DATE: January 21, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Retroactive Amendment to Agreement 15-023 with Reading and Beyond for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Amendment III to Agreement 15-023 with Reading and Beyond for the provision of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training services, effective January 2, 2020 with no change in term to March 31, 2021 and increasing the maximum by $822,776 to a total of $3,537,287.
REPORT
The agreement 15-023 with Reading and Beyond (RAB) provides Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) services to Non-Assistance CalFresh (NACF) recipients residing in Fresno County. Approval of the recommended action will amend the agreement to utilize an additional $822,776 in reallocated funds from the United States Department of Agriculture. The cost of these services will be offset with Federal funds, with no increase in Net County cost. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could elect not to approve the recommended action. If the recommended action is not approved, the reallocated funds will be returned to the United States Department of Agriculture and the RAB SNAP E&T services will be discontinued immediately.
RETROACTIVE AMENDMENT:
In 2018, the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill) was amended to allow programs that participated in the 2014 SNAP E&T Pilot priority in requesting reallocated SNAP E&T funds. The Department partnered with local non-profit RAB to operate the SNAP E&T Pilot. In October 2019, RAB requested that the Department request reallocated funds through the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). The Department worked with both State and Federal partners to submit the information necessary to request reallocated funding and were notified of the award on January 2, 2020. Per Farm Bill regulations, RAB must have at least 270 days from the date of notification to expend the funds, thus requiring the retroactive nature of the recommended action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The total maximum cost of the Agreement ($3,537,287) will be funded with SNAP E&T funds, a portion of which ($822,776) are reallocated. In addition, the SNAP E&T program requires a 50% match of ancillary expenditures provided to clients. This match, provided by RAB, is not to exceed $358,250 in total, or $135,000 for the recommended Amendment. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Social Services FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget for Org 5610 and will be included in subsequent budget years.
DISCUSSION:
Since 2011, the Department has offered a SNAP E&T program to assist NACF households who are not eligible for CalWORKs in becoming self-sufficient. The 2014 Farm Bill included $200 million to create and evaluate pilot projects that tested innovative SNAP E&T strategies designed to help SNAP recipients enter the workforce, increase their earnings, and ultimately reduce their need for public assistance. The County of Fresno was selected to operate a pilot SNAP E&T program and contracted with RAB on the provision of that program through December 2018.
The Farm Bill was amended in 2018 to allow fifty percent of unallocated SNAP E&T funds to be prioritized for and distributed to programs that participated in the 2014 SNAP E&T Pilot if requested in the subsequent fiscal year. In October 2019, RAB reached out to the Department with a request to apply for 2019 SNAP E&T reallocated funds available to FNS Pilots per the amended Farm Bill.
In early December, the Department made the request for reallocated funds designated for Pilot programs to CDSS for approval and submission to FNS. The 2018 Farm Bill requires FNS to reallocate these funds no later than January 2, 2020 to allow states at least 270 days for expenditure. As the Department was notified on January 2, 2020 that the request was approved, RAB will have sufficient time to operate a SNAP E&T program through September 30, 2020.
If approved, the recommended Amendment will be retroactively effective to January 2, 2020 through September 30, 2020. The Agreement may be terminated without cause by either party upon providing 30-day advance written notice.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #51, August 22, 2017
BAI #40, February 9, 2016
BAI #56, November 17, 2015
BAI #20, January 6, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment III to 15-023
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander