COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Human Services Agency

 

DATE:

February 14, 2002

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 19, 2002

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Maureen D. Borland, Director, Human Services Agency
Glen H. Brooks, Jr., Director, Central Region

SUBJECT:

Execution of an Amendment to the Agreement with California State Department of Rehabilitation for benefit planning services for Mental Health Social Security Recipients.

 

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the execution of an Amendment to the Agreement with California State Department of Rehabilitation.

 

Human Services Agency will require a total of five (5) signed original Agreements.

 

Background

On June 19, 2001, the Board of Supervisor adopted resolution number 64539 authorizing an Agreement with California State Department of Rehabilitation (DR) to provide enhanced benefit planning services for mental health consumers on Social Security benefits. This service helps individuals with severe psychiatric disabilities to maintain employment and increase self- sufficiency.

 

Effective January 1, 1999, DR awarded funds from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to develop a five (5) year research and demonstration project to document to what extent the provision of education and support around work incentive issues might lead to reduction or elimination of Social Security benefits to recipients. Waivers have been authorized by SSA for participants in this project. Participants are provided with guidance in utilizing work incentives and the new waivers to realize employment goals and achieve increased levels of self-sufficiency.

 

The project funds four (4) unclassified positions to provide benefits planning services and data collection for the individual self-sufficiency planning project.

 

Discussion

The Agreement will continue the project into the fourth year of the proposed five-year funding, which is anticipated to continue through September 30, 2003. The goal is to apply a rigorous data collection and research component to 100 active cases in order to track return to work levels and cost savings to the Social Security Trust fund. An evaluation of the costs versus benefits of these services will be conducted during and at the end of the five-year demonstration project.

 

This Amendment to the Agreement changes language in Exhibit B - Budget Detail and Payment Provisions. Specifically, the new language clarifies the County's ability to make changes to the line item budget within approved categories as long as such change is necessary for the provision of services to DR consumers and consistent with the budget narrative. This Amendment also makes an addition to Exhibit D - Special Terms and Conditions, for the inclusion of principles and standards for determining allowable costs, including requirements for documenting personnel activity chargeable to the contract as specified in Office of Management and Budgeting Circulars.

 

Vision Alignment

The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Individual Self-Sufficiency Planning Project contract, with the California State Department of Rehabilitation keeps vulnerable people - the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others - achieve a better quality of life. The contract contributes to this commitment and goal by providing enhanced benefits planning services to people with severe, psychiatric disabilities to assist in maintaining employment and increase self sufficiency.

 

Fiscal Impact

This Amendment does not affect the funding. The Agreement provides funding for salary and benefits for two (2) unclassified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor I/II positions at $141,712 and two (2) unclassified Employment Service Specialist II positions at $121,795 for total funding of $263,507. These positions are fully funded by the SSA through DR. There is no Net County Cost.