Present were Chairman Richard DeVaughn, Michael Peck, Patrice Douglas, Jay Dee Chase, Aneta Wilkinson and George Young.
Chairman DeVaughn called the meeting to order.
Oklahoma Department of Human Services Director Howard H. Hendrick began his comments to the Commission by listing some recent site visits that included child welfare case reviews, multiple Legislative meetings regarding OKDHS budget issues and legislation, Council on Aging, DDSD Specialized Group Home for adults, Level E Group Home for youth, Annual Military Foster and Adoptive Family appreciation event at OKC Zoo, Child Support Planning session for 2009 contracts, OU Medical Center Children’s Hospital Tour with Dept. of Pediatrics, House of Representatives Human Services Budget presentation, White Fields “Celebrating Resilience” event, Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities (preview of “Wagons to Waivers” a Centennial documentary on the development of Oklahoma’s services to the developmental disabled), multiple 90-day reviews, Foster Care Association quarterly meeting, tour of Cedar Ridge Mental Health facility, Senior Day at the Capitol, State Health Care coverage initiative, Office of State Finance to review budget, Areawide Aging Agencies legislative event, OPEA quarterly meeting with employees, OK County Juvenile Court planning session, multiple budget review and planning sessions, Annual meeting with TFC agencies, State Insurance Department planning session for improving access to health care, Workforce Investment Act Board meeting and Sharefest Celebration of Faith-Based Community Projects.
Next, Director Hendrick shared some good news that included: 211 call system going statewide on April 1, 2008; the number of children receiving adoption subsidy crossed the 10,000 mark during the past month; The Administration for Children and Families modified a rule interpretation that had slowed the adoption process by about six to eight weeks; the Federal Fiscal Year Sept. 30, 2007, was a record year for the number of finalized adoptions at 1,250; Oklahoma qualified for a Federal Incentive payment bonus of more than $600,000 due to the record breaking year for adoptions; on a three-year rolling average Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in the number of finalized adoptions per capita; according to a report published by the Administration for Children and Families, child abuse deaths in Oklahoma dropped by 37 percent from 2005 to 2006.
Director Hendrick next delivered a mid-April assessment of the fiscal year 2009 budget challenges before analyzing the effects of the budget on the ADvantage Waiver program.
The Director then addressed other budget concerns as well as a food stamp update before touching on some major issues ahead of the agency which include sorting through the various funding challenges to determine which cuts will be realized and which one can be avoided to begin to prepare for the challenge of constructing the SFY 2009 budget and finishing a proposed resolution for the agreements and services delivered by the LTCA of Tulsa for future services.
OKDHS Chief Financial Officer Phil Motley presented the financial report for the period ending March 31st, 2008. March is the first month to reflect the anticipated revenue loss due to new federal regulations regarding Child Welfare Targeted Case Management. Approximately $1.3 million was expended last month for previously eligible Child Welfare Targeted Case Management services. New regulation, by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), prohibit states from drawing the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for these services. The lost federal revenue from these services was more than $800,000. This loss was partially offset by receivables from a revenue initiative to review Adoption Subsidy cases to determine Title IV-E eligibility. Consequently, revenue and receivables for the month remained constant at 3.5 percent under expectation year to date. Expenditures and payables for the Department through March was 5.0 percent under budget. The projected current year position remained about $7.5 million. Prior year available cash increased to approximately $10.2 million adjusted for expected revenue of previous year expenditures from the same revenue initiative of IV-E Adoption Subsidy. The prior year cash, plus the projected under spending from the current year, produce an estimate of $17.7 million in positive financial position.
No significant budget adjustments were implemented during the month of March. At month end, the Aging Services Division remained at 3.9 percent over budget. Group Homes and Shelters in the Children and Family Services Division continued over budget by 2.2 percent year to date. The Aging Services ADvantage Waiver program also remained over budget by 11.5 percent through last month.
Another 113 Adoptive Placements occurred in March. The number of children in foster care increased by 32 in March after nine consecutive months of decline. Food Benefit cases declined by 5,587 last month. “TANF Child Only Cases” and “Cases with Adults” declined by 99 and 117 in the previous month. Quarterly reports of child support collections and agency investments are included at the back of the financial report.
The Commission unanimously elected Commission Vice-Chair Ron Mercer to serve on the Human Services Foundation Board.
Chief Operating Officer for Human Services Centers Marq Youngblood delivered a brief update to the Commission before introducing Robin Jones, director, Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives who delivered a brief overview of the program.
Mark Lewis, director, OKDHS Oklahoma Child Care Services introduced Bill Alexander with the American Legion Children’s Home Residential Child Care in Ponca City.
Sharon Neuwald, coordinator, OKDHS Office of Legislative Relations and Policy, delivered a brief legislative report.
The next meeting of the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services is May 20, 2008.