AG 2007 05 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM TO: John Day, County Manager FROM: Sandy Russell, Interim Director DATE: April 27, 2007 SUBJECT: Reduction in Smart Start Funds for Child Care The agency began FY07 with a waiting list for child care services and the knowledge of an increase in child care rates effective October 1, 2006. Statewide there was concern that the amount of funds included in the appropriation to cover the rate increase would not be adequate to meet the actual increased costs. The agency was concerned that there would not be sufficient funds to deliver services to the children currently enrolled in child care if any action was taken regarding reduction of the waiting list prior to the implementation of the rate increase. Once the impact of the rate revision was known in November 2006, the agency began working with families on the waiting list to initiate the needed services. By the end of January 2007 all families on the waiting list had been contacted and offered services. The agency was also accepting applications for child care upon initial contact with the agency. The number of children on the waiting list enrolled in child care was lower than projected resulting in a spending rate that would not exhaust the allocation before the end of the fiscal year. The Partnership for Children identified other opportunities to deliver services for children with the unused funds and the allocation of Smart Start funds to Cabarrus DSS was reduced by $182,000 from $913,384 to $731,384. Amendment IV to the Memorandum of Understanding attached documents the change in funding amount. A budget amendment has been prepared to reflect the reduction in funding of the Smart Start grant. "~