COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Human Services Agency

 

DATE:

April 7, 2010

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 13, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Beverly Beasley Johnson, J.D. , Director, Human Services Agency

SUBJECT:

Agreement with San Mateo County Community College District (BESST Program)

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution ratifying the signature of the County Manager, executing the Agreement with San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) for the Beyond Economic Self-Sufficiency Tools Program (BESST), for the term of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 and the obligation of $332,644, there is no Net County Cost.

 

BACKGROUND:

The Program Access Index (PAI) is the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) measurement of state or county performance in administering the Food Stamp Program. It is a ratio of the average number of monthly food stamp participants to the number of people below the poverty line of each state. While there are approximately 19,000 individuals in San Mateo County who are eligible for food stamp benefits, only roughly 9,000 of them are receiving the benefits.

 

DISCUSSION:

HSA will expand the Food Stamps Employment and Training (FSET) program to community college students in this partnership with SMCCCD in an effort to increase participation in the FSET program. The BESST program provides college studies as an option for food stamp recipients. In addition to receiving the regular food stamps allowance, participants will receive college education plus financial assistance for books, fees and transportation.

 

The processing of this Agreement was delayed due to ongoing changes in the claiming process to the Federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program and the negotiations between the County and SMCCCD to clarify allowable costs of the BESST program.

 

It was anticipated that services under this Agreement would be funded through the Federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program for up to three years and that SMCCCD would be reimbursed fifty percent (50%) of the total program costs. On March 24, 2010, the County was notified by the state that funding was being cut and that the program would end June 30, 2010. Additionally, the County was informed that in order to fund all costs to date that the County must submit all current invoices and have a signed contract in place no later than April 2, 2010 or risk losing the authorization for funding.

 

To avoid the potential loss of funding, it was necessary that the County Manager execute the contract and the Board is being asked to ratify the signature.

 

The Contractor has assured compliance with the County's Contractor Employee Jury Service Ordinance, as well as all other contract provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda, including but not limited to insurance, hold harmless, non-discrimination and equal benefits. County Counsel has reviewed and approved this Agreement and Resolution as to form and Risk Management has approved the Contractor’s insurance for this Agreement. Processing of this contract was delayed due to negotiations.

 

Approval of this Agreement contributes to Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Prosperous Community by providing access to college education for food stamp recipients thus providing them a pathway to self-sufficiency.

 

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2009-10

Target

Number of new participants recruited

100

Placement of participants into core services

75%

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The amount of this Agreement is $332,644. The term of this Agreement is July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. This is a pass-through Agreement that requires no County fiscal obligation. Funding for this Agreement is shared equally between the Federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program (FSET), at 50%, and Skyline College, which will provide the remaining 50% as the local matching funds.

There is no Net County Cost.