Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
The enacted budget makes the following changes to the Executive budget (analysis as of March 30, 2005):
- Approves the merger of the Commission on Quality of Care with the Office of Advocate for Persons with Disabilities. Article VII language provides for a separate Division of Advocacy and Outreach for Persons with Physical Disabilities within the new agency, with a full time director.
The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of January 26, 2005):
- A year-end workforce of 105 FTEs, an increase of 15 FTEs. This increase reflects the proposed merger of the Office of Advocate for Persons with Disabilities (OAPD) with the CQC into a new Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for the Mentally Disabled, effective April 1, 2005. Neither agency loses FTEs in this merger. In 2004-05 CQC assumed the administrative support services (human resources, payroll and procurement services) for the OAPD.
- This proposal would move 15 FTEs (8 PEF members) from OAPD into CQCAPD under section 70 of the Civil Service Law. The Executive Budget claims this merger will enable the State to generate in SFY 2005-06 about $160,000 in additional federal reimbursement to enhance advocacy, oversight, and services to persons with disabilities. DOB claims this will grow to a $320,000 full annual reimbursement in SFY 2006-07. DOB also claims that the proposal builds on an SFY 2004-05 initiative that consolidated certain administrative and support functions of both agencies, including human resources, procurement services, and grants management.
- An All Funds appropriation of $15.16 million, an increase of $1 million from SFY 2004-05.
- Special Revenue-Federal funds are reduced by $1 million (12.2%), reflecting major reductions in the following programs:
- Client Assistance: $255,000 (25.5%) in the Federal Department of Education Fund
- Protection and Advocacy for Developmentally Disabled: $497,000 (18.8%) in the Health and Human Services Fund
- Protection and Advocacy for the Mentally Ill: $347,000 (16.9%) in the Health and Human Services Fund
- Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights: $455,000 (30.7%),
- The elimination of a $2.6 million appropriation for a Telework account.
All of these accounts except the Telework account were in CQC prior to the merger. These federal funding reductions are partially offset by increases in federal funds in the Administration program ($460,000 in the OT Education Account), coming from OAPD (but unchanged from SFY 2004-05 levels). There is also a $163,000 increase in the Protection and Advocacy Help America Vote program which is probably the additional federal money DOB believes is only available if the proposed merger occurs. This issue should be clarified with OAPD management. We should ask for evidence that documents that additional federal money is only available if this merger occurs.
- Special Revenue-Other funds increase by $830,000, reflecting funds associated with OAPD, including an increase of $402,000 in the Federal Salary Sharing Account, the $193,000 appropriation for the Disability and Technical Assistance Fund (which represents a $32,000 increase from the SFY2004-05 OAPD enacted appropriation), a $35,000 increase in the Conference fee account and a $200,000 appropriation for the Telework account (same level as last year’s OAPD appropriation).
- A major focus will be streamlining administrative efforts; including consolidating such activities as hotlines and other clearing-house type activities. No loss of FTEs is associated in 2005-06 with these efforts but future FTE losses are possible.
- Article VII legislation is proposed to implement the OADP/CQC merger.
Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
Program Details-State Operations
Enacted
Proposed
Enacted
Change in
Percent
Program
2004-05 Budget
2005-06 Budget
2005-06 Budget
Appropriation
Change
All Funds
$14,110,000
$15,157,000
$15,157,000
$1,047,000
7.4%
General Fund
$2,810,000
$4,012,000
$4,012,000
$1,202,000
42.8%
Special Revenue-Federal
$8,259,000
$7,249,000
$7,249,000
($1,010,000)
-12.2%
Special Revenue-Other
$3,021,000
$3,851,000
$3,851,000
$830,000
27.5%
Enterprise Fund
$20,000
$45,000
$45,000
$25,000
125.0%
Administration
$6,151,000
$8,668,000
$8,668,000
$2,517,000
40.9%
Personal Service
$2,123,000
$3,066,000
$3,066,000
$943,000
44.4%
Nonpersonal Service
$687,000
$946,000
$946,000
$259,000
37.7%
Special Revenue-Fed (SRF)
$300,000
$760,000
$760,000
$460,000
153.3%
Special Rev-Other (SRO)
$3,021,000
$3,851,000
$3,851,000
$830,000
27.5%
Enterprise Fund (Ent)
$20,000
$45,000
$45,000
$25,000
125.0%
Health & Human Services - (SRF)
$300,000
$300,000
$300,000
$0
0.0%
OT Education Acct - (SRF)
$0
$460,000
$460,000
$460,000
100.0%
Disability & Tech Assistance Fund - (SRO)
$0
$193,000
$193,000
$193,000
100.0%
Conference Fee Acct - (SRO)
$90,000
$125,000
$125,000
$35,000
38.9%
Fed Salary Sharing Acct - (SRO)
$2,931,000
$3,333,000
$3,333,000
$402,000
13.7%
Personal Service
$1,808,000
$2,074,000
$2,074,000
$266,000
14.7%
Nonpersonal Service
$300,000
$300,000
$300,000
$0
0.0%
Fringe benefits
$760,000
$896,000
$896,000
$136,000
17.9%
Indirect Costs
$63,000
$63,000
$63,000
$0
0.0%
Telework Acct - (SRO)
$0
$200,000
$200,000
$200,000
100.0%
Publications Acct - (Ent)
$20,000
$20,000
$20,000
$0
0.0%
Triad Services Acct - (Ent)
$0
$25,000
$25,000
$25,000
100.0%
Client Assistance
$1,000,000
$745,000
$745,000
($255,000)
-25.5%
Special Revenue-Fed (SRF)
$1,000,000
$745,000
$745,000
($255,000)
-25.5%
Dept of Education - (SRF)
$1,000,000
$745,000
$745,000
($255,000)
-25.5%
Personal Service
$119,000
$130,000
$130,000
$11,000
9.2%
Nonpersonal Service
$829,000
$553,000
$553,000
($276,000)
-33.3%
Fringe benefits
$48,000
$60,000
$60,000
$12,000
25.0%
Indirect Costs
$4,000
$2,000
$2,000
($2,000)
-50.0%