Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 154-2022 amending the Authorized Personnel Allocation Resolution 199-2022 to:
1) Add one (1.0) Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Office Assistant I/II allocation in the Health and Human Services Agency; and
2) Add one (1.0) FTE Social Worker III allocation in the Health and Human Services Agency.
FUNDING: 100% AB 135 Adult Protective Services (APS) Expansion Funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Assembly Bill 135 (AB 135), also known as Adult Protective Services (APS) Expansion, was signed into law on July 16, 2021, as part of the Budget Act of 2021. The goal of AB 135 is to enable the program to provide longer term case management, expand multidisciplinary teams, as well as make changes to the Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) to expand the definition of who APS serves to include individuals 60 and older under the definition of “elder” (changed from 65 and older). AB 135 provides El Dorado County with $490,215 of State General Funds (SGF) as an annual allocation beginning January 1, 2022, which allows APS to expand its staffing to meet the ongoing and increasing demands and caseload related to the APS Expansion.
The continued growth of APS due to the AB 135 expansion will require the addition of 1.0 FTE Social Worker III and 1.0 FTE Office Assistant II in APS to help meet additional demand for services and management of the daily operation and workflow. Through AB 135, given that eligible clients are now aged 60 and older as opposed to what was an eligible age of 65 and older, and given that services are intended to be lengthened and expanded, it is anticipated that phone contacts to APS may likely increase or expand. It is also anticipated that, due to these program changes, enhanced staff coordination will be critical to the program's continued effectiveness while serving an expanded eligible population. Given that only 1 in 14 APS referrals is actually reported to APS, this additional staffing will enable HHSA to continue to provide a live response to calls and with a higher degree of customer service.
Working directly with the Human Resources Department, HHSA has developed the attached Personnel Allocation Resolution which was approved by County Counsel on August 30, 2022.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could decline to adopt and authorize the Chair to sign the attached Personnel Allocation, thereby retaining the current allocations. This would maintain current staffing levels, while HHSA would still be required to serve an increased, eligible population of individuals age 60 and older.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
1) 09/27/22, 22-1686, CAO Budget Adoption
2) 08/30/22, 22-1222, HHSA Personnel Allocation Resolution - Disease Investigation & Control Specialist
3) 06/21/22, 22-0987, FY 2022-23 Personnel Allocation Resolution
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Human Resources and County Counsel
Local 1 Union
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the addition of this position. The two allocations will cost approximately $223,000 in increased costs annually. The positions will be fully funded with ongoing AB 135 APS Expansion Funding. The expansion funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Budget, but as the allocations had not been identified the allocations were not added with the budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Obtain signature of Chair on Resolution.
2) Provide one (1) certified Resolution to HHSA-Contracts at 3057 Briw Rd and one (1) certified Resolution to Human Resources at 330 Fair Lane.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Evelyn Schaeffer, Director, Health and Human Services Agency