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Agency 300060
Economic Services
RCW 43.17, .20A, Title 74

Current Law Budget

Return to Governor Lowry's Proposed Budget

Request

$1,994,238,000

Net change from current biennium

$175,098,120

Increase

Percent change from current biennium

9.6%

Increase

The Economic Services program provides public assistance grants and social services designed to meet the immediate needs of persons with insufficient income and resources to provide for their own maintenance. The program includes the staff through Community Services Offices (CSOs) needed for delivery of services provided in the Income Assistance, Refugee Assistance, Food Stamp, and Medical Assistance programs. Economic Services consists of nine basic categories: Grants to clients, SSI Payments, Employment Support Services, Child Support Collections, Financial Services, Social Services, Headquarters, Special Projects, and Program Support. Economic Services state office headquarters has direct line responsibility over field operations. A variety of administrative and technical support services are provided. Community Services Field Operations includes six geographic regions each having CSO catchment areas defined by county and/or zip code. There are 42 primary and 24 branch CSOs throughout the state. Within the CSOs, need and eligibility are determined for a variety of services. These include financial grants, food stamps, and medical assistance. In addition, CSO staff are involved in the direct provision of certain services, such as placement of recipients in employment or services which prepare them for employment.

Federal funds are available for income maintenance grants, employment services, and related administrative expenditures. Refugee Assistance is nearly fully federally funded. Continuing General Assistance and SSI supplemental payments are financed from state funds.

The goals of Economic Services programs are to provide support services in the form of cash grants and food stamps and to provide services that will enable those in need to sustain themselves and become self-sufficient, and have the opportunity to lead productive lives.

Economic Services staff goals are to: continue emphasis on payment error reduction to meet federal target levels; continue efforts to reduce waiting times for appointments in field offices; and phase-in office automation to reduce paperwork allowing for more efficient delivery of services to clients.

Recipients may be homeless, live in their own homes, or live in alternative care situations such as congregate care facilities. The program operates under various state and federal laws and the regulations of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture. The Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, the Refugee Act of 1980, and the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, define the categories of assistance and types of services for which federal financial participation is available.

Each program has specific eligibility criteria which must be met before eligibility is affirmed. Recipients for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) State Supplementation must meet federal eligibility requirements for SSI. This means they must be 65 years of age or older, legally blind, or permanently and totally disabled and willing to undergo a medical examination. For a family to be eligible for income assistance, the children must be under 18 and be deprived of parental support or care by reason of death, absence, incapacity, or unemployment of a parent. The children must be living with a parent or relative of specified degree. Income assistance is also provided to children 18 years of age who will complete high school before their 19th birthday. General Assistance recipients must be ineligible for other programs and unemployable because of incapacity or pregnancy.

Maintenance grants are based on need and, with certain exceptions, resources and income are taken into consideration in determining grants. A home, used and useful household furnishings, and personal property are exempted. Cash, marketable securities, insurance, and car(s) are exempt up to specified amounts. The earnings of children are exempt if attending school. Special SSI additional requirement allowances may be included for restaurant or home-delivered meals, food for guide dogs, telephone, and/or laundry. Recipients living in congregate care facilities and boarding homes receive grants covering their clothing and personal incidentals as well as their board and room needs.

Links to Category Level Detail

Grants to Clients

Supplemental Security Income Payments

Employment Support Services

Child Support Collections

Financial Program Support

Social Services Program Support

Program Support-Headquarters

Special Projects

Program Support - CS0 Administration

Program Level Summary

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Operating Budget: Summary by Object

					1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
Salaries And Wages				108,078,606			112,790,098			111,881,380			116,393,894			115,066,082
Employee Benefits				30,047,229			31,142,714			29,346,901			30,499,867			30,138,824
Personal Service Contracts				7,195,312			13,936,298			11,025,106			10,617,536			10,318,374
Goods And Services				46,529,879			49,452,800			46,319,003			51,137,736			58,171,645
Travel				1,087,081			1,155,528			1,027,242			1,285,671			1,214,127
Capital Outlays				2,470,400			2,280,527			2,535,064			6,397,992			4,306,595
Grants, Benefits & Client Services				714,653,889			681,868,969			709,445,636			759,979,000			782,340,000
Debt Service				3,178,551			4,527,473			3,884,498			2,829,497			2,829,497
Interagency Reimbursements				(123,866)			(388,345)						94,300			104,000
Intra-Agency Reimbursements				8,012,136			6,720,998			187,990			5,971,507			4,541,856

Annual Total				921,129,217			903,487,060			915,652,820			985,207,000			1,009,031,000

Operating Budget: Category Summary

					1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
Grants To Clients				583,253,983			546,974,366			565,157,000			705,450,000			720,742,000
Supplemental Security Income Paymen				28,871,746			27,905,110			32,014,000			27,425,000			28,536,000
Employment Support Services				104,428,605			109,427,540			111,921,453			134,328,000			145,703,000
Child Support Collections													(109,551,000)			(114,026,000)
Financial Program Support				96,905,800			96,047,799			95,401,365			96,837,106			95,082,186
Social Service Program Support				21,745,007			25,325,575			27,257,068			31,661,094			32,231,740
Program Support-Headquarters				26,401,095			27,172,067			27,989,579			36,302,628			39,569,628
Special Projects				15,459,042			21,695,639			13,110,641			10,051,716			8,857,687
Program Support-CSO Administration				44,063,939			48,938,964			42,801,714			52,702,456			52,334,759
Annual Total				921,129,217			903,487,060			915,652,820			985,207,000			1,009,031,000
Fiscal Year 1993-94				879,065,312
Biennium Total				1,800,194,529			1,819,139,880						1,994,238,000

Operating Budget: Change from Preceding Biennium

				1993-95 Actual								1995-97 Estimated								1997-99 Proposed
				Amount			Percent				Amount					Percent			Amount					Percent
Grants To Clients			(59,678,495)			(4.9)%				(44,437,155)					(3.8)%			314,060,634					28.2%
Supplemental Security Income Paymen			7,490,546			14.8%				1,929,383					3.3%			(3,958,110)					(6.6)%
Employment Support Services			102,399,950			122.4%				35,314,345					19.0%			58,682,007					26.5%
Child Support Collections																		(223,577,000)
Financial Program Support			15,982,611			9.0%				(1,519,704)					(0.8)%			470,128					0.2%
Social Service Program Support			5,584,023			15.2%				10,145,082					23.9%			11,310,191					21.5%
Program Support-Headquarters			(49,858,713)			(49.8)%				4,939,297					9.8%			20,710,610					37.5%
Special Projects			20,666,293			328.6%				7,851,111					29.1%			(15,896,877)					(45.7)%
Program Support-CSO Administration			5,954,619			7.3%				4,722,992					5.4%			13,296,537					14.5%

Total			48,540,834			2.8%				18,945,351					1.1%			175,098,120					9.6%

Employment Summary

			1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated		1996-97 Estimated				1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
FTE Staff Years			3,436.6		3,438.9			3,394.7				3,526.5				3,511.3
Average FTE Staff Year Costs			31,449			32,798		32,958				33,005				32,770

Source of Funds

					1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated				1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Social Service Fed Block Grant							1,793,875				7,176,500			6,675,000			6,675,000
General Fund - Basic Account - State				486,239,077			488,089,669				497,959,722			531,867,000			531,685,000
General Fund - Basic Account - Federal				434,097,140			42,898,432				39,895,954			42,206,000			43,748,000
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Family Support/Child Welfare F							348,736,531				349,381,533			(59,835,000)			(62,648,000)
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Medicaid Federal							21,642,263				20,815,401			21,735,000			22,086,000
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Temp Asst. for Needy Fam.														391,276,000			410,231,000
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Child Care Dev. Fac.														51,283,000			57,254,000
Health Services Account - State				793,000			326,290				423,710

Annual Total				921,129,217			903,487,060				915,652,820			985,207,000			1,009,031,000

Grant Caseload Summary
		1994-95 Actual				1995-96 Estimated		1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed		1998-99 Proposed
Aid to Families With Dependent Children-Regular cases				86,819		85,042		84,005			83,791		83,660
Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Employable cases				15,866		14,332		13,722			13,674		13,782
General Assistance-Unemployable cases				17,167		16,889		19,157			32,101		34,811
General Assistance to Pregnant Women cases				1,657		1,634		1,647			1,644		1,647
Consolidated Emergency Assistance cases				557		486		477			526		541
Supplementary Security Income (SSI)State/Supplementation Payment (SSP) cases				82,249		86,300		87,380			77,711		78,373
Refugee Assistance cases				1,136		996		864			864		864
FTE Staff Years Summary
		1994-95 Actual				1995-96 Estimated		1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed		1998-99 Proposed
Social Services FTEs
GAU Incapacity Determinations				108.0		101.1		87.0			134.5		138.0
AFDC Good Cause Determinations				14.6		13.9		13.9			13.9		13.9
JOBS/AFDC Daycare				170.4		182.2		205.7			205.2		225.4
SSI Facilitation				75.0		97.8		97.8			118.4		108.2
Volunteer Services/Community Workers				44.0		46.0		46.0			46.0		46.0
Family Planning						42.0		42.0			42.0		42.0
Casework Supervisors & Clerical				144.0		137.0		137.0			162.0		165.0
Subtotal				556.0		620.0		629.4			722.0		738.5
CSO FTEs
Financial Service Specialists				1,369.0		1,436.0		1,424.0			1,392.0		1,364.3
FSS Supervisors				151.0		158.0		158.0			152.1		149.9
Financial Trainers				19.0		30.0		30.0			30.0		30.0
Clerical Support				702.0		711.2		704.8			694.9		682.6
Food Stamp Clerks				67.0		66.0		66.0			66.0		66.0
Subtotal				2,308.0		2,401.2		2,382.8			2,335.0		2,292.8
CSO Administration FTEs
Region Offices				23.0		25.0		25.0			25.0		25.0
CSO Administrators				67.0		67.0		67.0			67.0		67.0
Program & Clerical Support				175.0		129.0		129.0			128.6		129.3
Custodial & Maintenance				15.0		15.0		15.0			12.0		12.0
Subtotal				280.0		236.0		236.0			232.6		233.3
Program Support FTEs
Community Services Administration				5.0		10.0		10.0			10.0		10.0
Income Assistance				102.0		105.7		105.7			107.2		107.2
Employment & Social Services				77.0		35.9		35.9			36.9		36.9
Administration & Fiscal Support				39.0		48.6		48.6			65.1		58.6
Special Projects				43.0		98.6		71.3			80.7		80.0
Subtotal				266.0		298.8		271.5			299.9		292.7
Program Total				3,410.0		3,556.0		3,519.7			3,589.5		3,557.3

Agency Local Funds

Telephone Assistance Account
The Economic Services Administration provides access to discounted telephone services through the Washington Telephone Assistance Program (WTAP). WTAP is funded through a 13 cent tax levied on all land access telephone lines within the state of Washington. The WTAP is a self-supporting State Treasurer's Trust Fund. Discounted services provided include initial service installation, waiver of deposit, and monthly service fees. DSHS and telephone companies are reimbursed for their related administrative costs to operate the WTAP fund.

Statement of Local Fund Balances

			6/30/95 Fund Balance			6/30/97 Estimated Fund Balance			1997-1999 Estimated Revenues			1997-1999 Estimated Expenditures		6/30/99 Estimated Fund Balance
Non-Budgeted Funds
Telephone Assistance Account			474,600			1,409,320		10,038,441			9,392,578			2,055,183

Grants to Clients

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This category includes cash grants to clients and the Repatriate program.

Public Law 104.193 provides temporary assistance to financially needy families in which the children are deprived by death, incapacity, or absence of a parent. Assistance is also provided to families in which the children are deprived due to unemployment of the parents.

General Assistance (GA) cash grants assist needy individuals who are unemployable due to a physical, mental, or emotional incapacity. GA cash grants provide a safety net for individuals who are incapacitated but not eligible for federal SSI assistance. In addition, GA assists incapacitated individuals who are SSI eligible, pending SSI qualification. The programs also provide cash grants to pregnant women who are ineligible for income assistance solely because they are not yet in their third trimester of pregnancy (GA-S). Administrative and grant costs, with the exception of the SSI eligibility determinations, are state funded. GA cash grants are provided for food, shelter, and clothing.

Refugee Assistance is administered by the Department for needy refugees who have been in the United States for less than eight months.

The federal repatriation program provides for the return of United States citizens and/or their dependents who become stranded in foreign countries. Repatriation costs are 100 percent federally funded.

The objectives are to: provide grants to clients; provide emergency aid to families in need of immediate basic support services; and provide help to needy refugees who have settled in the state.

Budget Unit Data

			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
Refugee Services		4,199,060			5,043,000			3,848,000			3,955,000
AFDC-Regular		385,208,649			392,971,000			484,981,320			494,369,940
AFDC-Employables		99,142,435			105,143,000			98,607,680			101,942,060
GA - Unemployable		49,832,442			52,856,000			108,868,000			110,981,000
GA - Pregnant Women		6,092,822			6,321,000			6,298,000			6,489,000
CEAP - Federal		2,497,269			2,823,000			2,787,000			2,945,000
Repatriate		1,689						60,000			60,000

Category Employment

1994-95 Actual

1995-96 Estimated

1996-97 Estimated

1997-98 Proposed

1998-99 Proposed

FTE Staff Years

0.1

Average FTE Staff Year Costs

69,100

Expenditure Detail

				1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
Salaries and Benefits			17			5,027
Grants and Subsidies			583,267,326			546,942,377			565,157,000			705,450,000			720,742,000
Other Operating Costs			(13,360)			26,962

Annual Total			583,253,983			546,974,366			565,157,000			705,450,000			720,742,000
Fiscal Year 1993-94			573,314,538
Biennium Total			1,156,568,521			1,112,131,366						1,426,192,000

Source of Funds

					1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated				1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
General Fund - Basic Account - State				305,007,993			295,380,749				308,090,500			378,057,000			373,798,000
General Fund - Basic Account - Federal				278,245,990			1,689							3,908,000			4,015,000
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Family Support/Child Welfare F							251,591,928				257,066,500
General Fund - Basic Account - DSHS Temp Asst. for Needy Fam.														323,485,000			342,929,000

Annual Total				583,253,983			546,974,366				565,157,000			705,450,000			720,742,000

Supplemental Security Income Payments

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Through this category, cash grants are provided to blind, elderly, or permanently disabled individuals. The state supplements the federal benefit as required by federal law. The state supplement is added to the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) and included in one check each month to the SSI client. In Washington, the eligibility determination and payment of the state supplement is performed by the federal government. Recipients whose shelter is provided without cost receive two-thirds of the full grant and recipients living in nursing homes or developmental disabilities institutions receive a clothing and personal incidentals allowance. Beside the basic grant, recipients with special needs, such as food for a guide dog, may receive additional assistance. The federal benefit is 100 percent federal funds; the state supplement and the state administrative costs are 100 percent state funded.

Budget Unit Data

			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
SSI State Supplementation		27,200,116			31,304,000			26,706,000			27,805,000
SSI State Administered Payments		704,994			710,000			719,000			731,000

Expenditure Detail

				1994-95 Actual			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
Grants and Subsidies			28,871,746			27,905,110			32,014,000			27,425,000			28,536,000

Annual Total			28,871,746			27,905,110			32,014,000			27,425,000			28,536,000
Fiscal Year 1993-94			29,117,981
Biennium Total			57,989,727			59,919,110						55,961,000

Source of Funds - General Fund - Basic Account - State

Employment Support Services

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This category includes child care, Employment Services, and Refugee Services. Employment Services provides support services, primarily child care, counseling, and job placement to AFDC grant recipients to assist them in looking for and securing employment.

Budget Unit Data

			1995-96 Estimated			1996-97 Estimated			1997-98 Proposed			1998-99 Proposed
Refugee Services		7,405,835			7,385,500			7,400,000			7,727,000
Child Care		70,001,512			76,699,000			88,352,000			98,066,000
Employment Support Services		32,020,193			27,836,953			38,576,000			39,910,000