Office of Temporary Disability Assistance

The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as December 22, 2008):

A FY 2008-09 workforce of 2,280 This level of FTEs remains unchanged from the adjusted FTE level for FY 2008-09. 

The following chart identifies adjustments in the current fiscal year’s FTEs along with the recommended differences in FY 2008-09 FTEs by program (if the FTE’s are the same the program is not listed):

• The difference between the estimated FTEs for SFY 2008-09 and the adjusted level of 2008-09 FTEs is (-22).  This should be addressed at statewide labor management.

•  The total appropriation for Personal Services is $167 million, a 2.6% increase from the enacted SFY 2008-09 appropriation. However the Executive Budget Agency Presentation narrative for OTDA shows a net $8.3 million decrease from the adjusted SFY 2008-9 agency appropriation for Personal Services. This discrepancy and how the agency can fund the same number of positions with less funding should be clarified at Statewide Labor-Management.

• An All Funds (State Operations) decrease of $7.8 million (-1.6%) from the enacted SFY 2008-09 appropriation. The Executive Budget Agency Presentation narrative for OTDA shows a net $24.8 million decrease from the adjusted SFY 2008-09 agency All Funds (State Operations) appropriation. This discrepancy should be clarified at Statewide Labor-Management.

• OTDA plans in increasing its dependence on consultants in 2009-10, by adding 30 contract employees at an additional cost of $7.9 million. In 2008-09, OTDA had 166 estimated contract employees, in 2009-10, that figure is expected to be 196.  In addition, the cost per contract employee is expected to rise from $128,620 to $149,321. The total cost of contract employees at OTDA for 2009-10 is anticipated to be $29.3 million, up from $21.4 million in the previous fiscal year. Overall OTDA’s total appropriation for contractual services, which includes items other than consultants, would be decreased by $5.6 million from the enacted SFY2008-09 contractual service appropriation.

Other budget highlights:

• Increases the Public Assistance Grant by 10 percent a year for the next three years.

• Reduces Supplemental Security Income (SSI) State Benefit to the aged, blind and disabled. The recipient’s total monthly SSI benefit will still be $9 to $34 higher than the 2008 benefit as a result of a 5.8% Federal benefit cost of living increase. This would require Article VII legislation (S57/A157 Part U).

• Reduces Personal Need Allowance to the 7,000 public assistance recipients who live in chemical dependence treatment facilities to levels similar to that received by others who receive room and board. This would also require Article VII action: (S57/A167 Part T).

• Other Article VII legislation would authorize the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) to collect household income information from the Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF) wage reporting system in order to determine the eligibility for Federal funding for children in foster care or those receiving adoption assistance (S57/A157 Part V).

• Eliminates Local Administration Fund by replacing General Fund support of the Fund, which supports the State’s share of food stamps and public assistance administration, with Federal funding by increasing the Flexible Fund for Family Services allocation by $319.6 million.

• Reduces Reimbursement for New York City Adult Homeless Shelters by $10.6 million.

• Reduces or eliminates funding for the Homeless Intervention Program and the Single Room Occupancy Supportive Services Program, which assist homeless people and families by strengthening their independent living skills and helping them find permanent housing.

• Eliminates the five Strengthening Families Through Stronger Families Program pilot programs, which end September 30, 2009.