DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
FY 2020 Child Care Services Program
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes budgetary, grant, and associated contract related actions for the City’s FY 2020 Child Care Services (CCS) Program, including:
a) acceptance of grant award from Workforce Solutions Alamo in the amount of $69,710,621.00 for the period of October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020;
b) a total program budget of $73,317,316.00 including an in-kind match of up to $3,605,695.00 and $1,000.00 from program income, and a personnel complement of 70 positions; and
c) converts 13 full-time temporary positions to 7 full-time grant funded positions for a cost of $333,188, which will be funded through the Child Care Services Program.
d) approval for the Director of the Department of Human Services to execute any and all documents related to acceptance of this grant, to include acceptance of additional grant funds, if awarded, and in-kind funds as available in the City’s budget, in amounts up to 20%.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
For over 28 years, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has managed the CCS program in Bexar and 12 rural counties comprising the Alamo Workforce Development Areas. The program provides subsidized childcare for families meeting income and other qualification requirements. In FY 2019, the CCS program has served an average of 13,043 children on a daily basis with over 4,088 children on a waitlist to receive subsidized childcare as of August 2019.
Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) administers the State’s subsidized childcare program through 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, local needs, and contracts with Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA), the local workforce development board, to implement the program. Through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process, WSA awards contracts with local agencies to provide program services.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes acceptance of grant funds in the amount of $69,710,621.00 for the period of October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020 with a total program budget of $73,317,316.00. The total budget includes program income of $1,000.00 and up to $3,605,695.00 of in-kind match funds from the City of San Antonio General Fund, which support early childhood and after school delegate agency contracts.
Awarded funding will provide operational costs including a personnel complement of 70 positions and direct child care subsidy payments to 543 child care vendors. Currently, CCS services are primarily provided to low-income families, parents enrolled in the WSA Workforce Choices Program (Choices) and those referred from the Texas Department of Family Protective Services, Child Protective Services (CPS) system. Additionally, children are enrolled in CCS for a minimum of 12 months to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable children.
The Proposed FY 2020 personnel complement includes the cost of $333,188 to convert 13 full-time temporary positions, which were staffed through Tri-Starr personnel temporary staffing agency in FY 2019 to 7 full-time grant funded positions due to an increase in intake and enrollment. Funding will be through the Child Care Services Program.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should authority to accept funding not be approved, WSA would award funding to another agency to provide child care services to the Alamo Workforce Board Area. Such an action may delay the provision of services to the community and may negatively impact currently enrolled children and families.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of grant funds in the amount of $69,710,621.00 for the period of October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020. Required program match includes up to $3,605,695.00 of in-kind matching funds comprised of City of San Antonio funding and $1,000.00 from program income. Contractual funding will be allocated from this award and the grant will also support a personnel complement of 70 City positions in the Department of Human Services. The 70 City positions includes the cost of $333,188 to convert 13 full-time temporary positions to 7 full-time grant funded positions, which will be funded through the Child Care Services Program.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance authorizing budgetary, grant and contract related items for the FY 2020 CCS Program. Continuation of program operations will ensure uninterrupted services to the community.