REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  May  19, 2020
CATEGORY:  Consent - Health and Human Services-9.

SUBJECT:

Memorandum of Understanding with Sacramento County For Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants

Supervisorial District No. :  All

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:  Melissa Janulewicz, Branch Director, Economic Mobility Branch, (530) 245-7638

STAFF REPORT APPROVED BY:  Melissa Janulewicz, Branch Director, Economic Mobility Branch

RECOMMENDATION

Take the following actions: (1) Approve a renewal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sacramento County with no compensation for Shasta County’s participation in the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Consortium for the period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025; and (2) approve and authorize the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director (Director), or any HHSA Branch Director designated by the Director, to sign amendments, including retroactive, that do not result in a substantial or functional change to the intent of the MOU and otherwise comply with Administrative Policy 6-101, Shasta County Contracts Manual.

DISCUSSION

The federal government enacted Public Law (P.L.) 104-193, the Personal Opportunity and Work Responsibility Act of 1966, which prohibited legal immigrants from receiving Supplemental Social Security Income (“SSI”).  The federal government subsequently enacted the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which amended P.L. 104-193 to allow some, but not all, legal immigrants to receive SSI. The California Legislature enacted Assembly Bill (“AB”) 2779, Chapter 329 pf the 1998 Budget Act Implementation Bill for Social Services, known as the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (“CAPI”), which allows legal immigrants who are ineligible for SSI due solely to their immigrant status to receive cash assistance payments.  The responsibility to administer CAPI is delegated to county welfare departments or consortia of county welfare departments.  There is an established consortium of county welfare departments known as the North State/Orange CAPI Consortium (“NSOCC”).  AB 111, Chapter 147, Statutes of 1999, was signed into law on July 22, 1999.  This bill extended the CAPI program indefinitely.

The County of Sacramento, through its Department of Human Assistance, provides CAPI eligibility determination, benefit issuance, and case management services to NSOCC members.  Participation as a Consortium member allows Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency – Economic Mobility Branch to screen and forward selected applications to Sacramento County for processing.  If the application is approved, Sacramento County provides aid payments to eligible recipients as long as there are State funds available. 

ALTERNATIVES

The Board could choose not to approve the agreement.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

County Counsel has approved the agreement as to form.  Risk Management has reviewed and approved the agreement.  This recommendation has been reviewed by the County Administrative Office.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no compensation required for Shasta County to participate in this MOU.  The State of California provides funding directly to the County of Sacramento to fund this program.