DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Senior Nutrition Program
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the following budgetary actions related to the City’s FY 2016 Senior Nutrition Program: acceptance of a continuation grant from the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) in the amount of $1,967,590.00; a cash match of $3,437,111.00 included in the FY 2016 Adopted General Fund Budget; a total program budget of $5,457,701.00, which includes an estimated $53,000.00 in client donations, for the period of October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016; a personnel complement of 49 grant funded positions in the Department of Human Services (DHS) to manage the Senior Nutrition Program; and execution of documents pertaining to acceptance of this grant, and including acceptance of supplemental grant funds if awarded.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City’s Senior Nutrition Program provides seniors 60 and over with a meal and nutritional information in a congregate setting. The program serves approximately 2,900 meals daily, Monday through Friday, at the City’s Senior Center sites located throughout the community. In FY 2016 the City will open a new center at Normoyle Park located in District 5 as well as relocate the Northeast Senior Center to its new facility built from the ground up. With these changes, the City will operate 9 comprehensive senior centers, 8 senior nutrition sites and will continue to partner with community agencies to provide senior nutrition programs at 45 sites. These partnerships provide optimal access to senior nutrition services by utilizing vendor and volunteer contracts, which were approved in the FY 2015 Adopted Budget.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) operates the program using City General Fund and federal grant funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration on Aging (AoA) awarded by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) through AACOG. The City has received Federal Funds from AACOG since 1973. For FY 2016, AACOG has indicated that grant funds in the amount of $1,967,590.00 are available to the City. This award amount provides level grant funding for FY 2016.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of a continuation grant from AACOG of $1,967,590.00 and a total Senior Nutrition Program budget of $5,457,701.00 to support the provision of congregate meal service to seniors in San Antonio and Bexar County. The total Senior Services budget including general funds and grant funds is $13.2 million.
DHS is proposing a Nutrition Program Personnel Complement of 49; however, a total of 98 full and part-time authorized positions deliver all Senior Center programming.
DHS, as required by Older Americans Act (OAA) grant regulations, provides participants the opportunity to voluntarily contribute to the cost of services. DHS currently suggests a donation rate of $.50 per meal and anticipates receiving $53,000.00 in program donations to be used to support the meal program.
Accepting grant funds for the Senior Nutrition Program is consistent with City Council’s direction to provide access to senior nutrition services throughout the community.
ALTERNATIVES:
If awarded funds are not accepted, AACOG would need to identify another contractor to receive the funds. The process of identifying a new contractor to implement services would take a minimum of three months and may delay provision of services to the community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of a continuation grant from AACOG of $1,967,590.00 for a total Senior Nutrition Program budget of $5,457,701.00 to support the provision of congregate meal service to seniors in San Antonio and Bexar County. This includes a total complement of 49 positions for the provision of senior nutrition services. There is no additional fiscal impact related to this action.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance authorizing acceptance of the Senior Nutrition Program Grant from AACOG; the total program budget; a personnel complement of 49 positions for the support of senior nutrition services; and authorization to accept supplemental funds if awarded.