Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ken Cole, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Modification to the General Assistance Program Rules and Regulations
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing a modification to the rules and regulations of the General Assistance (GA) Program administration by:
A) Providing GA benefits in the form of cash to clients' Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card thereby eliminating the provision of vendor/voucher payments for such items as housing and food, except for payments made to board and care or other Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) treatment facilities, and eliminating the practice of retaining a portion of the client's GA grant in an escrow account effective by no later than July 1, 2020; and
B) Initiating the process to eliminate existing GA escrow accounts by issuing payment with the GA escrow balance to all living individuals whose whereabouts are known and following the state escheatment process for individuals who are deceased or whose whereabouts are unknown effective March 1, 2020, with anticipated depletion of all GA escrow accounts by May 31, 2023; and
C) Allowing any escrow payments to current or former GA clients be disregarded as income or property for the GA program.
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BACKGROUND:
State law requires counties to provide support for indigent county residents who do not qualify for other financial assistance. Counties meet this requirement by providing financial assistance through the GA program. Pursuant to Section 2.30.050 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, the Human Services Agency (HSA) is responsible for proposing changes to the rules and regulations concerning policies and procedures for GA program administration to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
Under the current GA program rules, GA clients must allocate their GA grant based on acceptable GA voucher/vendor payment options and can choose to ...
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