Agency: Workforce Services

Line Item: Operations and Policy

Function

The Operations and Policy line item is the main line item for the Department. It houses the various programs that comprise much of the agency. These include the following:

• Family Employment Program
• Child Care
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known previously as Food Stamps
• Employment Development
• Workforce Investment Act
• Medical Programs
• All Other Programs

Intent Language

During the 2011 General Session, the Legislature approved the following intent language items for the Operations and Policy line item:

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code the Legislature intends that appropriations of the Special Administrative Expense Account up to $1,500,000 provided for DWS Workforce Services line item in Item 54 of Chapter 2 Laws of Utah 2010 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2011 and be transferred to DWS-Operations and Policy line item, as created by the Legislature in the 2010 General Session.

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for DWS Workforce Services line item in Item 54 of Chapter 2 Laws of Utah 2010 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2011 up to $3,000,000 General Fund and be transferred to the following line items: DWS-Administration up to $133,200, DWS-Operations and Policy up to $2,626,200, DWS-General Assistance up to $232,800 and DWS-Unemployment Insurance Administration up to $7,800.

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for DWS Workforce Services line item in Item 54 of Chapter 2 Laws of Utah 2010 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2011 up to $50,000 General Fund for Refugee Services, Community Services Block Grants and be transferred to the following line items: DWS-Administration up to $2,400 and DWS-Operations and Policy up to $47,600.

All General Funds appropriated to the Department of Workforce Services - DWS Operations & Policy and DWS Unemployment Insurance line items are contingent upon expenditures from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1, 111th United States Congress) not exceeding amounts appropriated from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in all appropriation bills passed for FY 2012. If expenditures in the DWS Operations & Policy and DWS Unemployment Insurance line items from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act exceed amounts appropriated to the DWS Operations & Policy and DWS Unemployment Insurance line items from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in FY 2012, the Division of Finance shall reduce the General Fund allocations to the DWS Operations & Policy and DWS Unemployment Insurance line items by one dollar for every one dollar in Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expenditures that exceed Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriations.

The Legislature intends that, if the Department of Workforce Services continues to pursue proxies for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) maintenance of effort requirements, "replacement MOE", the Department shall also identify one-time General Fund budget adjustments equivalent to replacement MOE amounts. The Department shall also develop a plan for implementing such adjustments in the event replacement MOE declines or is disallowed by the federal government.

The Legislature intends that, if the Department of Workforce Services continues to pursue proxies for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) maintenance of effort requirements, "replacement MOE", the Department shall in accordance with Utah Code 63J-1-104(6)(a) use any and all replacement MOE first, prior to expending free or restricted revenue.

The Legislature intends that the Department of Workforce Services report to the Legislative Fiscal Analyst's Office by July 1, 2011, plans to create efficiencies and savings within the Eligibility Services Division for Fiscal Year 2012 and 2013.

Funding Detail

DWS assesses costs incurred to each program through a process called cost allocation. Certain costs of the department benefit specific funding programs. In these cases the costs are directly charged to the appropriate funding. In other situations, specific DWS expenditures benefit multiple funding programs. Many individual employees work with customers on various programs. Instead of each of these individuals keeping track of what programs they worked during what times, the department measures the work they do on each program using Random Moment Time Sampling (RMTS). The RMTS sample sizes provide a 95% confidence level. Direct charge data and RMTS data are both used to determine the cost allocation of administrative expenditures. The RMTS cost allocation system is intended to accomplish several goals, including:

• To provide a means of tracking time and effort that is simple and efficient for employees
• To improve the precision of time reporting
• To obtain compliance with requirements of OMB Circular A-87
• To appropriately allocate costs to programs/activities that are measured by the RMTS

The RMTS system utilizes an electronic database to measure time and effort. As implied by the system name, a sample of employees is randomly asked to input details of the program for which they are working at a particular moment. These data are then utilized to more accurately allocate costs across programs in DWS.

For analysis of current budget requests and discussion of issues related to this budget click here.

Program: Family Employment Program

Function

The Family Employment Program (FEP) assists families with dependent children to become self-sufficient by helping clients find jobs and by providing financial support to eligible parents. The program may also help with child-care and/or services to support work activities. Working with an employment counselor, parents develop an employment plan that leads to self-sufficiency. To remain eligible, parents must follow the plan. Funding for the FEP program is from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant and state Maintenance-of-effort (MOE) funds. FEP has a three year lifetime limit per state statute.

Funding Detail

Program: Child Care Assistance

Function

The Child Care (CC) program operates to help 'provide low-income families with the financial resources to find and afford quality child care for their children.' Additionally, the CC operates to enhance the quality and increase the supply of child care; increase the availability of early childhood development; and ensure the provision of before-and-after school care services. In FY 2009, clients, on average, spent 21 of the last 60 months on this program.

Within the Child Care Program there are at least five major service and benefit areas including: Child Care Subsidy; Child Care Resource and Referral; Child Care Professional Development and Training; Child Care Quality Grants to Providers; and After School Programs. These federal program funds are used for such benefits and services as supplementing parents' child care costs, operating Utah's six child care resource and referral agencies, funding the Child Care Professional Development Institute at Salt Lake Community College, funding quality improvement and training grants to providers, and supporting After School programs (approximately 250 programs statewide).

Funding Detail

Program: Food Stamps

Function

This federal program, now referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or, SNAP, helps eligible individuals purchase food. Actual stamps are no longer used; payments are made through debit cards. Food stamps cannot buy tobacco, alcoholic beverages, items that cannot be eaten, or already prepared foods. They can buy vegetable seeds and plants. Items purchased with food stamps are not subject to sales tax.

Food Stamp administration is funded with federal funds at a 50/50 match rate. Benefits are 100% federally funded.

Funding Detail

Program: Employment and Training

Function

Employment Development, or the Employment and Training Programs (ETP) as reported by DWS, include Wagner Peyser, Trade and Veterans programs. Wagner-Peyser is part of the nationwide system of public employment offices known as the Employment Service and provides a variety of services to job seekers, as well as recruitment to employers with job openings. The Trade Act Program is designed to provide assistance to workers who lose their jobs, or experience reduced hours and wages, due to increased imports or if their companies shift production out of the United States.

Funding Detail

Program: Workforce Investment Act Assistance

Function

This federally funded program prepares low-income youth, adults and dislocated workers, and persons with other barriers for employment. The program makes funding available to eligible job seekers for vocational training, education, job search assistance, and other support services.

Funding Detail

Program: Medical Programs

Function

Medical Programs includes Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Primary Care Network (PCN), and Utah's Premium Partnership for Health Insurance (UPP). The entire eligibility component of these programs was transferred from the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) to DWS starting in FY 2008. Prior to FY 2008, DWS conducted about 40% of all Medical eligibility determinations. Eligibility specialists with DWS now manage the caseload that was previously run by UDOH. However, general administration and oversight of the programs are still conducted within the Department of Health.

Funding Detail

Funding for the Medical Programs comes from the General Fund and transfers from the Utah Department of Health for the federal funds associated with Medicaid, CHIP, PCN and UPP. DWS receives budget to provide eligibility determinations within each of the programs, whereas the actual payments to providers for services are made by the UDOH. The table below shows the budget for eligibility determinations (included below as Administration; Operations, Program and Case Management) as conducted by DWS. The actual customer benefits side of these programs is contained within the UDOH budget."

Program: All Other Programs

Function

DWS contains several other programs that have been categorized for reporting to the Legislature into this budget program. Programs within this area provide services through employment counselors including: oversight of job training, employment development and support services, adjudication and auditing, labor market information, and data processing. The Division contracts with the federal government to provide information and specific services to those who need employment counseling. There are also some quality control responsibilities to assure compliance with federal guidelines.

One major program within this category is the Refugee Assistance Program, which includes the following types of services to refugee families and individuals: temporary cash assistance, medical services or guidance, foster care, health screenings, pandemic planning, school impact, services to elderly refugees, assistance targeted to specific groups, community capacity building grants, and other social services.

Funding Detail