SOCIAL SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL
Carroll’s Plaza, Dover, DE
Minutes of November 7, 2007
Present:
Council Members State Staff
Sr. Jeanne Cashman Elaine Archangelo, DSS
James A. Villarreal Barbara Hanson, DSS
Ryan Messatzzia Ted Mermigos, DCSE
Retha Fisher Ray Fitzgerald, DSS
Sister Jeanne Cashman called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. The following statement will be added to the 10/3/2007 minutes:
Chuck reported that a challenge exists when calculating out of pocket Purchase of Care as it relates to the Delaware Child Support Calculation. The child support calculation uses actual daycare out of pocket but Purchase of Care considers child support paid as an element of income. When the courts run the calculation with Purchase of Care and successfully enforce the order, the Purchase of Care subsidy goes down. When the subsidy goes down and we recalculate support the obligation goes up. Each time the obligation goes up, the subsidy goes down. Eventually the subsidy is either eliminated or radically diminished.
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and will be replacing the following sentence from the second paragraph:
Chuck reported about problems with the way child support payments, as well as possible changes in the calculation, to keep from creating a paradox.
The changes to the minutes were accepted and seconded.
Elaine gave the report for DSS. Elaine reported that the Public Budget Hearing has been rescheduled to Wednesday, November 28th, at 1:00 pm to be held in the Senate Chambers of Legislative Hall.
Elaine reported that DSS has chosen not to award the Request for Proposal for the Delaware Transitional Work Program for TANF recipients. After explaining the purpose of this program, Elaine stated that the price was too high and we are considering operating this program internally.
Elaine reported that DSS has scheduled four meetings with DSS staff statewide to discuss our Organizational Health Assessment Results. Each session accommodates 100 staff. The meetings are an opportunity to provide updates on what’s been happening in DSS; provide an opportunity for Q&A; and to get concrete ideas from staff related to areas DSS needs to improve based on our survey results. After these meetings smaller groups of volunteers will work with the outputs to develop specific action strategies.
Retha Fisher asked a question about the new location for the DSS 4th Street Office. Elaine reported that DSS is considering moving the 4th Street Office to the Camby Park Shopping Center location. DSS should know in a couple of weeks if this is a viable location. Elaine stated that this location is in the catchment area; it has plenty of parking; lots of floor space; and it is on the bus line.
Elaine also reported that Tom Jones met this week with staff from IRM and the DMS budget group to discuss the DSS change report Center. An April start date may not be possible at this point because of equipment and construction needs. Elaine reported that DSS is still planning demos and field trips to see other Change Centers in operation. DSS is hopeful that the implementation of imaging or scanning of documents into DCIS will reduce the workload for field staff. We will need to issue a technology RFP to accomplish this.
Elaine reported that the DSS error rate is currently 8.10%. She reported that DSS has implemented several strategies to reduce errors. One of these strategies is called the Payday Quiz which is a quiz of 5-10 questions based on the issues raised at the monthly Food Stamp Error Roundtables.
Elaine reported on the TANF participation report that will have to be submitted to the Federal TANF agency shortly. Elaine also reported on other strategies we are using to improve participation rates such as pulling out and paying disabled TANF clients with General Fund dollars as well as improving interaction with our providers to improve teamwork and communication.
Ted Mermigos gave the report for DCSE. Ted reported that the implementation of the $25.00 fee required by the Federal Deficit Reduction Act had a rocky start. He stated that a problem with clients’ public assistance status created a delay.
Ted also reported that changes have taken place in the Delaware Department of Justice’s office. He reported that Patricia Dailey –Lewis, Deputy Attorney General, who was recently given the responsibility of overseeing the newly created Family Division at the Delaware Department of Justice, will be coming to DCSE’s statewide Supervisors meeting on December 11, 2007, to introduce herself to our staff and provide a general overview of her responsibilities.
Ted also reported that DCSE received notice that they were not awarded either of the federal grants they applied for recently. Ted reported that DCSE is exploring local and state funding sources that will allow them to implement both of these projects.
Ted reported that collections October 2007 totaled $8,836,715.60 and were 17.04% greater than those posted for October 2006. In addition, these were 21.61% greater than the average collections posted for the month of October based on collection amounts for the last three SFYs. October’s collection total is the highest recorded collection total for the month of October in DCSE history.
The December 5, 2007 meeting will be our annual Dinner Meeting. The locations being considered are: Maynards in Middletown; Village Inn in Smyrna; Roma’s in Dover; The Lobby House; and Thomas England House in Smyrna.
The Committee agreed to cancel the January meeting. The next meeting will be on February 6, 2008.