Children, Seniors & Families Committee

Wednesday, May 21,2003
Minutes

1. Welcome and Introductions

The regular meeting of the Children, Seniors and Families Committee is called to order by
Chairperson James T. Beall, Jr., at 10:07 a.m. in the Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium,
County Government Center, 70 W.Redding Street, San Jose, with Vice Chairperson Don
Gage present.

2. Public Presentations.

There are no public presentations.

3. Approve Consent Calendar and changes to the Children. Seniors and Families Agenda.
On Committee consensus, it is ordered that Item Nos. 9, 10 and 11 on the consent calendar
be approved.

4. Accept Department of Child Support Services' Reorganization Plan andjae^business
model pilot project, and forward recommendations to the BoardjJJLSimrYisors.
The Committee considers a memorandum from Peter Dever, Director, Department of Child

Support Services(DCSS), dated May 21,2003, relating to the proposed reorganization plan
and new business model for DCSS. Mr. Dever provides an overview of the report and

advises that the State appears to be open to reducing the number of demands on child
support programs for all counties in the State. He further advises that the State recognizes
the Department is in a crisis and must concentrate on achieving Federal Performance
Measures in order to maximize the incentives received by the State for distribution to all
counties. He states that consolidation of core services under the Operations Division and a

vertical or "cradle-to-grave" approach to processing cases are the key elements of the
reorganization plan. He notes that because of recent changes such as the relocation of DCSS
to a new facility; a $2.5 million reduction to the budget in December 2002; the potential lay
off of48.5 employees on July 1, 2003; and, that the Department is currently overtaxed by
State demands that a new automated child support system be implemented, a plan is
proposed to implement a pilot team of volunteers by July 1,2003, if possible. He stresses

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flexibility, however, he advises that without consolidation the Department will not be able
to provide core services to the public after the proposed reductions are made.

Debra Wasserman, Association for Children for the Enforcement of Support(ACES),

expresses support of the proposed changes in the DCSS. She states that only 37 percent of
DCSS staff are Family Support Officer(FSO)caseworkers, which is one of the lowest in
the State.

Anne Gatts, FSO, DCSS,expresses concern for the accuracy of infonnation provided by

DCSS management, that customers are allowed to walk into the office at any time without
appointments, and that FSOs will not work as effectively if they have to leam 78
procedures.

In response to an inquiry by Vice Chairperson Gage, Mr. Dever states that appointments are
encouraged. He advises that the vertical approach to handling cases allows rapport to
develop between the customer and the FSO and will result in the customer making more
appointments. Ms Gatts states that the Communications Center has been instructed not to
transfer calls to the FSO, and instead tells them to come into the office where someone will
handle the inquiry.

Debra Kratky, Attorney, DCSS,expresses concern that the proposed reorganization plan
will not provide adequate staff to comply with State-mandated policies and procedures.

Mr. Dever states that Ms Kratky is correct, however, the reductions are so severe that all the
demands of the State cannot be met. He advises that Curtis Child, Director, State

Department of Child Support Services, recognizes the dilemma the County is in and that the
County must prioritize in order to provide core services. Chairperson Beall requests that
staff prepare a report on the issues of prioritizing services; the inability to meet current
mandates and the consequences; and, action needed by State Fegislators for the Committee
to utilize in lobbying State Fegislators to ensure that consideration of these issues is

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included in the development of the State budget.

Holly Price, Attorney, DCSS, expresses eoncem that the approximate 20 pereent reduction
in attorney staff will impede the ability of DCSS to meet State and Federal mandates. She
notes that if mandates are not met, the State could take over operation of the County DCSS
and bill the County for the cost.

Michelle Turner, Attorney, DCSS, states that DCSS attorneys already have very limited
time per case and reduction of the staff will mean less time per ease for review. She states
that there is a need for retention of all DCSS attorneys and for an effieient business model.

Laura Romero, Attorney, DCSS, expresses support for utilization of Voluntary Reduced
Work Hours to save one attorney position and requests that the Deputy Director position be
frozen to save positions that provide eore serviees.

Roger Huteheon, SEIU, Local 715, and FSO, DCSS, expresses concern that, while many
issues have been agreed upon, management shows no willingness to eompromise on the
remaining issues. He states that the Union is still experiencing difficulty obtaining current,
consistent and aecurate inforaiation from management in a timely manner.

Vera Aparico, FSO, DCSS, and Assistant Chief Steward, SEIU, Local 715, requests that the
Committee advise DCSS management to meet in good faith. She expresses eoncem that
reports and memoranda are given to Union representatives so late that there is no time to
prepare for meetings.

Discussion ensues regarding the process of the Committee agenda reports and attachments
that are provided by the Clerk of the Board. Chairperson Beall and Vice Chairperson Gage
advise Ms Aparico to contact either the Clerk of the Board or the Supervisors' offices for
copies of items in the agenda paeket.

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Norina Mooney, DCSS,expresses concern that the "cradle-to-grave" method for
processing cases is proposed in the reorganization plan. She states that "cradle-to-grave
was discontinued in Butte County because it was ineffective.

Bruce Williams, SEIU, Local 715, states that approximately one-half of the proposals in
the proposed DCSS reorganization plan came from line staff. He notes that the Union is

receiving the latest proposals, however, they are received immediately before a meeting
starts, which does not allow time for preparation before the meeting. He suggests that
guidance from the Committee to the Department will assist Union and management in
reaching agreement on the remainder of the proposed reorganization plan.

In response to an inquiry by Chairperson Beall, Mr. Dever states that there is a potential for
the State to take over operation of the DCSS and to bill the County for the services provided

if mandates are not met. Chairperson Beall requests a report providing further infonnation
on the facts regarding how that could occur and the potential results.

Nick Steinmeir, SEIU, Local 715, expresses concern that the Union is not receiving reports

in a timely manner. He expresses appreciation to staff in the Office of Chairperson Beall for
faxing requested reports to the Union.

In response to an inquiry by Chairperson Beall regarding the Unifonn Interstate Family
Support Act(UIFSA), Mr. Dever advises that there are two components to the
interjurisdictional cases, the attorney component and a caseworker or FSO component. He
further advises that of six teams, five teams have a fulltime FSO working on

interjurisdictional cases while the other team distributes the workload among the team

members. He states that either approach can work under the consolidation plan and
recommends that the decision of which method to utilize be left to the discretion of the

Team Supervisor. He advises that elimination of the position of the attorney who specializes
in interjurisdictional cases is part of the salary reduction plan.

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In response to an inquiry by Viee Chairperson Gage, Mr. Dever expresses agreement that

continuing to have specialized teams may defeat the purpose of the reorganization of more
evenly distributing the workload and increasing the knowledge of all FSOs. He comments

that 3,000 out of 72,000 cases are interjurisdictional cases, which is four percent of the

entire workload. Vice Chairperson Gage expresses concern that more may positions be
eliminated if specialization continues and requests that staff provide more infomiation on
whether this will result in the loss of more employees to assist in the budget decisions.

Ron Karz, Attorney, DCSS, advises that UIFSA 2001 was passed by the State Legislature
and takes effect June 2004. He continues that UIFSA 2001 mandates that a determination of

the controlling order be made when there are multiple orders to pay child support from
different states, which is only implied under the current law. He further advises that a large

percentage of the interjurisdictional cases require remedial work. He states that the County
can obtain the judgment, however, enforcement is an issue because the County must rely on
another state to enforce the order. Mr. Karz comments that addressing the more difficult

cases will be an issue with a reduction of four attorneys. He states that FSOs could do initial

identification of UIFSA cases and one or two attorneys could be assigned to analyze the
cases.

Chairperson Beall expresses concern that interjurisdictional cases may not be handled in a
timely manner and requests that staff review options to handling UIFSA cases and report to
the Committee on June 4, 2003.

Margaret Olsen, DCSS, states that she has worked on a team that utilized "cradle-to-grave
for five years and that UIFSA and inter-county transfers were not completed due to time
constraints.

Mary Murphy, Attorney, DCSS, expresses concern that the DCSS budget is receiving a five
percent reduction and 20 to 25 percent of the attorneys are being eliminated. She points out
that it takes time to develop expertise and requests that Voluntary Reduced Work Hours be
considered as an alternative to retain one of the attorneys and that specialization be
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continued for complex areas.

Janet Cartwright, Attorney, DCSS,requests that the Committee delay approval of the
budget reduetions until further discussion takes place. She states that the reorganization can
occur and still retain specialization of professionals. She further states that UIFSA cases
involve laws from other states and other countries and add eomplexity.

Viee Chairperson Gage advises that the County is required to have a balanced budget by
June 30, 2003, and does not have the budget to support the number of people that are

eurrently in the organization. He further advises that after the reduetion in personnel the
County will not be providing the same level of serviee. He also states that further reductions
will occur in October 2003 when the State reductions have been finalized.

In response to an inquiry by Ms Cartwright, Chairperson Beall states that she may make and
present a proposal on the issue of reduetion of attorney positions at the June 4, 2003
meeting.

In response to an inquiry by Chairperson Beall regarding inter-state eases, Mr. Dever states
that it is preferable to leave the deeision of whether to distribute the cases evenly or assign
eertain team members to the inter-state eases to the discretion of each team supervisor. He

eomments that returning to speeialized teams for that role would likely endanger the budget
reduction plan. Chairperson Beall requests further infonnation on options for the issue of
inter-state eolleetions on June 4, 2003.

On Committee consensus, it is ordered that Plan relating to the Department of Child

Support Services' Reorganization Plan and new business model pilot project be held to June
4, 2003 and that information regarding implementing appointments for elients of FSOs;
whether retaining specialized teams or positions will result in elimination of more positions;

details on possible consequenees for not meeting State mandates and action needed by State
Legislators; and, options for inter-state colleetion eases relating to UIFSA 2001 be

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provided on June 4, 2003.

5. Review Fiscal Year 2004 Reeommended Budget for School-Linked Services.
The Committee considers a report from Margo Maida, Director, Community Outreach

Services, dated May 21, 2003, relating to the School-Linked Services(SLS)Fiscal Year
(FY)2004 Budget Reduction Plan. Ms Maida states that the SLS data has been extracted

from Budget Unit 418, as requested by Chairperson Beall on March 18, 2003, and that the

Reduction Summary includes deletion of seven vacant positions. She advises that SLS also
reports to the Health and Hospital Committee(HHC)and that on April 2, 2003, Supervisor
Alvarado requested that staff consider removal of the Psychiatric Social Worker position
from the proposal and that two alternatives be considered. Ms Maida further advises that no
directive has been received on the options, so the budget reduction plan is currently as
originally submitted.

Vice Chairperson Gage comments that the SLS Social Worker assigned to Gilroy Unified
School District should be reinstated if the SLS Social Worker position in District 2 is

reinstated, because both areas have the highest number of low-income families in the

County. He requests that staff provide further options for reinstating the two SLS Social
Worker positions before the budget proposal is forwarded to the Board.
In response to an inquiry by Ms Maida, Chairperson Beall clarifies that a report of options
and funding for the two SLS Social Worker positions should be submitted to the Committee
on June 4, 2003.

Chairperson Beall expresses appreciation to the Administration for responding to the budget
issues thoroughly and in a timely manner.

On Committee consensus, it is ordered that report be accepted relating to Review of the
Fiscal Year 2004 Recommended Budget for School-Linked Services(SLS) and that

information regarding options for reinstating two SLS Social Worker positions in Districts 1
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and 2 be reported on June 4, 2003.

6. Review Fiseal Year 2004 Recommended Budget for Social Services Agency.
The Committee considers a report from Gary Graves, Deputy County Executive, Office of
Budget and Analysis, Office of the County Executive, dated May 21, 2003, relating to a
review of Fiscal Year 2004 Recommended Budget for Social Services Agency.

Florencio Rodarte, Senior Counselor, Children's Shelter, advises that the Shelter continues

to utilize extra help on a daily basis, and not only for peak times and unusual times. He
suggests that some of the employees in the 11 positions targeted for elimination be utilized
to do the work now performed by extra help and overtime and requests that the Committee
review the issue before the June 2003 budget sessions.

Wendy Duggan, Chief Steward, SEIU, Local 715, and Counselor, Children's Shelter,
requests that LaVonne Broussard, a Day Care Aide at the Shelter since 1975, be retained at
the Shelter. Ms Duggan states that Ms Broussard is willing and able to do work currently
perfonued by extra help.

Chairperson Beall comments that the Out-of-Home Placement Report(see Item No. 11)

indicates the success of the County in reducing the population of the Children's Shelter. He
speaks of the need for reevaluation of new long-term strategies for the Children's Shelter
and recommends recreating the Children's Shelter Task Force. Mr. Lightbourne expresses
agreement and suggests that he could prepare a proposal for development of the task force.

Mr. Lightbourne states that earlier in 2003 the State failed the Federal Performance Audit
under the Adoption Safe Families Act, as did all other states that were audited. He advises

that the State is required to develop and implement a program improvement system within
two years or the State will become vulnerable to significant fiscal sanctions. He comments
that the resulting penalties will most likely be passed along to counties who appear to
contribute to the issue of the failed audit. He advises that one of the Federal Performance

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May 21, 2003

Audit standards is that children be placed no more than two times and that the Children's
Shelter is considered one placement. Therefore, he continues, it is important for the County

to determine the appropriate role for the Children's Shelter as a factor in reformulating the
Child Welfare System.

On Committee consensus, it is ordered that report be accepted relating to the Fiscal Year

2004 Recommended Budget for Social Services Agency and forwarded to the Board with a
favorable recommendation.

7. Review Fiscal Year 2004 Recommended Budget for Department of Child Support Services
(DCSSi

Vice Chairperson Gage recommends that memorandum from Peter Dever, Director,
Department of Child Support Services, dated May 21, 2003, relating to DCSS

Recommended Budget be held for discussion on June 4, 2003. In response to an inquiry by
Chairperson Beall, Margaret Olsen, FSO,DCSS, who requested to speak on Item No. 7,
expresses agreement to speak on the item on June 4, 2003.
On Committee consensus, it is ordered that report relating to the Fiscal Year 2004

Recommended Budget for Department of Child Support Services be held to June 4, 2003.

8. Discuss budget update relating to children, seniors and families services and forward
recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.

Peter Kutras, Acting County Executive, Office ofthe County Executive, advises that the
budget update relating to children, seniors and families services was discussed at the Budget
Workshop on Wednesday evening, May 14, 2003. He references a memorandum submitted
to the Committee by Mr. Lightboume highlighting the potential impact of the May Revision
to the State budget from Governor Gray Davis. Mr. Lightboume states that estimates were

unavailable at the Workshop and are included in the memorandum dated May 21, 2003.

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Mr. Kutras expresses concern that the Realignment proposals of Governor Davis are tied to

two new revenue resources that have not been approved by the Legislature. He requests that
Board members and Mr. Lightboume impress upon the Legislators that even a scaled-down
Realignment will not be successful unless the revenue also is allocated to the County. Mr.
Lightboume expresses concern that the Realignment must be funded from the State Income

Tax fund and the Tobacco Tax fund rather than from the performance of the margin for
those funds as has been suggested.

* 9. Accept 24-HQur Adult and Juvenile Correctional and Residential Institutions Strategic
Facilities Plan and forward to the Board of Supervisors.
On recommendation of Kevin Carmth, Director, General Services Agency, as noted in
memorandum dated May 21, 2003, and on Committee consensus, it is ordered that 24-Hour
Adult and Juvenile Correctional and Residential Institutions Strategic Facilities Plan be
accepted and forwarded to the Board.

10. Accept Annual Report from First 5(aka Children and Families First Commission) of Santa
Clara County.
On recommendation of Karen Blinstrub, Executive Director, FIRST 5, as noted in

memorandum dated May 6, 2003, and on Committee consensus, it is ordered that report be
accepted relating to acceptance of FIRST 5 Santa Clara County Annual Report.

* 11. Accept report on status of Out-of-Home Placement Initiatives for March 2003.
On recommendation of Mr. Lightboume, as noted in memorandum dated May 21, 2003,

and on Committee consensus, it is ordered that report be accepted relating to status of
Out-of-Home Placement Initiatives for March 2003.

12. Accept report from Director. Department of Child Support Services.
Mr. Dever reports that year-to-date collections for DCSS are up 2.6 percent. He advises
that Mary Clesi, Senior Accountant, DCSS, was instmmental in the ability of the County to
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accept credit cards for child support payments.

13. Accept report from Director. Social Services Agency.
There is no report from the Director, Social Services Agency.

14. Announce next meeting of the Children. Seniors and Families Committee on Wednesday
.Tune 4. 2003. 10:00 a.m.. in the Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium. First Floor. County
Government Center.
There is no discussion.

Adjournment

On order of Chairperson Beall, there being no objection, the Children, Seniors, and
Families Committee meeting is adjourned at 11:50 a.m. to Wednesday, June 4, 2003, at
10:00 a.m., in the Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium, County Government Center, 70 West
Hedding Street, San Jose, California.

Respectfully Submitted,

Janice D. Fanara

Deputy Clerk of the Board

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