DATE: August 7, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean R. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Resolution Supporting Congressional Efforts for the Fresno Bridge Academy Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Authorize Board members to execute a resolution supporting Congressional efforts to secure continued Federal funding for the 2014 Farm Bill Pilot Projects, including the Fresno Bridge Academy program.
REPORT
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may opt to not approve the recommended action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
On July 10, 2018, your Board received a presentation from Congressman Jim Costa and supporters regarding the Cal Fresh Employment and Training (CFET) Plan the Department of Social Services submitted to the State of California for 2019 and its potential impact to the Fresno Bridge Academy. The concern was that the Plan did not include the Fresno Bridge Academy, which could result in the loss of governmental and private sector funding.
On March 6, 2012, Reading and Beyond partnered with the Fresno Bridge Academy and secured an agreement with Fresno County to expand CFET services to beneficiaries in the County. On January 6, 2015, your Board approved a subsequent agreement with Reading and Beyond in the amount of $1,359,301 to continue to provide these services. The compensation portion of the agreement (as amended on February 9, 2016 to a total of $2,714,511) expires December 31, 2018.
In 2015, Fresno County, using the Bridge Academy model, was selected by the United States Department of Agriculture and awarded a $12.3 million grant for a three-year pilot to help inform national public policy on how to lift Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries to self-reliance. This pilot currently runs parallel with the traditional CFET program approved by your Board on January 6, 2015. Funding for the pilot program also expires December 31, 2018.
Congressman Costa and other supporters indicated that the loss of these funding streams could result in the end of the Fresno Bridge Academy.
Following discussions, on July 10, 2018, your Board directed staff to amend the CFET Plan to allow a broader range of organizations, like Reading and Beyond, to participate in a future Request for Proposal (RFP) to be effective in January 2019. The Department of Social Services subsequently reviewed the Plan and determined that all previously included activities were in the Plan with the addition of On the Job Training, which is sufficient to allow Reading and Beyond to apply for the upcoming RFP; therefore, amending the Plan is not necessary.
Staff was also directed to draft a resolution supporting Congressional efforts to continue the Fresno Bridge Academy program for an additional year. The recommended resolution supports continued funding for the 2014 Farm Bill Pilot Projects, including the Fresno Bridge Academy program, currently authorized by the Federal Farm legislation.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #9, July 10, 2018
BAI 51, August 22, 2017
BAI #56, November 17, 2015
BAI #53, March 15, 2016
BAI #40, February 9, 2016
BAI #20, January 6, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander