OTSEGO COUNTY DEPT. OF SOCIAL SERVICES

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1 OTSEGO COUNTY DEPT. OF SOCIAL SERVICES COUNTY OFFICE BLDG MAIN STREET, COOPERSTOWN, NY (607) MEADOWS OFFICE COMPLEX- 140 COUNTY HWY 33W, COOPERSTOWN, NY (607) The mission of the Otsego County Department of Social Services is to assist and protect vulnerable individuals in our community by promo:ng safety, healthy families and enhanced economic stability. We provide services with compassion, respect, integrity and posi:ve a<tudes while encouraging personal responsibility, and individual choice. We work collabora:vely with community partners to achieve the goals of lifelong safety and self-sufficiency for County residents ANNUAL REPORT

2 CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES Child Central Registry HOTLINE Child Protec:ve Services (CPS) is a program that is mandated by the State of New York and locally administered by the Otsego County Department of Social Services. CPS/DSS staff are responsible for the inves:ga:on of all reports that are received from the New York State Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR) alleging abuse or neglect of children under the age of 18. In 2016, there were 1,101 reports assigned by the SCR to the Otsego County CPS Unit. This is an average of 92 reports each month; an increase of 16% since The opiate crisis is a contribu:ng factor to this increase. Due to our staff turnover and the length of :me it takes for a caseworker to be fully trained to inves:gate reports regarding abuse/neglect, caseworkers in all of the department s Child Welfare Units had to be u:lized in inves:ga:ng CPS reports. The department has had an on-going strategy of cross-training all staff in all of the units to be able to help each other with the different types of casework needed. During 2016 the department was able to temporarily hire staff who had previously been fully trained and either re:red or resigned to come back to the department to help the CPS caseworkers improve on the :meliness of inves:ga:ons. The CPS unit is a member of the Otsego County Mul:disciplinary Team, ranked a New York State Office of Children and Family Services Tier One Team. New York State mandates that certain types of inves:ga:ons be handled using the mul:disciplinary approach. These inves:ga:ons involve the use of the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) which has a child friendly environment. There were a total of eight Law Enforcement Referrals without a CPS case in The Children s Advocacy Center and its protocols have been used to interview 105 children in the advocacy center, and seven addi:onal children were interviewed using the protocols outside of the center. The total number of families served for the year was 64. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 2

3 FOSTER CARE To become a foster parent contact Lillian Bardwell or Peter Dai (607) In 2016 the Foster Care/Adop:on Unit con:nued to support reten:on and recruitment efforts to increase the number of county cer:fied foster and adop:ve homes, reduce the number of children placed in foster care through contracted agencies, and keep children closer to home. In the spring of 2016 a Model Approach to Partnerships in Paren:ng (MAPP), an 11 week program, was held cer:fying three foster homes locally. In the fall of 2016 the county did not have enough families signed up to produc:vely hold the MAPP training and so a one-on-one course named Deciding Together was provided to two families. A total of five new foster homes became cer:fied through Otsego County in In August 2016 the unit was able to coordinate having a caseworker and teenage foster child agend the New York State Speak Out Event in Glens Falls, NY. At this event youth in foster care from Region 4 in New York State were given an opportunity to share their experiences of being in care and ideas to help improve the foster care system. This event helps to make youth in foster care feel heard and part of planning their future. Otsego County Department of Social Services held two open houses in 2016 as a way to adver:se to the community the need for more local foster and/or adop:ve families and provide informa:on to those who showed interest in becoming cer:fied. The department adver:sed these open house events in several local newspapers. New York State supplies the county with funding for reten:on and recruitment purposes each November. The funding from November of 2015 purchased lawn signs (see photo lei) that were u:lized in 2016 by being placed in front of the DSS building and in front of area schools and churches. These lawn signs are a dark red color with a golden yellow Otsego County logo on them and ask people to Open Your Heart and Home Become a Foster Parent. Other recruitment efforts included holding an informa:on table at the Opportuni:es for Otsego Community Baby Shower in April 2016 and another informa:on table at an event at Damschake Field in Oneonta NY in August At these events the department shared informa:on to the community about becoming a cer:fied foster and/ or adop:ve family, safe sleeping for babies, gun safety with children, poison preven:on, violence interven:on and preven:ng child abuse and neglect literature. 3 DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

4 SCHOOL BASED PREVENTIVE The School-Based Preven:ve Program has been a collabora:on between the Otsego County Department of Social Services and area school districts for 24 years. School-Based Preven:ve Service Caseworkers primarily provide preven:ve services to the residents of their assigned school district. The caseworkers maintain caseloads of no more than 12 cases on an on-going basis and up to 15 cases on a short term basis. Should the caseload be under the limit, the caseworker will serve families outside of the district and/or be assigned child protec:ve inves:ga:ons. During 2016 the School- Based Preven:ve Services Program had seven caseworkers located in school districts within Otsego County. These schools included Cherry Valley - Springfield, Edmeston, Milford, Oneonta Middle/High School, Richfield Springs, and Unatego (two caseworkers). The School-Based Preven:ve Unit received a total of 88 new referrals in Of the 88 referrals received, 54% came directly from the school districts, 19% were referred by the Child Protec:ve Services Unit, 10% were from the Otsego County Proba:on Department and 17% referrals came from other sources. School-Based Caseworkers also provide services to families referred from the school districts that do not require an open case. With expedi:ous interven:on caseworkers are able to assist certain families with their situa:onal needs to prevent further involvement with the department. The School-Based Program provides a unique opportunity to acquaint the general public with rehabilita:ve and support services that are offered by the Department of Social Services and community resources to create a teamwork approach between the school district, families, and the department. TRANSPORTATION The Transporta:on Unit provides services for all areas of the department of social services. During 2016 a staff of eight drivers drove a total 155,934 miles providing transports for foster care, preven:ve and occasionally adult services clients. Our car fleet began the year with 28 vehicles in our motor pool. AIer removing two vehicles that were no longer cost effec:ve to maintain in February, and one addi:onal vehicle in April, the department added one 2016 Jeep Patriot 4X4 and one 2016 Ford Fusion sedan to our fleet. Our car fleet is sta:oned as follows for beger u:liza:on for all: 197 Main St Department Fleet 17 vehicles Transport unit three vehicles (includes one 4x4) Oneonta three vehicles PSA at Meadows Complex four vehicles (includes one 4x4) DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 4

5 COUNTYWIDE PREVENTIVE SERVICES FAMILY TREATMENT COURT In 2016, the department provided the Family Treatment Court (FTC) with two caseworkers and one DSS A4orney. The FTC Team meets bi-weekly with members from Addic8on Recovery Services (ARS), Otsego County Family Treatment Court staff, A4orneys, the Judge and FTC par8cipants. Par8cipants are required to work with ARS or be in another substance abuse program to be eligible to par8cipate in FTC. FTC is unique in that its par8cipants are families who have chosen through family court proceedings to partake in a more intensive program to meet their substance abuse needs, keep their children home with them, prevent future placement of their children and prevent future abuse or neglect. An advantage to par8cipa8ng in FTC is that par8cipants are able to be in front of their Judge, usually biweekly, so their needs can be addressed faster then tradi8onal court 8meframes and their service needs are decided upon with a mul8disciplinary approach. There were 24 FTC par8cipants throughout 2016 with 11 successful graduates. County Wide Preven:ve Service Caseworkers receive referrals from a variety of sources including hospitals, courts, law enforcement, mental health providers, Proba:on Department, school districts that are not a part of the School Based Preven:ve Program and self referrals. The goal of preven:ve services is to prevent child abuse and maltreatment, prevent the placement of children and/or reunifica:on of children with caretakers, and reduce the need for child protec:ve inves:ga:ons. In 2016 Countywide Preven:ve Caseworkers provided services to families in need to help meet the goals listed above. In addi:on to casework, counseling and case management services provided directly to families; caseworkers made referrals and coordinated other services for the families to include mental health, addic:on recovery, homemaking, family planning, child mentoring and paren:ng educa:on when needed. Preven:ve Service Caseworkers work closely with outside community service providers to help families reach goals developed during their Family Assessment Service Plans. JUVENILE JUSTICE During 2016 certain Preven:ve staff, along with the Otsego County Proba:on Department, sat on the Mohawk Regional Juvenile Jus:ce Taskforce to assist in evalua:ng the needs of Otsego and surrounding coun:es. As a result of the taskforce, trainings have been offered to assist local agencies with the popula:on we work with. The majority of these same coun:es also had the opportunity to be a part of the 2nd Chance Act Grant. The Taskforce finished their first year of planning and were awarded a por:on of funds available to jointly develop increased training for staff. Each county has focus groups where stakeholders meet and discuss youth outcomes and how recidivism can be reduced for youth. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 5

6 SOCIAL SERVICES LEGAL OFFICE In 2016 the Department of Social Services Legal Office was restructured aier the re:rement of Steven Ratner, Social Services AGorney of more than 30 years. It was decided that two full-:me Social Service AGorneys, one Paralegal, and one Legal Clerk would best serve the department s needs. PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR ADULTS Protec:ve Services for Adults (PSA) is a program to assist vulnerable adults. To be eligible, there must be a mental and/ or physical impairment that causes them to be unable to provide for their own basic needs or to protect themselves from harm. Also, there is no one else willing and able to help responsibly. PSA had an average of 98 ongoing monthly cases in This caseload consisted of protec:ve services, guardianships and financial management. Financial management is a large part of the PSA caseload. There were 77 financial management cases and seven guardianships in In addi:on to ongoing caseloads, there were 160 new referrals These referrals required caseworkers to inves:gate to determine emergent and non-emergent needs, as well as assess for possible ongoing PSA services. To assist with the increasing caseloads in this unit an addi:onal Caseworker was created to assist with PSA and Housing services. A variety of pe::ons are filed in Family Court by the department. These include child abuse and neglect cases, where the department seeks the aid of the Court in providing services to parents alleged to be abusing and/or neglec:ng their children. There were 38 such cases filed in The agorneys also pursue child support magers in order to seek reimbursement for Foster Care, Temporary Assistance and/or Medicaid from legally responsible adults. Although not filed by DSS, Juvenile Delinquency (JD) and Person in Need of Supervision (PINS) cases are also prosecuted in Family Court by the DSS AGorneys while ac:ng in their capacity as Assistant County AGorneys. In many cases, the department is directed by the Court to provide support services to these families to assist in resolving the problems that led to the pe::on being filed. There were five JD and six PINS pe::ons filed in This does not include any cases that were segled by the Proba:on Department by diversion; without a referral to Family Court. Social Service AGorneys also represent Adult Protec:ve Services when court ac:on is needed to protect the safety of an adult. This generally occurs in Supreme Court when a guardianship pe::on has been filed which contain allega:ons that a person is unable to manage their own affairs and needs a guardian to be appointed. The Department filed one such pe::on in Finally, all appeals to higher courts involving DSS are handled by the Social Service AGorneys. There were four such appeals argued in DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

7 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE/SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM In 2016, the Temporary Assistance (TA) /Supplemental Nutri:on Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medical Assistance (MA)/SNAP units processed 2,727 applica:ons. This was a reduc:on of 181 applica:ons from By 2016 s end the TA/SNAP unit was responsible for 175 ac:ve TA cases and 496 SNAP cases. This was an increase of 10 TA cases and decrease of 577 SNAP cases from The decrease in the SNAP caseload was due to the moving of cases over to the MA/SNAP unit. The MA/SNAP unit had an ac:ve SNAP caseload of 2,531 by the end of 2016; a 28% increase from In January, Otsego County was required to implement Able Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWD) requirements for our SNAP caseload. This change required extensive training of staff. A desk guide was developed to assist workers in the discussion of ABAWD requirements with their clients. The revised SNAP Employability Code/ABAWD Determina:on form (LDSS-5062) had to be completed for all SNAP applicants/recipients age 16 and older. Workers were given procedures on how to sanc:on clients that failed to meet the ABAWD requirements and how to make a proper referral to the Employment Unit. Workers learned how to use the ABAWD tracker system to monitor their ABAWD cases monthly in order to take :mely ac:on on the case if necessary. A direc:ve regarding the expansion of categorical eligibility for SNAP households with Earned Income was issued by the State. The gross income threshold for categorical eligibility for SNAP households with earned income budgeted for the purpose of determining SNAP eligibility and benefit amount was raised from 130% to 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This change does not apply to SNAP households with any member who is either temporarily or permanently sanc:oned or disqualified due to an Inten:onal Program Viola:on or a SNAP work rules viola:on: households with members age 60 or older or disabled who already extend to 200% of FPL; or households with out of pocket dependent care expenses who already extend to 200% of FPL. The SNAP Benefits Categorical Eligibility Desk Aid (LDSS-4943) was also revised to reflect the above changes. This change expanded SNAP eligibility to low income working households in New York. The TA/SNAP unit experienced a high turnover rate in In the beginning of 2016, the unit consisted of six Examiners, two Senior Examiners, one Housing Caseworker and one Housing Examiner under the supervision of a Principal Examiner. The MA/SNAP unit consisted of six Examiners and two Senior Examiners under the supervision of the MA Principal Examiner. Due to various reasons ranging from promo:ons to resigna:ons, re:rements and/or termina:ons, the following vacancies occurred in TA/SNAP throughout the year: eight Social Welfare Examiners and two Senior Social Welfare Examiners. Recruitment is ongoing, however, many vacancies were unfilled due to lack of viable applicants. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 7

8 HOUSING In December, social service districts were required to provide security plans for emergency shelters for the homeless and report to the State any serious incidents at these shelters. The district had to provide an overall plan ensuring the physical safety of residents and staff at any emergency shelters for the homeless. Otsego County has one such shelter, Opportunity House, which the department makes referrals to for shelter and case management services at a rate of $75.00 per individual per day. The Housing Caseworker is included within the TA/SNAP unit. This caseworker is responsible for assis:ng the homeless popula:on in preparing independent living plans, premove/postmove inspec:ons for security deposit agreements, furniture assessments, moving expenses; and serves as the agency representa:ve between landlords, clients, and workers. The Housing Caseworker con:nues to collaborate with Opportuni:es for Otsego (OFO) and the Salva:on Army in arranging temporary and permanent housing for the homeless and transient popula:on. The Housing Examiner assists the Housing Caseworker in the prepara:on and payment of motel/shelter bills, maintains housing logs, conducts emergency TA interviews for shelter arrears, and interviews and assesses homeless clients as backup for the Housing Caseworker in their absence. In January 2016, an addi:onal half-:me caseworker was assigned to this unit in order to offer more intensive case management, especially for PSA homeless persons, to find permanent affordable housing. In September, Otsego County contracted with the Crossroads Inn to provide temporary housing for clients referred by social services. In November, no:ce was received by the State requiring social services districts inspect hotels/motels where homeless are placed at least once every six months. The district had to submit a plan to NYS OTDA outlining how required inspec:ons would be conducted. This agency uses four motels for Temporary Housing Assistance. Our plan states that the inspec:ons will be done by our Housing Caseworker and a Welfare Fraud Inves:gator every six months using the form provided by NYS OTDA. $701,954 was spent housing homeless in This was a decrease of $80,797 compared to The department con:nues to try new and innova:ve ways to house homeless safely and affordably, while agemp:ng solu:ons to secure stabilized affordable housing. 8 DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

9 HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (HEAP) The HEAP Program con:nued to be coordinated within the TA/ SNAP Unit under their Principal Examiner. The HEAP Unit was directly supervised by the Clerical Senior Examiner and consisted of one Examiner and one Community Service Worker (CSW). Benefit amounts remained unchanged by the State for the HEAP Season. The department con:nued contrac:ng with Opportuni:es for Otsego (OFO) and Otsego Office for the Aging (OFA) to provide non-ta applica:on processing through August 31, OFO served head of households under age 60 by approving 642 benefits and denying 264 applica:ons, primarily due to excess income and incomplete documenta:on. OFO also had 14 withdrawn applica:ons. OFA served head of households age 60 and over by approving 789 benefits and denying 80 applica:ons primarily due to excess income and incomplete documenta:on. OFA also had 16 withdrawn applica:ons. A grand total of 4,167 Regular benefits were processed for the HEAP season totaling $1,915, Supplemental benefits were processed totaling $ ,026 emergency benefits were processed totaling $529, These numbers include the benefits paid for TA and SNAP households as well. The department took over HEAP applica:ons in the season for heads of household under the age of 60 without other exis:ng TA/SNAP benefits from our alternate cer:fier, OFO. OFO provided this service for many years and the department appreciates their dedicated, quality services and con:nued partnership in other program areas. The change was made in an effort to reduce administra:ve costs. Seasonal temporary staff were hired, which included two Examiners and three CSWs. Extensive adver:ng took place to inform the public of this change and make the transi:on easier for all. Applicants could apply through the mail, online at or in person at the Meadows Office Complex. From November 9, 2015 to January 29, 2016, the department s HEAP Unit authorized 14 furnace replacements and 3 furnace repairs totaling $50, The agency made 17 referrals to OFO s Weatheriza:on Program from October 1, 2015 to September 30, The HEAP Cooling Assistance Component (CAC) opened May 2, 2016 and closed July 29, This program provided for the purchase and installa:on of air condi:oners and fans for HEAP eligible households. The HEAP household must also include an individual with documented medical condi:ons that are exacerbated by extreme heat. The local Social Services district remained responsible to implement this program for the season. This agency authorized the installa:on of 28 air condi:oners. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 9

10 Medicaid is a program that offers health insurance to income eligible individuals. In 2016, The Medicaid Unit processed 970 applica:ons and addi:onally processed 1,239 SNAP applica:ons. SNAP determina:ons were greatly increased in the MAFS units as all new applica:ons were processed by the MAFS units without the assistance of the TA Units. This started in July in an:cipa:on of NYSOH Medicaid case transi:on to occur. At year end, Otsego County Medicaid had 4,964 cases covering 7,066 residents. Medicaid applica:ons processed by the department have declined 5% percent compared to 2015 and the number of cases maintained by the department has declined an addi:onal 7 percent this year due to the ACA. Medicaid cases require recer:fica:on every 12 months and con:nuous undercare ac:ons on all cases as recipients report changes to their residency, income and resources, etc. Con:nuous coverage con:nues for local MAGI-like cases which allows all individuals once found eligible, to be guaranteed coverage for one year regardless of change in their eligibility status. Program determina:ons are completed by the department at the Meadows Office Complex. The caseload is divided amongst two Community Medicaid Units (MAFS) and one Nursing Home/Long Term Care Unit (NH/LTC). The MAFS units determine eligibility and authorize appropriate Medicaid coverage that includes MAGI-like (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) and SS-R (Social Security Related) budge:ng and also complete eligibility determina:ons for the SNAP program. The NH/LTC Unit is dedicated to complete determina:ons involving Chronic Care and MLTC (Managed Long Term Care). Medicaid in 2016 con:nues to be affected by implementa:on of the ACA (Affordable Care Act of 2010). County Medicaid MAGI-like cases have not yet been transi:oned as expected to NYSOH (New York State of Health), which is the State operated HBE (Health Benefit Exchange), and the County con:nues to maintain these cases. Transi:on has been started by NYSOH for Enrollment Center Coun:es in April 2016 and Otsego was slated to start this transi:on in Feb 2017 (which has since been postponed). New applicants are referred to the health exchange to apply for medical coverage with the excep:on of cases that need to be processed by the department due to categorical need. NYSOH applicant assistance may be provided by County Navigators (Mothers & Babies or Chenango Health Network) or a CAC (Cer:fied Applica:on Counselor). The in-house Maximus worker is an authorized CAC that assists applicants by appointment or walk-in basis. This local access has been extremely beneficial in mee:ng applicant s needs. Otsego County is a mandatory Managed Care County and Medicaid eligibles must enroll in a local plan (Excellus or Fidelis), unless exempt or excluded for various reasons. Educa:on regarding these plans, what is offered and how they work, is provided by the on-site Maximus worker. Medicaid Transporta:on is administered by MAS (Medical Answering Services, LLC). Clients are to call MAS at when in need of medical transporta:on covered by Medicaid. 10 DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

11 RESOURCES The Resource Unit is commiged to ensuring County funds are not used when other means are available to meet the client s needs. Every Otsego County resident has the right to apply for assistance and to be treated with dignity and respect. The department then has a responsibility to review the informa:on to see if there are other available resources that may resolve immediate needs without using public funds. Indigent burial referrals come from the Funeral Director when the family can not afford the service required by NYS. Social Service Law 141 Burial of the Dead states when the deceased has no legally responsible rela:ve and no one willing or able to pay for funeral expenses, the local department of social services must pay for funeral expenses through indigent burial. On rare occasions, the Resource Unit will have to file a burial lien, if real property is owned by a surviving spouse. During 2016, the Resource Unit received 60 referrals for indigent burials and 41 burial applica:ons were approved. Nineteen applica:ons were denied due to resources available. The Resource Unit was able to iden:fy available funds the family could use to cover the cost of a burial. By iden:fying these available funds Otsego County saved $51, Burials paid by the county in 2016 totaled $72, Recoveries are made in accordance with NYS regula:ons. The department is required to pursue collec:ons for MA, TA, HEAP, Safety Net and Day Care Subsidy overgrants. Social Welfare Examiners must no:fy the Resource Unit of overgrants. The Resource Unit then sends correspondence to the client reques:ng a repayment schedule. If an agreement is not reached, court measures are taken and judgments are filed at the Otsego County Clerk s Office. At the same :me, con:nuous searches for employment status of the client are conducted to obtain an income execu:on through the Sheriff s Department. During 2016 the Resource Unit received 147 new referrals for recoveries. FiIy-seven claims went to small claims court resul:ng in 53 judgments. Twelve income execu:ons were processed resul:ng in a recovery of $10, The total amount recovered during 2016 was $34, Estate recoveries in accordance to Social Service Law must be pursued from the estate of an individual in receipt of Medicaid at the age of 55 years or older. No recovery is pursued if there is a surviving spouse, dependent, or disabled child. Recoveries are pursued on casualty claims and Medicaid liens. Total funds recovered during 2016 was $ 102, Third Party Health Insurance (TPHI) is verified by the Resource Unit. By entering TPHI into the EmedNY system, providers bill the TPHI prior to billing Medicaid. This process saved Otsego County a total $ 1, during DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 11

12 CHILD CARE SUBSIDY Choosing the right child care provider may be one of the most important decisions you can make for your child s health, well being and safety. Funding provided by the NYS Child Care Block Grant allows families to choose a provider that meets their needs and enables them to stay in the workforce while giving them peace of mind that their children are safe. In 2016, 182 applica:ons for child care subsidy were received. This was a decrease of 37 applica:ons from Legally exempt providers, family members, neighbors and friends, con:nue to provide a substan:al amount of care for Otsego County families. These are providers who are not registered or licensed but meet specific criteria which enables them to provide legal day care to children. Catholic Chari:es of Delaware and Otsego County manages the legally exempt enrollment process for our families. They review the applica:on to become a legal exempt provider and provide DSS with informa:on when the provider is approved or not. There are also state registered providers and center based facili:es available to families. The Child Care Subsidy Unit is staffed by one Social Welfare Examiner who also provides backup support to the Supplemental Nutri:on Assistance Program. Direct supervision is provided by a Senior Social Welfare Examiner under the supervision of a Principal Welfare Examiner. Households assisted under the subsidy program are persons in need of childcare due to employment. The subsidy caseload varies during the year and oien increases during the summer months. The yearly total of families receiving subsidy decreased from 1,111 cases in 2015 to 1,100 in The average number of monthly cases was 92; totaling 162 children being served. To assist in the subsidy applica:on process, new applica:ons can be mailed. Once reviewed, and if documenta:on is missing, a list will be sent to the parent or caretaker explaining what is s:ll needed. When applying and recer:fying through the mail, the parent/ caretaker does not have to take :me from their work schedule to complete the process. The Child Care Subsidy Program serves eligible families in need of assistance while they are working. The poverty guidelines are updated yearly and used to determine eligibility. In June of 2016 there was a slight increase in the poverty guidelines. The maximum gross income limit for a family of four in 2015 was $48, and increased to $48, 600 for This chart illustrates the breakdown of Temporary Assistance (TA) cases, Non TA cases and the total number of children served throughout the year. 12 DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

13 INCOME MAINTENANCE FAIR HEARINGS WELFARE FRAUD UNIT The department con:nues to contract with the Otsego County District AGorney for welfare fraud inves:ga:on services performed by three (3) part-:me Fraud Inves:gators and one part-:me Assistant District AGorney. During 2016 the unit received 339 Front End Detec:on System Referrals (FEDS) / Eligibilty Verifica:on Reviews (EVRS). 274 were completed resul:ng in a savings of $88, fraud and abuse complaints were received; 80 inves:ga:ons were completed and resulted in county savings of $19,690. Eight fraud related arrests were made in Four court ordered sanc:ons were ordered resul:ng in cost avoidance calcula:on total of $6,720. Addi:onal court ordered res:tu:ons totaled $11, Motel inspec:ons con:nued throughout room inspec:ons were completed resul:ng in 16 viola:ons. Six client safety complaints were received during these motel checks and addressed by the Housing Unit. Individuals and families applying for or in receipt of several programs are en:tled to a fair hearing when that applicant or recipient does not agree with an ac:on taken on individual or family cases. In 2016, 105 fair hearings were requested. This is a decrease of 28 percent from the previous year. When the department is made aware that a client has requested a fair hearing, a review of the case ac:on is conducted to make sure proper ac:on was indeed taken. If an error was made, it is corrected and the client is contacted. If the client is in agreement, he/she can withdraw the fair hearing. If the department is confident the original ac:on taken was accurate, an agempt is made to meet with the client in person or by phone to explain the reasons for the ac:on. The client can then decide to withdraw the fair hearing or go on with the process. An Administra:ve Law Judge presides over the fair hearings. Generally, decisions are rendered in 4-6 weeks, but in some cases where adjournments have been granted month aier month, it can take many months before a decision is made. Some:mes clients may be eligible for aid to con:nue, or ongoing benefits, while wai:ng on a decision. In previous years, an Administra:ve Law Judge would hold the hearings at the Meadows Office Complex. In 2016 video conferencing was implemented. The State provided equipment so hearings are held via large television screen with audio and the ability to scan documents to the Administra:ve Judge during the hearing. Clients can s:ll request a face to face hearing. Fraud inves:gators also assisted the department with service of papers totaling 208 Service s hours and 172 Child Support hours. 195 referrals for service of papers were received. Only 19 were unable to be served. 13 DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

14 EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING In 2016, the Employment Unit consisted of one Welfare Employment Representa- :ve, four Employment & Training Assistants (ETA), and one Clerk. All were supervised by one Principal Social Welfare Examiner. All cases are divided between the four ETAs. Temporary Assistance and Safety Net caseloads con:nue to grow and many of the individuals require treatment for medical or psychological impairments that prevent them from becoming gainfully employed. Part of the client employment plans include engagement with recommended treatment. The department encourages work exempt clients to follow their required treatment plans so that at some point they can again par:cipate in countable work ac:vi:es and/or obtain employment allevia:ng the need for receiving cash assistance. The department makes referrals to providers such as Otsego Community Services to assist clients in obtaining needed treatment, including substance abuse. In 2016 the able bodied adults without dependent children (ABAWD) requirement involved not only the Employment Unit but also SNAP Units as well. The Employment Unit met with ABAWD individuals, offered work ac:vity op:ons to help them maintain their eligibility, and offered SNAP benefits. Providing proof of the employment ac:vity efforts and the monthly hours of effort required is the client s responsibility. Tracking ABAWD individuals for compliance and issuing sanc:ons when there is non-compliance is a :me sensi:ve requirement of the department. Training was provided and procedures were implemented to assist workers in understanding how a client, that is sanc:oned from SNAP due to non-compliance with ABAWD requirements, could re-establish their eligibility for SNAP as soon as possible. NYS minimum wage rates are scheduled to increase each year on December 31st for the next 5 years. On December 31, 2016 the minimum wage increased in Otsego County from $9.00 per hour to $9.70 per hour. These increases impacted the eligibility of certain individuals. The Employment Unit con:nues to u:lize Transporta:on Ini:a:ve funding allocated by NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The department purchased gas cards and monthly bus passes to assist our 200% TANF popula:on that obtained employment. This helped our clients access transporta:on to maintain employment and reduce the need for ongoing cash benefits. All individual treatment and work ac:vi:es must be monitored biweekly and reported to NY State via the Welfare to Work Caseload Management System. The data is used in determining work par:cipa- :on rate (WPR) goals expected by the State and Federal government. The department con:nues to try to assist clients to meet the WPRs, however, the number of work exempt individuals oien makes this unagainable. 14 DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

15 CHILD SUPPORT ENFOCEMENT The Child Support Unit assists custodial parents to obtain court ordered child support for their children. The program provides assistance to establish paternity, establish and enforce financial and medical support orders, and provides services in a :mely and professional manner focused on children. The Child Support Unit maintained approximately 2,100 cases in The child support program in Otsego County collected $4,560,475 on behalf of custodial parents/guardians for the calendar year This amount represents dollars collected on private cases, and on behalf of children receiving Temporary Assistance, Medicaid and Foster Care services based on referrals from the various units within the department. The Child Support Unit, as required by regula:on, enforces child support orders that meet certain criteria through a variety of administra:ve ac:ons including income execu:ons, driver s license suspension, tax refund offset, property execu:ons (to freeze bank accounts), logery prize intercept, passport denial, intercept of personal injury claims and referrals to Department of Taxa:on and Finance (for property seizures). ACCOUNTING The Accoun:ng Unit is responsible for all fiscal transac:ons made by the department as well as budget prepara:on and oversight, filing claims for Federal and State reimbursements, payments to contractors, and payroll. In 2016 expenditures were $22,084, Total revenues, State and Federal reimbursements and repayments, totaled $11,456, The local cost to the County was $10,627, which includes the local share cap on Medicaid expenses in the amount of $10,215, The Accoun:ng Unit prepares the biweekly payroll for DSS employees and maintains accurate paid :me off records. Time sheets submiged by employees of the department are reviewed for accuracy and compliance with the union contract or Managerial and Confiden:al manual. Once over:me calcula:ons have been determined a summary of data is forwarded to the County Treasurer s Office for paycheck processing. An ongoing paid :me off record is maintained and periodically reconciled with the County Treasurer s record. Claims for Federal and State reimbursement to the department are also processed in the Accoun:ng Unit. The purpose is to provide the required mandated services while u:lizing the least amount of local tax dollars as possible. Once all costs for the month are summarized, including purchases, contracted payments and staff salaries, a variety of claims are created. As directed by each program area, most claims are required to be entered monthly and a few are quarterly. AIer submission, the claims are reviewed by state agencies prior to them forwarding reimbursement to the local district. An electronic ledger of pending payments is maintained and reconciled by the Accoun:ng Unit. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 15

16 STAFF DEVELOPMENT The Staff Development Unit is charged with preparing all agency employees to perform the func:ons of their job with skill and accuracy while assis:ng them to develop to their maximum poten:al. The Staff Development Coordinator (SDC) must coordinate all the necessary trainings to maintain agency compliance with both State and Federal mandates and policies. The SDC works directly with NYS Office Children & Family Services (OCFS) and NYS Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (OTDA) to provide informa:on and updates to workers, ensuring they meet the ongoing requirements of their posi:ons. The SDC also maintains staff training history, records, and reports necessary for agency reimbursement of training costs. The Staff Development Unit brought the following 16 trainings to Otsego County: Mental Health Awareness Training for IM staff, SPR Training, DV for CPS, Building & Maintaining Professional Rela:onships, Professional Boundaries, Produc:ve Confronta:on, Caseworker Documenta:on: FASP Training, Interpersonal Skills: Interac:ng with People You Work With, Advanced Legal Issues, OCCAN Conference: What About the Kids? Impact of Parental Drug Abuse, Connec:ons Security Training, Safety & Risk Refresher training, Safety training, and ADA Policy training. This allowed for the maximum number of staff to agend these necessary trainings while minimizing county costs. We also supported a total of 12 out of the 13 new caseworkers agendance in CPS Founda:ons and CPS Response Training, as well as 8 out of the 11 new social welfare examiners in their core trainings (which include Chronic Care, ITAP, MA New Worker and SNAP). Twenty-six staff lei the department in 2016, including seven re:rements. The SDC completed 19 new employee orienta:ons for 33 new staff. The Staff Development Unit was part of the following commigees/organiza:ons: Otsego CommiGee on Child Abuse & Neglect (OCCAN), OCFS Child Welfare Steering CommiGee, Staff Development Associa:on of NY (SDANY) and the NYS Social Work Educa:on Consor:um (SWEC). The SDC also supported a caseworker who was working on her MSW through the SWEC. The SDC completed the Americans with Disabili:es Act Policy which included organizing training for all department staff and began working on the Language Access Plan/Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Policy. The Staff Development Unit supported four Interns in 2016 who were involved in a number of tasks including supervising visita:ons, shadowing caseworkers, agending court, working with adult services clients, and comple:ng projects for staff. Throughout 2016, the Department supported 153 staff members on payroll, who agended a total number of 5, hours of State sponsored trainings and 2, hours of locally sponsored training programs for a total of 8, hours of training. In December, the Staff Development Unit also welcomed the addi:on of a Clerk who is shared haliime with the front desk. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 16

17 2016 RETIREMENTS Dana Davis Social Welfare Examiner March 31, 2016 with 21+ years of service in Income Maintenance Programs. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH APRIL 2016 Liz MacNaught Director of Income Maintenance July 31, 2016 with 30 years of service in Income Maintenance Programs. Stephen Ratner Social Services A4orney September 30, 2016 with 30+ years of service in all legal aspects of the department. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 17 Child Abuse Preven:on Month is during the month of April. Pinwheels for Preven:on is a na:onal promo:onal awareness campaign used to inform the public of child abuse issues throughout the community. Pinwheel gardens were displayed at county office buildings, schools, churches, and fire departments around Otsego County.

18 2016 RETIREMENTS (con8nued) Lisa Miller, Senior Social Welfare Examiner December 9, 2016 with 20+ years of service in Income Maintenance Programs. Tom Cernauskas, Caseworker (center) October 29, 2016 with 21+ years of service in Child Welfare and Adult Protec8ve Services. DSS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT David Gutowski Caseworker December 3, 2016 with 16+ years of service In Child Welfare Services. Tim Jester, Caseworker December 31, 2016 with 9+ years of county service in Income Maintenance, Child Welfare and Adult Protec8ve Services.