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