DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City wide
SUBJECT:
FY 2015 Child Care Services Program
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes budgetary, grant, and associated contract actions related to the City's FY 2015 Child Care Services (CCS) Program. Actions authorized under this ordinance include:
A. acceptance of grant funds in an amount up to $45,670,796.00 for a period up to October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015; which includes:
a. $33,145,183.00 for Operating and direct care grant funds
b. $5,455,610.00 in federal matching funds
c. $6,963,061.00 in reimbursements from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) to fund childcare for foster and abused children
d. $106,942 in Child Care Quality Operations
B. a total CCS program budget of $48,480,555.00, which includes $45,670,796.00 in grant funds, $2,759,759.00 in matching funds from the City of San Antonio General Fund budget and $50,000.00 from program income;
C. personnel complement of 60 positions which represents an increase of 2 positions over FY 2014; and
D. execution of a delegate agency contract for rural child care services with the Alamo Area Development Corporation (AADC) in an amount up to $520,000.00 to provide childcare services to 11 rural counties in the Alamo Workforce Development Area.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
For over 20 years, the City of San Antonio has managed the CCS program in the 12 county Alamo Workforce Development Area. The program provides subsidized childcare for working families meeting income and work/school criteria. Families receiving public assistance may also qualify. The program serves an average of 8,100 children on a daily basis with over 3,200 children on a waitlist to receive subsidized childcare.
Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) administers the State's subsidized childcare program through funding received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Child Care Development Block Grant. TWC determines the allocation for childcare services based on federal appropriations and local needs and contracts with Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA), the local workforce development board, to implement the program. DHS serves Bexar County and has subcontracted with AADC to provide services to clients in the 11 rural counties surrounding Bexar County for over 20 years. DHS accounts for 81.06% of the children in care in the Alamo Workforce Development Area and AADC accounts for the remaining 18.94% of the children in care.
The Child Care Services contract was competitively bid in 2013 and DHS was awarded the grant; this is year two of the four year grant.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes budgetary, grant and contract related items for the CCS program. Through this ordinance the City is requesting authority to accept total funding in an amount up to $48,480,555.00 for a period up to October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015. The total budget includes $2,759,759.00 in matching funds from the City of San Antonio General Fund budget used to support early childhood and after school delegate agency contracts as part of the consolidated funding process. The City will certify $2,759,759.00 in local match to draw down the $5,455,610.00 in federal matching funds for direct care. Awarded funding will provide for the City's operational costs, including a personnel complement of 60 positions, which includes two new Texas Rising Star monitoring positions which are part of the Child Care Quality Improvements Program established by the Texas Workforce Commission, and a delegate agency contract with AADC to provide program services in the 11 rural counties.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should authority to accept funding not be approved, WSA would award funding to another agency to provide childcare services to the Alamo Workforce Board Area. Additionally, should the contract with AADC not be approved, the City would be required to release an RFP to identify an alternate Rural Services provider or provide direct services in the 11 county rural area. Selection of an alternate grantee and contractor agency would delay the provision of services to the community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes:
A. acceptance of grant funds in an amount up to $45,670,796.00 for a period up to October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015;
B. a total CCS program budget of $48,480,555.00 which includes $33,145,183.00 for Operating and direct care grant funds; $5,455,610.00 in federal matching funds; $2,759,759.00 matching funds from the City of San Antonio General Fund budget; $50,000.00 from program income; $106,942 for Child Care Quality Operations and reimbursements of approximately $6,963,061.00 from TDFPS to fund childcare for foster and abused children;
C. personnel complement of 60 positions; and
D. execution of a delegate agency contract for rural child care services with the Alamo Area Development Corporation (AADC) in an amount up to $520,000.00 to provide childcare services to 11 rural counties in the Alamo Workforce Development Area.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance authorizing budgetary, grant and contract related items for the FY 2015 CCS program. Continuation of program operations will ensure uninterrupted services to the community.