Agenda - 02-21-2023; 6-a - End of Food and Nutrition Pandemic Emergency Allocations and Unwinding of the Public Health Emergency Declaration and Approval of Budget Amendment #6-A

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2 Effective March 2023, FNS benefits will go back to regular monthly benefit amounts issued prior to the pandemic. Beneficiaries will continue to receive regular monthly benefit amounts in March 2023 based on a person's or household's current eligibility, income, household size and other federal eligibility requirements. The Department of Social Services anticipates some recipients will not initially understand this change and may need assistance during the transition. Staff has developed plans for outreach to the current recipients and to local human service and food providers in the community. Many families are still struggling to pay for basic needs and the community will need to help with this change. The Department proposes to utilize $125,000 of funds from the Social Justice Reserve Fund to provide emergency food at agency sites and to increase the support to food pantries in the County. A balance of $12,696 would remain in the Social Justice Reserve Fund with approval of this allocation. In addition to the FNS allotment changes, all pre-pandemic rules for eligibility in all program areas will be reinstated over the next twelve to eighteen months. This includes Medicaid, which will require the evaluation of approximately 22,000 cases over the next year and a half. The volume of work for staff will increase significantly as these changes occur. To manage these tasks and additional work, the department proposes to add three (3) additional time-limited staff positions and to extend two (2) existing time-limited positions through June 30, 2024. These would be funded with current salary attrition, and would not require additional funding. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Financial Impacts are included in the background information above. Approval would authorize the creation of three (3) time-limited FTEs, and authorize the transfer of$125,000 in Social Justice Reserve funds to the Department of Social Services. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no known Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve Budget Amendment #6-A: 1) authorizing three additional time-limited positions in DSS through June 30, 2024; 2) extending two existing time-limited positions in DSS through June 30, 2024; and 3) transfering $125,000 from the Social Justice Reserve Fund to the Department of Social Services to provide food to Food and Nutrition Services recipients during the transition from pandemic emergency allocations.