Agenda

Return

C. 22

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Date:	October 25, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Add and cancel positions to the Employment and Human Services Department

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 10/25/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	Michelle Fregoso (925) 608-5025
cc:	Michelle Fregoso Sylvia WongTam

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: October 25, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26057 to add three hundred and forty-three (343) Social Service Program Assistant (X0SA) (represented) positions, delete three hundred and ten (310) Eligibility Worker I/II/III (XHWA/XHVA/XHTB) (represented) positions, and delete thirty-three (33) Medi-Cal Program Assistant (XHSB) (represented) positions in the Employment and Human Services Department.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Fiscal impact is calculated based on the addition of 343 Social Services Program Assistant positions and the deletion of 310 Eligibility Worker and 33 Medical Program Assistant positions. The net fiscal impact for FY 22-23 is estimated at $5,824,495, including an estimated net county cost of $407,715, all of which is expected to be funded through salary savings. The net fiscal impact for FY 23-24 is estimated at $9,785,151, including an estimated net county cost of $684,961, all of which will be included in the FY 23-24 recommended budget. The funding ratios are 62% Federal, 31% State and 7% County. The 7% net county cost assumes that the FY 23-24 salary and benefits cost increase of this action will be funded with corresponding increases in Federal and State funding allocations and/or cost reductions.

BACKGROUND:

There are many potentially eligible households with low income that do not participate in CalFresh. The Medi-Cal program, which provides health coverage for households with low-income, has significantly higher enrollment than CalFresh, and many Medi-Cal applicants and beneficiaries may be potentially eligible for CalFresh but not participating. On June 25, 2020, Governor Newsom signed AB79, Human Services Omnibus, which adds section 18918.1 to the Welfare and Institutions Code and requires County welfare departments to implement provisions aimed at increasing dual enrollment between CalFresh and Medi-Cal no later than January 1, 2022. On December 31, 2021, the California Department of Social Services extended this implementation date to January 1, 2023.

AB79 requires County welfare departments to offer CalFresh at the same time as Medi-Cal by:

Ensuring staff verbally ask Medi-Cal applicants and beneficiaries if they want to apply for CalFresh during in-person, online or telephone Medi-Cal application or renewal processes.
Providing Medi-Cal applicants and beneficiaries who are potentially eligible for CalFresh with the opportunity to apply for CalFresh at the same time their Medi-Cal eligibility is determined.

EHSD has three public assistance eligibility worker classifications with a total of 557 approved FTE:

Eligibility Worker I/II/III (a flex series) with three-hundred and ten (310) approved FTEs,
Medi-Cal Program Assistant (MPA) with thirty-three (33) approved FTEs
Social Services Program Assistant (SSPA) with two-hundred and fourteen (214) approved FTEs.

While the County has long held that employees in the Eligibility Worker series should be able to perform multi-program work, the Union has held the position that the Social Services Program Assistant (SSPA) is the correct classification for multi-program work.

To meet the multi-program requirements of AB79, the Employment and Human Services Department is requesting Board approval to offer a promotion for all EW and MPA to SSPA by adding three hundred and forty-three (343) SSPA positions that replace the 343 EW and MPA positions. As the EW and MPA incumbents transition to the new SSPA classification, a process that may take a few months, EHSD will delete the EW and MPA positions.

EHSD will return to the Board to create a SSPA job series ladder (e.g. SSPA I, SSPA II, SSPA III, SSPA Supervisor) with the higher level(s) representing larger and more complex caseloads.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Failure to add and delete these positions will impact the Department’s ability to meet the AB79 requirement with a due date of January 1, 2023, which could place the County at risk of program and/or financial penalties; ultimately impacting program services provided to the children and families of Contra Costa County.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Approval of this action will support two (2) of the five (5) Contra Costa County's community outcomes: Outcome 3 - Families that are Economically Self-Sufficient; and Outcome 4 - Families that are Safe, Stable, and Nurturing.