The department has been reworking business processes and developing technologies through the “Office of the Future” model and reporting on this model through the Family and Human Services Committee’s Referral #44 (Challenges for EHSD) to the full Board. However, the department’s approach to developing technologies has changed and believes that this subject would be better suited as its own referral, as stated in the fourth recommendation of this board order. Rather than having FH&S Referral #44 focus on technologies, the department would like to keep FH&S and the Board informed on foster care system reform that has shifted its focus to family and relative care and will have significant impacts and pose challenges on the Employment and Human Services department. Therefore, the department is requesting to eliminate the “Office of the Future” report from Referral #44 - Challenges for EHSD and expand it to include “Continuum of Care Reform (Foster Care)”.
Currently F&HS Referral #108 – Call Center Oversight and the Health Care Reform Update is a biannual report. In May, EHDS received notification from the State that the California Health Benefit Exchange contract would not be renewed after June 30, 2017, the contract’s current termination date. Additionally, Health Care Reform has leveled off and the department is preparing for this year’s open enrollment period, which begins in October. The department will not be able to provide any new information until after the open enrollment period ends and complete data is available. Therefore, the department is requesting to reduce the frequency of F&HS Referral #108 – Call Center Oversight and the Health Care Reform Update to annual for 2016 and eliminate the referral after June 30, 2017. Should significant matters come up while the department works collaboratively with the State and other County departments on the ramp down of the Contra Costa County Covered California Call Center, the department will be sure to report to F&HS and the full Boards timely as appropriate and warranted.
The department is requesting to expand Referral #93 – Independent Living Skills Program to include additional youth services updates and retitle the referral to “Youth Services Report”, so that the department has the opportunity to report on all youth services offered in the community through EHSD, including Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and CalWorks youth services.
Although the department has requested to eliminate “The Office of the Future” from referral #44, it recognizes that it will continue to rework its business processes and development of new technologies. Therefore, the department is recommending a new referral to F&HS, regarding the “Impact of Technology on Access to Public Benefits”. As technology evolves and our clients each year are younger users of mobile devices, EHSD will continue to identify and implement effective technologies that make remote access of public benefits more common.
And lastly, the department is requesting to expand Referral #110 – Innovative Community Partnerships to add “Whole Family Services”. This major EHSD initiative refocuses our client-facing benefit eligibility staff to assess the status and needs of the “whole family” while they are also determining benefit eligibility. Key to this is working with community partners to form a network of family resource centers in current place-based centers such as SIT and SparkPoint sites, Family Justice Centers, First 5 centers, et al.
Some Family and Human Services Committee referrals will not be up-to-date with legislative, programmatic and operational changes that impact the Employment and Human Services Department.