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 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 the implementation of the provisions of the Family Support Act of 1988.
3. Improve the quality of work life for OFS staff in the Client Services Program.
The program main activities include: Eligibility Determinations for FITAP (former AFDC), FINDWORK Training program (former JOBS), Food Stamps, Child Support Enforcement Services, and Disability Determinations Services.
The Financial Assistance Division was established to administer 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), Refugee Assistance, Disaster Relief, and Transitional Services to former FITAP recipients.
The FINDWORK Training Program was established to assure that needy families with children obtain the education, training and employment that will help avoid long-term welfare dependence.
The Food Stamp Program is a cooperative effort of Louisiana's Department of Social Services and the Untied States Department of Agriculture to provide low-income households in Louisiana an opportunity to obtain a more nutritious diet.
The Child Support Enforcement Program provides child support enforcement services on an ongoing basis to FITAP recipients and non-FITAP applicants.
OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
1. In FY 1998-99, the Office of Family Services, through its Entitlement Operations, will provide Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program regular benefits to an estimated caseload of 53,365 and an average monthly caseload of 131 of two-parent households.
2. The Office of Family Support, through its Entitlement Operations, will process 100% of redeterminations and 100% of applications within required time frames and reduce the agency error rate to 5% in the Food Stamp Program by June 30, 1999.
3. The Office of Family Support, through its Entitlement Operations, will maintain an overall participation rate of 35% and a two-parent family participation rate of 90% as defined by federal regulation in the FINDWORK Program by October 1, 1999.
4. In FY 1998-99, the Office of Family Support, through its Disability Determinations activity, will maintain the mean processing time (72 days for Title II and 82 days for Title XVI) and meet or exceed current level of accuracy (95.5%) in making determinations for disability benefits.
5. In FY 1998-99, the Office of Family Support, through its Child Support Enforcement activity, will maintain an overall collection rate of 13% of delinquent child support payments, and provide child support enforcement services on an ongoing basis to Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) recipients and Non-FITAP applicants in the most efficient manner possible.
RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM
SOURCE OF FUNDING
This program is funded with general fund, interagency transfers, self-generated revenues and federal funds. The interagency transfers are from: (1) agencies within the department for joint and shared costs, and (2) the Department of Health and Hospitals for joint and shared costs for Medicaid services. The self-generated revenues are from: (1) Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement collections, (2) various other collections including the state share of recoveries, recoupments, and refunds, and (3) Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) Child Support Collections or fees from current and/or prior fiscal year(s). The federal funds are from: (1) Social Security Act (SSA), Title IV-D, Support Enforcement, (2) Food Stamp Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-113), (3) Refugee Resettlement Act of 1980 (P.L. 212), (4) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Grant, (5) Child Care Block Grant, (6) Social Security Act -Disabilities Determinations, (7) U.S. Citizen Repatriation (P.L. 86-571 and Section 1113 of the Social Security Act), and (8) U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food and Consumer Service.
ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDATION
|
GENERAL FUND
|
TOTAL
|
T.O.
|
|
DESCRIPTION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$60,418,480
|
$196,921,710
|
3,447
|
|
ACT 18 FISCAL YEAR 1997-1998
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BA-7 TRANSACTIONS:
|
|
$0
|
$43,117
|
0
|
|
Carryforward of various equipment (file cabinets - $1,651; desk - $935; chairs - $1,994; computers, hardware, software) purchases; all are for purchases that could not be liquidated prior to June 30, 1997
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$60,418,480
|
$196,964,827
|
3,447
|
|
EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET - December 10, 1997
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$0
|
($43,117)
|
0
|
|
Non-Recurring Carryforward for various equipment (file cabinets - $1,651; desk - $935; chairs - $1,994; computers, hardware, software) purchases; all are for purchases that could not be liquidated prior to June 30, 1997
|
|
$0
|
($1,661,549)
|
0
|
|
Non-Recurring Adjustment(s) for Issuance to Local Governments that are no longer required due to the implementation to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program
|
|
($20,229)
|
($59,500)
|
0
|
|
Non-Recurring Adjustment(s) for the Voice Response System Development for Child Support Enforcement
|
|
$92,286
|
$46
|
0
|
|
Equipment/Major Repairs Adjustment(s) (Nonrecurring: -$479,652; Replacement/New: +$571,938)
|
|
$600,368
|
$1,479,308
|
0
|
|
Annualization of 1997 -'98 Merit Pay Adjustment(s)
|
|
$730,248
|
$1,799,336
|
0
|
|
1998-'99 Merit Pay Adjustment(s)
|
|
($314,270)
|
($1,521,150)
|
(50)
|
|
Personnel Reduction(s)
|
|
$89,419
|
$432,814
|
0
|
|
Attrition Adjustment(s)
|
|
($186,366)
|
($465,916)
|
0
|
|
Retirement Rate Adjustment(s)
|
|
$29,693
|
$87,331
|
0
|
|
Annualization of New Hire staff that was funded for 9 months in FY 1997-'98
|
|
$0
|
$1,975,549
|
0
|
|
Annualization of Clerk of Court filing fees
|
|
$0
|
$732
|
0
|
|
Annualization of Access and Visitation Grant
|
|
$315,559
|
$771,450
|
0
|
|
Annualization of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) contract
|
|
$0
|
$3,408,966
|
0
|
|
Annualization of Employment and Training BA-7
|
|
$0
|
$263,917
|
0
|
|
Annualization of Nutrition BA-7 going to Southern University and Louisiana State University (L.S.U.)
|
|
$17,000
|
$50,000
|
0
|
|
Workload - Financial Institution fees for Support Enforcement information on absent parents
|
|
$4,000
|
$8,000
|
0
|
|
Maintenance contracts for equipment with expired warranties
|
|
$124,334
|
$124,334
|
0
|
|
Reinvestment Error Rate funding increase per Federal Government findings
|
|
$0
|
($1,411,326)
|
0
|
|
Reduce Support Enforcement (Title IV-D) District Attorney contract amounts to anticipated need
|
|
$110,734
|
$325,687
|
0
|
|
Support Enforcement Automation Clearinghouse contract
|
|
$0
|
$500,000
|
0
|
|
TANF evaluation contract with Southern University and L.S.U.
|
|
$156,168
|
$312,336
|
0
|
|
Retirees Increase Adjustment(s)
|
|
($163,870)
|
($378,016)
|
0
|
|
Transfer Rent and Maintenance from Client Services program to Administration program
|
|
$0
|
$5,944,451
|
0
|
|
Transfer Clerk of Court payments from the Client Payments program to Client Services program
|
|
$0
|
$205,000
|
0
|
|
State Access and Visitation Grant (Support Enforcement)
|
|
$562,700
|
$1,655,000
|
0
|
|
Consolidation of collections for Child Support Enforcement (as authorized by Act 1121 of the 1997 Legislative Session)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$62,566,254
|
$210,768,510
|
3,397
|
|
TOTAL RECOMMENDED
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2,147,774
|
$13,803,683
|
(50)
|
|
DIFFERENCE (TOTAL RECOMMENDED AND EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET)
|
The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 107% of the existing operating budget. It represents 92.8% of the total request ($227,046,197) for this program. The major changes reflected in the analysis of recommendation include: increased funding for the annualized cost of filing fees paid to the Clerk of Court offices totaling $1,975,549; decreased funding for District Attorney contracts for support enforcement services totaling ($1,411,326); increased funding for the annualized cost of the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) contract totaling $771,450; increased funding for the annualization of a Food Stamps grant for employment and training totaling $3,408,966; decreased funding to Local Governments for funds that are no longer required due to the implementation of EBT totaling ($1,661,549); personnel reductions reflecting a reduction of fifty (50) positions totaling ($1,521,150); increased funding has been provided for all 3,397 recommended positions totaling $3,278,644; increased funding for the annualized cost of 11 positions that were funded for six (6) months during FY 1997-'98 totaling $87,331; increased funding to reflect an anticipated attrition factor of 3.5% totaling $432,814; increased funding for the consolidation of Child Support Enforcement collections totaling $1,655,000; and a technical adjustment transferring the Clerk of Court payments per Act 201 of 1997 from the Client Payments program to the Client Services program totaling $5,944,451.
Included as a source of funding is the TANF grant. This grant is part of a comprehensive piece of federal legislation (The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) that will provide assistance to needy families with children so they can be cared for in their own home, and to reduce dependency by promoting job preparation, work and marriage. The legislation eliminates the open-ended federal entitlement program of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and places a time limitation on cash assistance. The legislation also makes changes to child care, the Food Stamps program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for children, benefits for legal immigrants, and the Child Support Enforcement program. States must meet an 80% Maintenance-Of-Effort (MOE) to receive their full block grant allocation. The MOE level is based upon a state's Fiscal Year 1994 spending on AFDC, now called FITAP (Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program) and JOBS, now called FINDWORK.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
|
$50,820
|
|
Legal services for state share to litigate class action and individual suits against Federal agencies; presently engaged in class and individual actions regarding quality control error rate sanctions against the U.S. Department of Agriculture
|
|
$325,687
|
|
Support Enforcement Cleaninghouse evaluation on the computer system
|
|
$4,773,587
|
|
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) services for FITAP payments and Food Stamp benefits
|
|
$3,855,386
|
|
Medical services for physicians to work with the Disability Determinations program to establish eligibility pursuant to federal medical guidelines established by the Office of Disability Operations
|
|
$188,100
|
|
Professional Travel for physicians who work with the Disability Determinations program to establish eligibility
|
|
$1,655,000
|
|
Centralized Collections services (Child Support Enforcement)
|
|
|
|
|
|
$10,849,580
|
|
TOTAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
|
OTHER CHARGES
|
$3,122
|
|
Copying of legal documents for Field Operations, i.e. - court records, medical records, etc.
|
|
$7,292
|
|
Copying of medical records obtained from L.S.U. Medical Center
|
|
$8,290
|
|
Deaf Interpreters services that are federally mandated to be provided to applicants and recipients in the eligibility process
|
|
$15,000
|
|
Department of Revenue fees for cost of intercepting/returning tax refunds to liquidate delinquent Child Support, FITAP and Food Stamp debts
|
|
$14,660,000
|
|
Disability Determinations Services (DDS): Consultant Exams, Medical Evidence of Records, and applicant travel
|
|
$150,000
|
|
Fees charged by the Federal Parent Locate Service (FPLS) used in the Child Support Enforcement program
|
|
$665,184
|
|
Food Stamp fiscal sanctions per a settlement between the state and the federal government for prior year error rates (year 4 of 5 year settlement totaling $2.2 million); these funds are reinvested into the state's Food Stamps program to enhance services
|
|
|
|
|
$379,023
|
|
FINDWORK and FINDWORK Child Care program clients and staff training resources and other materials which are purchased from outside vendors
|
|
$3,712,458
|
|
Louisiana Job Employment and Training Program (LAJET) for Food Stamp work registrants
|
|
$677,525
|
|
LAJET participants expenses reimbursement (a federal requirement)
|
|
$54,584
|
|
Moving expenses for Disability Determinations staff and several parish offices
|
|
$36,000
|
|
Non-Routine Maintenance to state-owned buildings; Jackson Parish Office, East Carroll Parish Office, Monroe Regional Office, Caddo Parish Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Office
|
|
$2,850,000
|
|
Paternity testing for blood tests in paternity suits where Child Support Enforcement services are being provided
|
|
$34,141
|
|
Printing expenses for FITAP and Child Care related forms, pamphlets, envelopes and other printing expenses
|
|
$206,400
|
|
Printing expenses for Child Support Enforcement related forms, envelopes, computer paper and other printing expenses
|
|
$159,317
|
|
Printing expenses for DDS related forms, pamphlets, envelopes, computer paper and other printing expenses
|
|
$181,182
|
|
Printing expenses for Food Stamps related forms, pamphlets, envelopes and other printing expenses
|
|
$86,805
|
|
Printing expenses for FINDWORK related forms, pamphlets, envelopes and other printing expenses
|
|
$312,896
|
|
Printing expenses for local office forms, envelopes, computer paper that cannot be directly charged to a particular program
|
|
$20,000
|
|
State Income Eligibility Verification System (SIEVS) program to match public assistance recipient files against those of the Internal Revenue Service
|
|
$100,000
|
|
Child Support Enforcement Data Exchange
|
|
$14,098,264
|
|
Support Enforcement contracts with District Attorneys and Judicial Districts for assistance in the administration of the Child Support Enforcement program as authorized by the Social Security Act
|
|
$179,497
|
|
Registration fees for computer training of DDS staff and Field Operations staff
|
|
$63,299
|
|
Seasonal ground maintenance in buildings where there is no maintenance staff, nor is the service provided by the lessor
|
|
$7,000,000
|
|
Data processing services for FITAP, FINWORK, and Support Enforcement
|
|
$7,920,000
|
|
Clerk of Court filing fees for Child Support Enforcement
|
|
$205,732
|
|
Access and Visitation Grant
|
|
$50,000
|
|
Financial Institution fees for information on absent parents
|
|
$250,000
|
|
Nutrition Services for Food Stamp recipients
|
|
$89,896
|
|
Child care services from the DSS - Office of the Secretary
|
|
|
|
|
|
$54,175,957
|
|
TOTAL OTHER CHARGES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interagency Transfers:
|
|
$2,044,345
|
|
Department of Labor for Employment and Training
|
|
$24,405
|
|
Division of Administration for maintenance of state-owned buildings
|
|
$1,185,447
|
|
Division of Administration for rent of state-owned buildings
|
|
$584,120
|
|
DSS - Office of the Secretary for office supplies that allows all DSS agencies to combine their purchasing power by buying in bulk
|
|
$1,073,476
|
|
Louisiana State University and Southern University for the Food Stamp Family Nutrition Program
|
|
|
|
|
|
$4,911,793
|
|
TOTAL INTERAGENCY TRANSFERS
|
ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS
|
$2,311,216
|
|
Replacement of obsolete, damaged, or inoperative equipment
|
|
$10,000
|
|
Major Repairs in the Jackson Parish office for the replacement of gutters and for other minor building repairs
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2,321,216
|
|
TOTAL ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS
|
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