SAN FRANCISCO HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2003  AT 9:30 a.m.

Ronald H. Born Auditorium – 170 Otis Street

DISABILITY ACCESS

The Commission’s meeting room, Ronald H. Born Auditorium, on the first floor at 170 Otis Street has accessible seating for persons with disabilities (including those using wheelchairs).  The closest accessible BART Station is at 16^th and Mission Streets.  Accessible MUNI Lines are the 14-Mission, 49-Mission/VanNess, 26-Valencia and 9-San Bruno.   All the MUNI Metro Lines are accessible.  Accessible curb-side parking has been designated at points on the 100 block of Otis Street. To obtain a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services to participate in the meeting, please contact the Commission Secretary at 557-6431 at least two business days before the meeting.  In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical-based products.  Please help the City accommodate these individuals..

TRANSLATION SERVICES

Interpreters for languages other than English are available on request.  Sign language interpreters are also available on request.  For either accommodation, contact the Commission office at 557-6431 at least two business days before a meeting.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE

Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public.  Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business.  This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review.  For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code) or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact Donna Hall with the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force at 554-7724, Fax 554-7854, e-mail: DonnaHall@ci.sf.ca.us, City Hall Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94l02-4689.  Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance may be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Task Force ,the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s website at http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/.

LOBBYIST REGISTRATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code Section 2.100] to register and report lobbying activity.  For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the San FranciscoEthics Commission at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, SF 94l02, (415)  581-2300; FAX (415)  581-2317; and web site http://www.ci.sf.ca.us./ethics/.

SUBMITTING WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE COMMISSION

Persons who are unable to attend the public meeting may submit to the Commission, by the time the proceedings begin, written comments regarding the subject of the meeting.  These comments will be made a part of the official public record, and brought to the attention of the Human Services Commission and the Department of Human Services.  Written comments should be submitted to the Commission Secretary, Post Office Box 7988,  San Francisco, CA  94120..

ORAL PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE COMMISSION

Public comment will be taken on each item being considered by the Commission prior to the Commission’s vote.

EXPLANATORY DOCUMENTS RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS

Copies of explanatory documents are available through the Commission Secretary (415 557-6431) during normal business hours.  They can be faxed or mailed to you upon request.  They are now also available at the department’s web site http://www.ci.sf.ca.us

SOUND-PRODUCING ELECTRONIC DEVICES PROHIBITED

The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this

meeting.  Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.

AGENDA

Posted 12.12.2003

Commission Approvals for December 18, 2003 Agenda

Date             Provider                                             Amount_____

11/13/03           Equifax information Services                                  8,000

                        Background and credit researching services

11/13/03           Connections Communications Services                    7,000

                         After-hours/weekend phone services

                        (Adult Services)

11/16/03          Community Housing Partnership                             13,082

                        Benefits adjustments of FY-03

11/20/03          Renaissance Parents of Success                            139,069

                        Contract extension to 2-29-04

11/21/03           Inner-City Family Support & Resource              1,127,566

                        Family Resource Center Western Addition

                                                          Total        $ 1,294,717                                  

DATE:                    December 8, 2003

TO:                        Louise Rainey

FROM:                   Personnel

SUBJECT:               TEMPORARY REQUISITIONS

************************************************************************************

The following ratification of submission of temporary requisitions were made during the period from 11/13/03 to 12/08/03 for possible use in order to fill positions on a temporary basis.

DATE:                  December 8, 2003                         

TO:                        Louise Rainey

FROM:                   Personnel

SUBJECT:              TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS

************************************************************************************

The following temporary appointments were made during the period from 11/13/03 to 12/8/03.

MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to extend the contract with Legal Services for Children (LSC), from January 1, 2004 and through June 30, 2004 for an amount not to exceed $37,875. In June 2004, the Department of Public Health plans to assume management of the Legal Services for Children contract.

Background

The Children’s System of Care (CSOC) Project is a collaboration between the Family and Children Services Division of the Department of Human Services, the Child, Youth & Family Services  of the Community Mental Health Division of the Department of Public Health, the Juvenile Probation Department, and the San Francisco Unified School District.  The Children’s System of Care Project began six years ago to coordinates service delivery for children involved with multiple public systems.  The goals are to eliminate duplication of services, facilitate communication between departments, integrate services, and improve outcomes for children.  The Department of Public Health took the lead in creating the CSOC Council, an oversight body consisting of the participating departments, parents, and community-based organizations.

One of the requirements of the Children’s System of Care is to have direct client feedback on the services and system.  The Youth Task Force was developed to provide this feedback on behalf of the youth.  In addition to the Youth Task Force, CSOC has a parent involvement team that provides feedback from parents.      

The Department of Public Health originally planned to assume responsibility for this contract in January 2004.  DPH is renewing a number of mental health contracts at this time and working to modify the Youth Task Force contract.  In the meanwhile, DPH has asked DHS to extend the existing contract for continuity of services. 

Description of Services

Legal Services for Children will continue to staff and manage the Youth Task Force (YTF). The contractor has created an effective, core group of diverse youth to advise and make recommendations for ways to improve services to the CSOC programs and agencies.  The contractor will provide youth development opportunities (through group and individual meetings, supervision and training) and basic skills building around advocacy. 

Performance

The contractor was rated as “Commendable/Exceeds Standards.”  They exceeded the goals and objectives from the current contract. Please see the attached monitoring report.

Contractor Selection

The contractor was selected through a competitive bid process in 2001. 

Funding

This contract is funded through 32% County funds, 38% State, and 30% Federal. The county share is split equally between DHS and DPH.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Monitoring Report

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

MEMORANDUM

The Department is requesting authorization to renew the contract with Larkin Street Youth Services to provide transitional housing services to older youths and young adults who are homeless.  These contract services are funded entirely with Federal dollars through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Program.  The total three-year amount of the contract will not exceed $1,009,116.  Continuation of the contract for the second and third years will be contingent upon continued availability of the HUD funding. 

CONTRACTOR SELECTION

DHS is the lead agency responsible for coordinating the submission of the annual McKinney-Vento Supportive Housing Program (SHP) application to HUD.  The contractor has received McKinney-Vento funding in prior years.  In order to continue receiving this funding, the contractor had to submit an application to DHS.  Applications were reviewed and ranked by a review panel selected in collaboration with the Local Homeless Coordinating Board.  The review panel was composed of formerly homeless persons, staff from community-based organizations and staff from various City departments, as well as members of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board. The review panel recommended, and the Local Homeless Coordinating Board concurred, that the Larkin Street Avenues to Independence Transitional Housing Program be included in the City’s McKinney-Vento SHP application. 

CURRENT SERVICES PROVIDED

Larkin Street’s Avenues to Independence (ATI) program is a transitional housing program that provides stable housing and promotes self-reliance for homeless young adults ages 18 to 23.  ATI’s transitional housing program includes supportive housing services such as education and vocation training for its participants.  The transitional housing facility is located at 1020 Haight Street and provides services seven days a week, 24 hours a day through its residence team.

CONTRACT PERFORMANCE

The contractor has met or exceeded the Service and Outcome Objectives.  DHS staff conducted on-site performance and fiscal monitoring of this program in October and November 2003, and as indicated in the attached monitoring report, the contractor’s performance has been deemed commendable.  The monitoring report provides additional information regarding specific program outcomes and objectives.

BUDGET

The attached budget forms summarize program costs in the format required by HUD.  These budget forms differ from the Department’s because HUD requires that the program costs be separated into three main areas: supportive services costs, housing operation costs and administrative costs. The administrative costs are divided in half, 2.5% for the contractor and 2.5% for the Department.

Attachments

Monitoring Report

Request for Authorization

Appendix A, Scope of Services

Appendix B, Budget

MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to modify the contracts with Central City Hospitality House (Central City), Dolores Street Community Services (Dolores Street) and Episcopal Community Services’ Sanctuary Program (Episcopal) to restore a $150,000 collective loss in State Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) funding.  In addition to the EHAP funding, Episcopal’s modification will also include $30,000 to supplement the program’s graveyard shift staff.  The total modification is 100% funded through savings in the Department’s 2003-2004 budget.

BACKGROUND

California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Emergency Housing Assistance Program provides funding to assists entities that are providing shelter for the homeless.  Due to the State’s budget deficit, Central City, Dolores Street, and Episcopal Community Services lost $50,000 each in EHAP funds this year.

In order to ensure that the shelter programs have adequate funding to help clients move quickly to more permanent placements, the Department was able to identify money in the current fiscal year budget to restore these funding cuts.  This is a one-time restoration, which will give each program some time to restructure their current operation and identify other funding resources to offset the loss of the State funds. 

Episcopal’s modification will add staff monitors to the graveyard shift.  Currently, Episcopal Sanctuary’s shelter has 224 clients and only three staff members during the graveyard shift period.  The additional staff will ensure better coverage during the graveyard shift and provide better security for all the clients in the shelter.

BUDGET

The attached Budget, Appendix B, provides detail regarding the additional funding for each program.

ATTACHMENTS

Central City Hospitality House

Request for Authorization

Appendix B, Budget

Dolores Street Community Services

Request for Authorization

Appendix B, Budget

Episcopal Community Services

Request for Authorization

Appendix B, Budget

MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to enter into a new contract with the Family Support Services of the Bay Area for the provision of Emergency Back-Up and Mildly Ill child care.  The contract will begin January 1, 2004 and end June 30, 2005 for an amount not to exceed $427,500.

Background

Families enrolled in approved CalWORKs welfare-to-work activities and families who have exited aid are eligible for child care services for their children. These and other working poor families experience occasional disruptions of care due to child care provider illness, child care provider vacation, or other breakdowns in regular arrangements that can negatively impact the ability of parents to fulfill their participation in work or training.  This contract will provide emergency back-up child care services in these instances for parents whose regular child care is temporarily unavailable.

Normal childhood illnesses can also present a considerable challenge to a CalWORKs mother with a new job who is unable to take personal time off.  Low-income families can ill afford taking time from work in order to be home to care for children who are mildly ill and unable to attend their regular child care.  This contract will also provide mildly ill child care services to prevent disruptions to the parents’ regular routine.

In January 1999, the Department solicited bids for several capacity-building initiatives to support CalWORKs implementation.  In May 1999, four pilot contracts were created out of this process: 1) a contract with Family Support Services of the Bay Area (FSSBA) for the provision of in-home emergency back-up child care; 2) a contract with Whitney Young Child Development Center for the provision of center-based mildly ill child care; 3) a contract with California Association of Health, Education, Employment, and Dignity, Inc. (CAHEED) for the provision of out-of-home emergency back-up child care; and 4) a contract with the Children’s Council of San Francisco for the provision of special needs child care (the Inclusion Project).

Initially, Whitney Young was contracted to develop a mildly ill child care center and administer the intake process.  During the first year, Whitney Young faced considerable challenges with obtaining a mildly ill license.  Services were underutilized and funds underexpended.  Also, demands of increased state and local contracts spread Whitney Young too thin in their administration of several programs.  Ultimately, in October of 2000, the Department and Whitney Young agreed to discontinue the mildly ill center contract; the services were folded into the Family Support Services of the Bay Area  and CAHEED contracts.

In November of 2000 the intake process and pilot programs were redesigned between CAHEED, which provided out-of-home emergency back-up child care, and FSSBA, which provided in-home emergency back-up child care and mildly ill child care.  Each contractor was responsible for their own intake, while both continued to coordinate cross referrals.  Families were encouraged to use the services and educated regarding new intake procedures.  Extensive outreach was performed through February 2001 to pre-enroll eligible families.

However, in 2001, CAHEED was subject to extensive program and fiscal audits by the California Department of Education and the City and County of San Francisco Controller’s Office.  Initial findings of serious compliance issues led to changes in program and fiscal record keeping procedures.  Although CAHEED’s corrective actions seemed to fully address the original findings, the State ultimately eliminated funding for CAHEED’s infant/toddler child care center.  This action left CAHEED in a serious financial condition, resulting in staff lay-offs and a drastic reduction in child care services. These budget reductions also lead to the relocation of the administrative offices to the child care site.  The reduction of child care services also impacted the out-of-home emergency back-up child care contract, as CAHEED was unable to meet the level of service required in the contract.  Although the Department had worked closely with CAHEED the previous year and a half to improve its delivery of services, it failed to increase utilization enough to sustain the contract.  The Department chose not to renew the final contract when it expired in June 2003.  Since July 2003, the few out-of-home emergency back-up referrals have been referred to FSSBA, under their existing contract.

As a result, the Department decided to combine all the emergency back-up and mildly ill child care services into one contract.  This provides a single point of contact for clients and a more flexible mix of in-home and out-of-home options for clients.  The combining of the services will reduce duplication of effort and improve the efficiency of the system.  This change also reduces the overall costs of the programs.  While large numbers of families have not been utilizing the services, the numbers are increasing.  Those families that do access the services have found them to be an invaluable resource, helping them stay in training or keep a job.

Contractor Performance

Family Support Services of the Bay Area, a non-profit community based organization, has delivered a variety of services, including respite, family preservation, and in-home supportive services for San Francisco and other Bay Area counties.  In the current contract the contractor has consistently made available the contracted hours of service in its emergency backup and mildly ill child care contracts.  Contractor reviews exceptional cases with the Program Manager of Child Care Policy and Planning for appropriateness of service.  Contractor submits provider documentation of in-home services provided and activities with the children.  In the current contract, which expires on December 31, 2003, the Contractor has seen an increase in utilization of the services and has met or exceeded most of its contract objectives.  In client surveys, parents have consistently rated the overall quality of the child care as very good or excellent.  DHS staff also rated the services as good or excellent with respect to assisting clients with attending work or training.  For more detail, please see the attached Monitoring Report.

Contractor Selection

Because the most recent competitive bid process for these services was conducted in 1999, the Department issued a new Request For Qualifications (#255) in October 2003.  Contractor was one of four respondents to the Request For Qualifications #255 and the only one to score in the exceptional range, as evaluated by the review panel.

Funding and Budget

Most of the funding will be provided through CalWORKs Stage I child care money.  An additional $40,000 per year of county general fund dollars is included to allow the contractor to serve families with a presumption of eligibility and to serve Family and Children’s child care cases as well as children in other low-income subsidy-eligible families.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Monitoring Report

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to enter into a new contract with St. Vincent de Paul Society for the provision of consultation and counseling services by domestic violence advocates for CalWORKs clients.  The contract will begin January 1, 2004 and end June 30, 2005 for an amount not to exceed $168,420.

Background

Most California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) participants are required to participate in the Department’s Welfare-To-Work program in order to receive cash aid and services.  However, CalWORKs regulations allow participants who are survivors of domestic violence to receive domestic violence counseling and support services instead of being forced into the work force prematurely.  The Department’s CalWORKs staff needs training and technical support in order to properly identify and work with battered women and their families.  Since 1999, the Department of Human Services has work-ordered money to the Department on the Status of Women, who in turn has contracted with W.O.M.A.N., Inc., to provide the domestic violence advocacy services.  This year, the Department of Human Services decided to bring the administration of the contract in-house to more closely manage it in order to ensure that it is meeting staff’s needs, and ultimately the needs of our clients.

Services to be Provided

The Contractor will work closely with DHS CalWORKs staff, providing training and consultation to DHS CalWORKs Employment Specialists on assessment, counseling, employment, and legal issues for battered women and their families.  Contractor will prepare and keep updated a Domestic Violence referral guide for CalWORKs staff to better assist their clients with other services in the community.

The Contractor will provide domestic violence presentations to CalWORKs participants at all CalWORKs orientations in order to familiarize them with their rights under CalWORKs regulations.  The Contractor will also provide direct service (case management, counseling, and referrals) to CalWORKs clients who are referred by their DHS CalWORKs Employment Specialists.

Contractor Selection

Contractor was selected through the competitive bid process.  Contractor was the highest rated of three respondents to Request For Qualifications #252, issued in October 2003.  Contractor has a 20 year history of providing culturally competent, supportive services to battered women and their children.  They have administered an emergency shelter for battered women and their children since 1983 and a transitional housing program for formerly battered women and their children since 1991.  Contractor also offers a full range of non-residential services to domestic violence victims, including supportive counseling, case management, support groups, referrals, and advocacy.

Funding

This contract will be funded through State CalWORKs money.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

MEMORANDUM

  The Department of Human Services requests authorization to modify the contract with Earned Assets Resource Network, Inc. for the provision of Individual Development Accounts and monetary management training for CalWORKs participants and other low-income residents of San Francisco.  The modification is for the period of January 1, 2004 to June 30, 2004, and will increase the contract by $135,000, for a new total contract amount not to exceed $300,000.

Background

In 1999, the San Francisco Asset Building Initiative (SF-ABI) was formed to examine the idea of helping low-income working San Francisco residents build assets as an economic self-sufficiency strategy.  The Department, along with foundations, local non-profit economic development organizations, and community leaders were invited to participate in the process.  In April 2001, the SF-ABI created the non-profit entity Earned Assets Resource Network, Inc. (EARN).  EARN obtained funding commitments from several foundations and became a grantee of the federal government’s Asset for Independence Act (AFIA) program.  The AFIA program provides federal matching funds for Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) of eligible low-income San Francisco residents.  San Francisco residents with a valid social security number are eligible to open IDAs if they meet one of the following criteria:  1) earned income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or 2) qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, or 3) qualify for TANF (CalWORKs).  In March 2002, the Department entered into a contract with EARN to partially fund the administration of the IDA program by EARN and to fund two types of IDA savings accounts, the AFIA-IDA and the DHS-IDA.

EARN establishes an AFIA-IDA on behalf of individuals who want to save for one of the following purposes:  1) postsecondary educational expenses, 2) first time homeownership, or 3) investment capital to start a business.  Each dollar the individual saves (up to the maximum limit of $2,000) is matched by a dollar from the federal AFIA funds and by another dollar from a foundation or the Department.  Therefore, an individual who saves the maximum of $2,000 will have an AFIA-IDA account worth $6,000.

CalWORKs participants also have access to DHS-IDA accounts.  The DHS-IDA accounts can be utilized for one of the following purposes:  1) children’s education, or 2) first and last month rent and security deposits.  Each dollar the individual saves (up to the maximum limit of $2,000) is matched by two dollars from DHS general funds.  The DHS-IDA account also has a maximum value of $6,000.

Description of Modification

The original contract with EARN called for the creation of 40 AFIA-IDAs and 30 DHS -IDAs.  This modification provides an additional 55 IDAs –50 AFIA-IDAs and 5 DHS IDA’s.  In the original contract, the AFIA-IDAs did not receive DHS matching funds because foundation money was available.  In the modification, because the foundation money is no longer available, DHS will match each dollar of investor savings with one dollar and AFIA grant funds will provide the other match dollar.  DHS will continue to provide the two dollars of matching funds for each dollar of investor savings for the five DHS-IDAs.

This modification also provides for the administration of the IDA program for six additional months.  Contractor will continue to provide financial management training to investors and promote the program to the Department’s Career Advancement and Job-Retention Specialists, who will provide referrals.  In order to join the program, participants must participate in the financial literacy training, which includes investment counseling, guidance on use of the IDA savings, personal budgeting and asset specific training.

Contractor Performance

The current contract is for 40 AFIA-IDAs and 30 DHS-IDAs. The goal was to establish all these account by December 30, 2002 based on referrals from CalWORKs Job Retention and Career Advancement specialists.  However referrals were low and only 9 AFIA and 4 DHS IDAs were established by December 30, 2002.

EARN established other recruitment methods such as networking with community providers.  Also, the target population was broadened to include participants who are working but still receiving CalWORKs cash assistance.  The original target population were working persons who were discontinued from CalWORKs cash assistance.  As a result of these changes, 38 AFIA accounts have been established and 33 are pending.  Twenty DHS-IDAs have been established.

Investors are asked to save at least $20 per month, but can deposit $1 - $200 per month.  EARN IDA investors deposit an average of $77 per month, one of the highest IDA savings rate in the country.  Investors must make a monthly deposit, but are allowed to miss two months before they are placed on probation.  If they miss four deposits during the year, they are terminated from the program.  The savings period is three to five years.  An outcome objective is to retain 80% of the investors in the program.  To date, 90% have been retained, but most accounts have only been established in the past six to nine months.

For the 38 AFIA-IDAs already established, 19 accounts are for first time homeownership, 11 accounts are for investment capital to start a business, and 8 accounts are for postsecondary educational expenses.  For the 20 DHS-IDAs already established, 12 are for their children’s education, and 8 are for first and last month rent and security deposits.

Funding

For the modification, $15,000 of State CalWORKs dollars will fund the administrative costs and $120,000 of county general funds will be used for the IDA account match funds.  $100,000 of the match funds will drawdown $100,000 in AFIA federal grant funds.

Contractor Selection

EARN is a sole source selection because of their status as a AFIA grantee and because of the foundation moneys they have raised for this program.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Appendix A-1

Appendix B-1