The SNAP Program was originally referred to the Family and Human Services Committee by the Board or Supervisors on February 15, 2011. This program was formerly known as Food Stamps and is currently known as the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In California, the name of the program is CalFresh.
EHSD has presented periodic status reports to the FHS related to concerns about extended wait times for benefits and the anticipated impact of the expansion of CalFresh benefits to SSI (Supplemental Security Income/Supplementary Payments) recipients effective June 1, 2019. FHS received status reports on September 24 and December 3, 2018; and on April 22, 2019.
In April 2019, EHS Director Kathy Gallagher summarized that of the approximately 7,500 people who are eligible for the CalFresh expanded benefits and who are expected to participate based on State assumptions, 6,527 are already receiving IHSS MediCal benefits or have existing MediCal cases, and 2,512 are members of households in which a resident is already receiving CalFresh benefits. Therefore, a significant number of applicants will already have records in the CalWIN system that will not have to be recreated. Adding new beneficiaries and their income to households already receiving benefits would normally impact the level of benefits for a household; however, the State will provide supplements to preserve existing benefit levels so that no household will be negatively impacted.
In anticipation of the increased workload, Kathy reported that her department is training existing staff on the new requirements; these staff can process applications received beginning in May. Additionally, EHS is interviewing, from a list of 41 applicants, individuals for appointment to 14 temporary positions (10 eligibility workers and 4 clerical workers), who will become trained and ready to begin processing applications in June. She explained the difficulty in attaining any certainty about additional workload. She mentioned that CalWIN automation of the applications will become available on May 13 and an intake template is being developed by EHS to capture intake data until the new CalWIN automation becomes available.
As to funding, Kathy reported that the State allocation of $973,280 will expire on June 30, 2019 and the FY 2019/20 will not be received before September 2019. The County Administrator authorized, in the interim period, $300,000 to be leveraged with federal funds.
Rebecca of SEIU Local 1021 opined that a reason for the predicted 75% application rate was likely due to the long wait times to apply for and receive benefits, citing an example of a person waiting on the phone for four hours for assistance.
Larry Sly and Carly Finkle commented that it is unrealistic to assume that individuals who are not eligible for the expanded benefits will not apply. They believe that as many as 25,000 people might apply, even though less than half that number are actually eligible to receive the expanded benefits. They expressed concern that EHS is not prepared for the potential onslaught of applicants. He commented that Contra Costa residents cannot register for these benefits over the phone as residents of some other counties can do.
Kathy responded that, with the five additional permanent staff, she has a staff of 130 eligibility workers in total who could process applications. EHS is relying primarily on community partners to conduct outreach to eligible people. The department is also contacting CalFresh households, and placing information in General Assistance packets and on the department's web page.
Mariana Moore said she is more concerned about the overall EHS structure and lack of sufficient frontline staff in CalFresh. In her opinion, more could and should be done to address whole-system deficiencies. She expressed frustration about these concerns not being addressed and suggested that the partnerships might not continue.
Kathy explained that EHS staffing levels are driven by State and federal funding reductions. In recognition of the reduced funding, EHS is reassessing its service delivery model in terms of reduced plant and increase automation. She concurred that phone registration should be a future goal. |