Head Start Performance Standards and the California Department of Education regulations require that Head Start and state funded Child Development Programs provide balanced nutritional meals for the children served in center based options. Programs receive reimbursement from the California Child Adult Food Program (CCAFP) for meals provided. The reimbursement received by Community Services Bureau for the 2012-2013 program year has been reduced by $68,000 or approximately $34,000 for six (6) months. In order to continue to meet the regulations without impacting service delivery, Community Services Bureau recommends reduction of the work hours for selected employees. The reduction in the schedule for the Child Nutrition Workers II and III and the Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters will result in $35,616 saving (for 6 months), which will offset the loss of revenue from the food program.  
  
Community Services Bureau operates a kitchen facility and employs staff responsible for preparing and transporting the meals. The Bureau employs one (1) full-time Child Nutrition Worker III, two (2) full-time Child Nutrition Workers II and four (4) full-time Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters. The Child Nutrition Workers II and III prepare the meals and the Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters deliver meals and meal- related items to the CSB child care centers throughout Contra Costa County. When the above positions were created, the Child Nutrition Workers II and III were spending significant time on preparation and processing of the food, as well as on cleaning the kitchen and the food storage areas. The Food Transporters were making several deliveries per day to distribute paper goods, laundry, and catered food to different programs. Over the years the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the California Child Adult Food Program (CCAFP) introduced new food guidelines. In an effort to offer balanced and nutritional meals in accordance with these guidelines, Community Services Bureau serves more fresh, uncooked fruit and vegetables that do not require advanced processing.   
  
Community Services Bureau no longer offers daily baked desserts, food that requires processing and preparation in advance, or same day prepared and delivered breakfast. Additionally, due to reductions in the state budget, in the last two years Community Services Bureau closed two child care facilities and transitioned children out of the center-based program, which resulted in a reduction of the services for about 260 children. The Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters make fewer deliveries per day and to fewer locations. All these changes contributed to simplification and reduction of the work performed by the Nutrition Workers II and III in processing and preparing the food, reduction of the number of meals cooked, reduction of the number of the child care facilities for catering, as well as, elimination of additional duties previously performed by the Child Nutrition Workers II and III and the Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters. As a result, there is approximately two hours per day without work for the Child Nutrition Worker II and III and the Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters. Therefore, the Bureau believes that a 32/40 hours per week work schedule is appropriate.  
  
Community Services Bureau is engaged in the Meet and Confer process with Public Employees Union, Local One to discuss the need of reduction of work hours for the identified members of the union.   
  

Failure to reduce the work hours for the Child Nutrition Workers III & II and the Child Nutrition Food Services Transporters from 40/40 hours week to 32/40 hours week may result in fiscal deficit for the Community Services Bureau of the Employment and Human Services Department.

Community Services Bureau supports all five outcomes establish by the Children’s Report Card: (1) Children Ready for and Succeeding in School; (2) Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood; (3) Families that are Economically Self Sufficient; (4) Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing; and (5) Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.

Speakers:  Rollie Katz, Public Employees' Union Local One; Frederick Dalton, Donald Finney; Louis R. Sonico.