REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 3, 2024
FROM
JAMES LOCURTO, Director, Transitional Assistance Department
SUBJECT
Title
General Relief Policy Handbook Update and Purchase of California Statewide Automated Welfare System General Assistance/General Relief Automated Solution
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Agreement with CalSAWS Consortium and Accenture LLP for the purchase and implementation of the California Statewide Automated Welfare System General Assistance/General Relief Automated Solution for the amount not to exceed $922,094, effective upon execution by all parties through July 31, 2025.
2. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute the Agreement in Recommendation No. 1 with CalSAWS Consortium and Accenture LLP.
3. Approve updates to the General Relief Policy Handbook specifically, Chapter A General Policy/Provision, effective upon automation, which pertain to Electronic Benefit Transfer theft.
4. Direct the Director of the Transitional Assistance Department to transmit the executed agreement in Recommendation No. 1 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: James LoCurto, Director, 388-0245)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item does not require additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The purchase of the California Statewide Automated Welfare System General Assistance/General Relief Automated Solution will not exceed $922,094 and is funded entirely with Net County Cost. Adequate appropriation has been included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets. Estimated cost to replace benefits due to theft in 2024-25 is $7,643 and is funded entirely with Net County Cost. Adequate appropriation has been included in the Human Services Aid to Indigents 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) is mandated and responsible to administer public assistance programs for eligible county residents in need of financial, nutritional and/or medical assistance, as well as providing Foster Care, Child Care and Welfare-to-Work services. Since 1998, San Bernardino County (County) has been a member of the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS), formerly C-IV, which is a consortium of all 58 counties operating under a Joint Powers Authority and responsible for creating and maintaining the statewide automated welfare system that supports the business requirements for the administration of the public assistance programs in accordance with State requirements. In 2001, Accenture, LLP, was selected by C-IV to be the vendor responsible for equipment, software and services for initial and ongoing development and maintenance of the C-IV, and later CalSAWS systems.
California Welfare and Institutions (W&I) Code, Division 9, Part 5, Sections 17000 through 17410, mandates that each county establish and maintain a relief program for indigent individuals. General Assistance/General Relief (GA/GR) is a cash assistance program for indigent individuals not otherwise eligible for other similar programs. Each county administers the GA/GR program differently, adding to the complexity of system programming. As an example, the County’s GA/GR issuances are loans, while other counties consider them grants. Additionally, adding the functionality to CalSAWS did not include state or federal funding; therefore, counties opted not to pursue the addition. The County developed the General Relief Management System (GRMS) to operate as its GA/GR case management system. As CalSAWS transitioned to a statewide system in 2022, GA/GR full functionality was added, with an option menu for counties to match functionality to their individual program. CalSAWS has been working with individual counties to add GA/GR functionality, starting with 18 counties migrating from the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Information Network case management system.
Pursuant to the settlement terms of a 2021 case, TAD must accept online GA/GR applications. Additionally, implementation of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards as the primary method of benefit distribution will allow the County to meet the settlement terms. The GRMS has limited functionality and will not be able to add either of these functionalities. CalSAWS accepts online GA/GR applications through its BenefitsCal portal, and issues nutrition benefits and other cash aid payments via EBT cards. Approval of this purchase will allow this transition.
The request in Recommendation No. 2, for authorization to sign the agreement is pursuant to the CalSAWS directive that the agreement be signed by the Purchasing Agent, approved by County Counsel, and returned to CalSAWS by December 6, 2024, for the CalSAWS Project Director to countersign along with the vendor.
The request in Recommendation No. 3 is for the concurrent revisions to the General Relief Policy Handbook (GRPHB) policy manual to address the implementation of the EBT card system. Revisions to the standards of aid and care for GR Program recipients, contained in the GRPHB, Chapter A - General Policy and Provisions, must be approved by the Board of Supervisors as the program’s establishing authority. The transition to CalSAWS, and subsequently an EBT issuance method, includes the mandate outlined by W&I Code, Division 9, Part 1, Chapter 3 Article 3, 10072 for all cash assistance programs, including General Relief, to promptly restore EBT cash benefits lost due to electronic theft. Approval of the recommended updates to Chapter A ensures compliance with this mandate and will be effective upon transition to CalSAWS.
PROCUREMENT
As a member of the CalSAWS Consortium, the County does not separately solicit for these services and is bound to utilize the software system and vendor selected by CalSAWS.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on November 21, 2024; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 22, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Principal Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on November 21, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on November 21, 2024.