AG 2000 11 20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The planning process provides a good opportunity to refine our conununity's efforts. This planning process and the subsequent legislative session are also a time that the County will need to take steps to assure that it can continue the effective programs currently in place. At the inception of the State's Work First Program, the General Assembly provided for counties to designate their preference for either "standard", or "electing" status. (The number of.electing counties is limited to a group comprising. 15.5% of the State's total welfare population). Standard counties were to essentially follow basic State eligibility rules. Electing counties were to be permitted flexibility in establishing eligibility rules. In an effort to be certain Cabarms maintained the capacity to proceed with the Work Over Welfare demonstration project, and to expand it to include a pay- after-performance policy, Cabarms initially requested electing status. When the General Assembly extended and expanded the Work Over Welfare Program, however, Cabarrus requested a change to standard status, as electing status involved some substantial financial risks. With the current authorization for Work Over Welfare expiring June 30, 2001, electing status would again help to assure we have flexibility in designing and operating our County's programs (if for some reason Work Over Welfare can not be extended.) Electing status would also provide some financial advantages to the County as it would make it possible to reduce, from 100% to 90%, the County's maintenance of effort requirement for county spending in this program area. With electing status, the County would be required to develop a second-level appeals process for denied applications. This would be relatively simple and inexpensive. Other factors which created risk initially for electing counties are no longer at issue. (For example, it was initially thought electing counties would have to issue their own assistance checks. This has not been the case). At its meeting of August 21, 2000 the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners took the following actions. It: - 1) Requested that Senator Hartsell pursue an extension, beyond the current expiration date of 6-30-01, for the Work Over Welfare Program in the 2001 session of the General Assembly, 2) Voted to request a change from "standard" to "electing" status for Cabarrus County, 3) Appointed a planning committee in accordance with State policy.