Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
02/07/2005 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB84 | |
| SB51 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 84 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 51 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 51-PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
CHAIR FRED DYSON announced SB 51 to be up for consideration.
2:56:51 PM
KATHRYN FARNHAM, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)
introduced SB 51. In 1996 the federal welfare reform program
allowed states flexibility in the implementation of welfare
reform with an emphasis on employment. That legislation has been
successful in Alaska. The caseload reduction is 58 percent since
1994, saving the state $66 million dollars. The block grant
program allows the states to create programs that emphasize
work. This same flexibility was offered to Tribal organizations
in the 1996 law, which allows them to run a tribal Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Native
organizations may apply for a federal block grant for the
families in their region and serve them directly.
To run a fair and equitable program that is on par with what the
Native families could have received from the state, it is
necessary to provide state funds. In 2000 the Alaska Legislature
created and passed the Native TANF program providing the
opportunity to help fund locally relevant programs. The law was
made to sunset in June 2005. It was also designated to four of
the 13 original entities. The four included the Tanana Chiefs
Conference (TCC), the Association of Village Council Presidents
(AVCP), Tlingit Haida Central Council (TLCC), and Metlakatla.
3:00:03 PM
Reports show the tribal TANF programs are working. They are
achieving migration to self-sufficiency though employment. This
year they are in discussions with three new native organizations
that are interested in running a tribal TANF program. The three
are Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Bristol Bay Native Association
and the Maniilaq Association.
3:02:22 PM
The recommendation in SB 51 is to extend the program and make it
permanent in the statute, and to extend it to the 12 regional
non-profits plus Metlakatla. Many of the regional non-profits
have been contractors to the State of Alaska providing case
management services. If Cook Inlet establishes their TANF
program there will be fiscal impacts. The attached fiscal note
pertains to Cook Inlet.
3:04:59 PM
SENATOR ELTON asked Ms. Farnham the kind of provisions there are
for auditing a contractor who provides services such as case
management.
MS. FARNHAM advised current contracts are under an umbrella
called "work services." Contracts have monitoring and
performance tracks in them. In FY05 those contracts were pay for
performance contracts.
3:06:39 PM
SENATOR WILKEN asked Ms. Farnham what percent would Anchorage be
in the budget if the committee re-authorized the programs.
MS. FARNHAM replied they have not assessed the size of the Cook
Inlet, Bristol Bay and Maniilaq caseloads. Cook Inlet will have
close to 700 cases.
SENATOR WILKEN asked the guarantee that federal funding will
continue and what is the obligation of the state.
MS. FARNHAM said the federal law authorizing Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families is currently up for
reauthorization. It has been reauthorized for several years
without any substantial changes. If there are structural changes
to the block grant, the program will have to be re-examined.
3:10:43 PM
SENATOR WILKEN asked Ms. Farnham if the federal money was
reduced in the future could he expect the general fund to make
up the difference or could the legislation pare back the
program.
MS. FARNHAM was reluctant to speculate.
CHAIR DYSON noted in this program the caseload has diminished
but recipients may be receiving other assistance.
MS. FARNHAM said she has seen cash assistance cases drop
dramatically. Some cases are picking up bridge programs but she
is also seeing families utilizing benefits that can help them
stay off cash benefits, for example, child care assistance.
3:12:52 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked Ms. Farnham whether the fiscal note reflected
state money fluctuations in programs.
MS. FARNHAM answered no, but the budget for the division of
public assistance would show services trends.
3:14:04 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked Ms. Farnham the number of people reflected in
the caseload reduction who have gone to work.
MS. FARNHAM answered there is a recent division study of why
people leave TANF programs. Often they quit applying. A report
is available on their website. Multiple issues affect a family.
3:16:07 PM
CHAIR DYSON said the federal TANF program encourages states to
invest in making families stay together. He asked Ms. Farnham
how the funding is used to accomplish those federally emphasized
goals through the funding stream.
MS. FARNHAM answered the four purposes of TANF include promoting
strong families and healthy marriages. Because of their high
success rate, Alaska has received a high performance bonus for
three straight years.
3:18:50 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked Ms. Farnham to talk about tribal fraud.
MS. FARNHAM replied part of the provisions for tribal
organizations to have a TANF program is that they have fraud
mechanisms in place.
3:20:42 PM
MS. FARNHAM pointed out the food stamp error rate in Alaska was
the worst in nation in 2003. Under Tony Lombardo's direction
they turned it around and Alaska is now on par with other
states. All the other programs have seen a marked improvement as
well, by identifying trends and through training.
CHAIR DYSON said national statistics show that 60 to 70 percent
of all welfare applications have errors or fraud and 25 to 30
percent are fraudulent to some degree. He would like to know how
many people are prosecuted and are making restitution.
MS. FARNHAM said DHSS has a strong fraud unit. Of the number of
cases that are suspected fraud and are reviewed, 30 percent pan
out to be actual fraud.
3:23:10 PM
SENATOR WILKEN asked Ms. Farnham for clarification on the fiscal
note.
MS. FARNHAM answered the details are on page four. The current
funding level has been the same since 2001. Annually the budget
includes 8.7 million dollars. Cook Inlet is in the fiscal note
because it is new. The other three are already built into the
budget.
3:25:48 PM
SENATOR WILKEN asked about Maniilaq and Bristol Bay.
MS. FARNHAM replied they were not factored because talks are
ongoing.
CHAIR DYSON announced he would hold SB 51 until the next
committee meeting. There being no further business to come
before the committee, Chair Dyson adjourned the meeting at
3:26:47 PM.
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