GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
FISCAL YEAR 2002
PROPOSED BUDGET REQUEST

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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES 
FISCAL YEAR 2002 
PROPOSED BUDGET REQUEST

STATE FUND INFORMATION (3%)

1. Add 5 positions to complete extra work due to PeopleSoft, 3 positions to assure that contracts meet all state and  other requirements and hire one consultant to bid EBT contract which expires 6/30/02.  Amount:  $492,828 ( Total funds: $742,828)
2. Pay for all Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG) services provided to  the Department at the same rate. Currently rates are set by division and type of service, ranging from $45 per hour to $55 per hour. This would establish one rate of $60 per hour for all Departmental services. Amount: $1,141782   (Total funds: $1,909,685)
3. Provide funds for pay increases for Economic Support Services staff,  supervisors and managers with MSWS. Upgrade 233 workers and 47 supervisors per year for two years. Amount:  $492,003   (Total funds: $984,006)
4. Fund rent increases due to relocations or additions for 10 DFCS buildings. Counties include Union, Paulding, Gordon, Douglas, Barrow, Sumter, Jenkins, Long, Gwinnett & Oconee. Amount $432,350  (Total funds: $677,475)
5. Technical Assistance to support DHR'S on-going computer operations. Amount $4,597,911 (Total funds: $5,814,270)
6. Fund operating deficits for Client Registry System (increased usage due to adding non-TANF clients to the Child Support caseloads) and DFCS Protective Services Data System. Amount: $902,114 (Total funds: $1,712,086)
7. Develop a client transportation computer system to do trip reports, billing, inventory, and financial information. Amount: $228,400  (Total funds: $228,400)
8. Replace the Office of Regulatory Services' DOS-based system with an ORACLE platform for dissemination of information on facilities via the Internet. Amount:  $95,000  (Total funds: $95,000)
9. Rewrite the Office of Fraud and Abuse's income program and case tracking system. Also provide staff access to SUCCESS and intemet for use in investigations of fraud. Amount: $25,699 (Total funds: $25,699)
10. Continue development of the MHMRSA Sunrise system by adding a community services component to the existing system that serves the hospitals. Amount: $364,970  (Total funds: $725,000)
11. Complete the Public Health frame relay connectivity installation project in the remaining 61 counties. Amount:  $878,400  (Total funds: $878,400)
12. Policy Making/Support - Add a Contract Special Position to each MHMRSA Region. Since 1993 the number of contracts have increased fourfold. Expertise is needed in procurement negotiation and management of the contracts. Amount:  $688,337  (Total funds: $688,337)
13. Upgrade Environmentalist series positions. Increase two paygrades to align with the DNR environmentalist series which will improve recruitment and retention. Amount:  $1,970,888  (Total funds: $1,970,888)
14. Statewide Expansion of Epidemiologists. Fund six additional district epidemiologists to cover the balance of the state's 19 Health Districts and one state level coordinator. The new district epidemiologists will be placed in Lawrenceville, Forest Park, Gainesville, Dublin, Dalton, and Brunswick. Amount $600,000  (Total funds: $600,000)
15. Provide funds for the cancer control program to increase the rate of payment to laboratories for pap smear reading from $12 to $15 per slide. This would allow our rate to be comparable to the new Medicare rate.  Amount: $399,00 (Total funds: $399,000)
16. Upgrade Public Health Laboratory Technician positions (Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Clinical Laboratory Technician). Increase one paygrade to bring them in-line with market level pay, which would improve recruitment and retention. Amount:  $296,159  (Total funds: $296,159)
17. Support for a Technical Review Committee. Provide support personnell to serve and assist the Technical Review Committee on sewage and septic tank issues.  Amount:  $51,577  (Total funds: $51,577)
18. Regional Adoption Coordinator Supervisor: Supervisor for the 13 Regional Adoption Coordinators. Coordination for intake of prospective families, training and interpretation of state adoptive policy, and liaison with outside contracting agencies. Amount:  $82,765  (Total funds: $82,765)
19. Fully fund the identified MATCH needs by adding 134 slots. Raise MATCH provider rates by 4%. Add 135 institutionally supervised family foster care placements per year at $20/day. Purchase 50 emergency beds per year for children entering foster care. Purchase emergency in-home services for 350 foster parents per year when a placement is in imminent danger of disruption. Amount:  $7,568,224  (Total funds: $10,682,388)
20. Increase foster care per diem for children in state custody. The family foster care rate would increase by $0.50 per day to $12.50, and the institutional rate would increase by 4% . Includes funds to increase adoption assistance by 4% as well.  Amount:  $2,507,456  (Total funds: $ 3,875,644)
21. Provide additional support to foster children, based on the age of the child. Children age 6 through 10 would be eligible for an additional $10/month. The rate would climb to $15/month for children under age 13, $20 for children under 16 and $25 for older children. An additional one-time reimbursement of $200 would be allowed for graduation expenses.  Amount:  $1,284,998  (Total funds: $2,089,380)
22. Provide respite care for 1,600 foster families. Respite care is essential in preventing foster parent burnout. Amount: $250,000  (Total funds $403,356)
23. Funds for technical assistance for community operations of Family Connection programs. Amount:  $$204,638 (Total funds: $204,638)
24. Community Treatment - Expand SED community services to establish crisis services that are alternatives to state hospitalizaton. Expand crisis services and mobile crisis services to 6 regions. Amount:  $2,816,064  (Total funds: $2,816,064)
25. Community Treatment - Expand Community SA Adolescent Services. Provide substance abuse treatment to 90 school age consumers per month through outpatient services. Amount:  $1,038,500  (Total funds: $1,038,500)
26. Community Treatment - Pilot a state level program targeted to MR adolescents found incompetent to stand trial. One community pilot program to work with up to 12 adolescents, ranging in age from 12 to 17, that are deemed inappropriate for the Juvenile Justice System. Currently our only alternative is to place these adolescents in a restrictive setting of a hospital. Amount: $796,355 (Total funds: $796,355)
27. Community Substance Abuse Services - SA pilot treatment program. This pilot program would target adult males with a history of domestic, child or spousal abuse. It is expected to serve 20 consumers who are part of an active CPS Case. Amount:  $144,000  (Total funds: $144,000)
28. Establish a Family to Family Education program in each region. Contract with NAMI in each region of the state to teach families and caregivers on how to cope with their family member's problems. Expect to serve 1,040 family members statewide. Amount:  $127,400  (Total funds: $127,400)
29. Ready for Work - SA. Primary prevention services for children of women in residential substance abuse treatment. Two pilot programs provide children with academic and life skills such as autonomy, self-esteem, independence and communications skills as will  be age-appropriate.  Amount:  $100,000  (Total funds: $100,000)
30. Enhance quality and performance of the existing statewide metabolic newborn screening program. This will translate into faster turnaround of screening results and improved performance. Amount:  $972,044  (Total funds: $972,044)
31. Establish pilot Homeless programs in Fulton County and one in the Chatham area which target homeless with mental illness or co-occurring disorders. These pilots would provide outreach, service delivery, and assist individuals to remain in housing with appropriate supports. Amount:  $1,050,000  (Total funds: $1,050,000)
32. Fund a statewide campaign to dispel the stereotypes and misinformation associated with mental and substance abuse.  Amount: $950,000  (Total funds: $950,000)
33. Community Treatment - Pilot three different jail diversion programs. Three nationally tested pilots will be conducted in one region (Dekalb County).  These will provide for a Crisis Intervention Team, Mental Health Court support, and a Specialized Program of Assertive Community Treatment.  Amount:  $636,916  (Total funds: $636,916)
34. Supported Employment MH,MR,SA. Three separate pilot programs, one for each disability, will increase the quality of available supported employment to move the clients into a more competitive job market, salary and benefit range. Amount:  $570,000  (Total funds: $570,000)
35. Community Treatment - Pilot to support or establish a drug court. Based on an existing model in Glynn-Camden counties, consumers will receive the treatment as part of drug court. Experience indicates that usually 6 months of intensive treatment is required. 200 consumers will be served.  Amount:  $300,000  (Total funds: $300,000)
36. Personal Care Homes: Fund one position to assist providers in decreasing  violations of regulations through training and technical assistance.  Amount:  $55,000  (Total funds: $55,000)
37. Senior Community Internship Project:  Provide brief internships to low-income elder workers with the goal of transitioning thm into jobs in the private sector. Amount:  $385,000  (Total funds: $385,000)
38. Elderly Legal Assistance. Provides education on legal issues of concern to the elderly. Provides assistance with wills, property disposition, probate actions or other legal matters of concern to the elderly. Amount:  $185,307  (Total funds: $185,307)
39. Elder Legal Abuse Hotline: Continue the Senior Hotline to provide advice, brief services, self-help information, and referrals, five days per week, six hours per day. This action would provide a link between Adult Protective Services and the hotline.  Amount:  $150,000  (Total funds: $150,000)
40. Elder Abuse and Fraud Training/Education: Expand provision of community education services to reduce the incidence of elder abuse, negligence and explotiation. Amount:  $99,148  (Total funds: $99,148)
41. Add emergency funds to prevent Adult Protective Services clients from being removed from their homes. These funds will be used to remedy emergency situations that would otherwise cause the client to be removed from the home. Amount:  $554,824  (Total funds: $564,347)
42. Nursing Home Initiative: Seven staff to comply with the President's Nursing Home Initiative to prevent dehydration, malnutrition, and bedsores, and to help cope with an increasing workload. Amount:  $112,014  (Total funds: $400,050)

TOTAL STATE FUNDING (3%):  $37,408,071
 

CAPITAL OUTLAY ITEMS

1. Lump sum major maintenance/repairs(various facilites) Amount:  $21,134,000  (Total funds: $21,134,000)
2. Construction of State of Art Public Health Laboratory in South Georgia Amount:  $6,000,000  (Total funds: $6,000,000)

TOTAL CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDING:  $27,134,000
 

SPECIAL CHILD WELFARE INITATIVE

1. Reduce Child Protection workloads to Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) recommendations over a three-year period. This proposal would add 196 staff each year. Amount:  $7,942,895  (Total funds $10,996,075)
2. Child support enforcement agents are responsible for over 1,000 cases each. This proposal would add an additional 40 positions in FY02 to decrease the number of cases per agent. Amount:  $545,158  (Total funds: $1,603,405)
3. Implement a two-year plan to provide pay increases for Child Protection staff. This enhancement would raise starting salaries for Child Protection staff and supervisors, and provide an increase for managers in Child Protection. Amount:  $11,524,503  (Total funds: $13,384,907)
4. Add one-third of the 35 specially-trained staff needed to investigate child fatalities and cases of alleged abuse in foster homes. Amount:  $638,786  (Total funds: $843,264)
5. Set up a regional training system consisting of 8 regional training centers for Child Protection staff, and revamp curriculum. Amount:  $2,990,353  (Total funds: $7,454,940)
6. Strengthen in-home services to high-risk families or families in need of reunification services. Contractors would provide in-home services to families evaluated as high risk for repeated maltreatment and to families being reunified. Amount:  $4,866,559  (Total funds: $7,142,000)
7. Increase funds to Office of Child Fatality Review Statewide Child Abuse Prevention Panel. This would fund three additional positions and operating costs, as well as an office. Amount:  $302,475  (Total funds: $302,475)
8. Implement statewide 1-800 number to report child abuse. This package ncludes staff to operate the center 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as telecommunication costs. Amount:  $3,924,498  (Total funds: $5,349,574)
9. Provide radios for those Child Protection staff whose job responsibilities require field visits and who have not already received one. Also provided for supervisors who manage these staff, so that staff can consult with supervisors while in the field. (Total funds: $672,560)

TOBACCO FUNDING REQUEST

1. Pilot using up-to-date technology to complete case record dictation. Delays in updating case records can put children at risk. Three different technologies will be tested during the year, with 50 staff using each. Amount:  $231,100  (Total funds: $231,100)
2. One-time purchase of computers & equipment for 196 new staff hired to reduce Child Protection workloads to Child Protection League of America (CWLA) recommendations. Amount:  $1,673,428  (Total funds:  $1,673,428)
3. One-time purchase of computers & equipment for eight regional training centers for Child Protection staff. Amount:  $1,487,247 (Total funds:  $1,487,247)
4. One-time purchase of computers & equipment for statewide 1-800 number to report child abuse.  Amount:  $743,356  (Total funds:  $743,356)
5. One-time purchase of equipment and computers for new special investigators to handle child fatality cases and reports of suspected abuse in foster homes. Amount:  $93,516  (Total funds:  $93,516)
6. One-time purchase of radios for 2000+ Child Protection staff whose job responsibilities require field visits and who have not already received one, as well as for their supervisors. Amount:  $240,200  (Total funds: $240,200)
7. Provide funds to evaluate strategies which aim to prevent child abuse by offering in-home visitor services to at risk families.  Amount:  $250,0000 (Total funds: $250,0000)

TOTAL CHILD PROTECTION TOBACCO REQUEST  $4,718,847

TOTAL CHILD PROTECTION REQUEST $26,224,181
 

SFYO1 TOBACCO FUNDING REQUESTS

1. Fund a statewide campaign to dispel the stereotypes and misinformation associated with mental illness and substance abuse. Amount:  $5,350,500  (Total funds:  $5,350,500)
2. Complete Public Health's frame relay connectivity installation project by installing in the 61 remaining counties that do not have frame relay. Amount:  $2,117,811  (Total funds: $2,117,811)
3. Development of a statewide data collection system for environmental health.  Amount:  $1,213,760  (Total funds: $1,213,760)
4. Continue development of the MHMRSA Sunrise system by adding a community services component to the existing system that serves the hospitals. Amount:  $360,030  (Total funds: $725,000)
5. Continue Universal Newbom Hearing Screen incentives. To continue current year incentives for hospitals successfully screening newborns. This action extends the existing funding for one year. Amount:  $840,000  (Total funds: $840,000)
6. Enhanced funding for psychotropic medications and related pharmacy delivery systems for clients with severe mental illness. Amount:  $14,218,254  (Total funds: $14,218,254)
7. Updated medical equipment for MHMRSA facilities serving clients with developmental disabilities and severe mental illness. Amount:  $1,223,000  (Total funds:  $1,223,000)
8. Enhanced funding for updated equipment/furniture for MHMRSA facility serving forensic clients. (Binion Building) Amount:  $1,127,585  (Total funds: $1,127,585)
9. Specialized training of clinical staff in treatment of co-occuring substance abuse and mental illness. Amount:  $585,000  (Total funds: $585,000)
10. Psychosocial rehabilitation for forensic and long-term hospital patients.  Implement a psychosocial rehabilitation treatment model system-wide on inpatient forensic units and non-forensic extended care units. Amount:  $500,000  (Total funds: $500,000)
11. Forensic Certification Program. Establish a forensic training and certification program that would ensure that all mental health professionals providing forensic services in the state system meet consistent standards of practice.  Amount: $100,000 (Total funds: $100,000)

UNINSURED GEORGIANS FUNDING

1. Increase ADAP funding to provide care for HIV infected individuals; additionally can be used to expand programs for HIV/TB and others, in conjunction with DCH. Amount:  $4,300,000  (Total funds: $4,300,000)
2. Support proposals to serve uninsured Georgians by funding Babies Born Healthy. Increase services to women who are poor, but ineligible for Medicaid. Reduce costs associated with complications in delivery and reduce long term costs for infants with birth defects or other complications. Amount:  $2,537,000  (Total funds:  $2,537,000)
3. Support proposals to serve uninsured Georgians by funding Community Programs for MR. Provide community services for 139 planning list clients. These funds, except for $4,800 per person, room and board, would be transferred to DCH to provide the match for the consumers. Amount:  $3,641,244  (Total funds: $8,048,934)
4. Support proposal to serve uninsured Georgians by funding Community Care Services Program: Serve 534 additional Medicaid-eligible clients in the community at $7,026 per year each. Amount:  $3,845,269  (Total funds: $8,701,232)
5. Support proposals to serve uninsured Georgians by funding Home and Community Based Services: Serve an additional 1,245 elderly clients in the community who are not Medicaid eligible, at $2,000 each per year.  Enhancement would increase technical support of health promotion and disease prevention activities at community level. Amount:  $2,489,940  (Total funds: $2,489,940)

CANCER ALLIANCE FUNDING INFORMATION

1. Increase funding for Tobacco Prevention and Cessation. Enhance the Tobacco Use Prevention program to address all aspects of the CDC recommendation including cessation, particularly targeting pregnant women.  Amount:  YES
2. Provide cervical cancer prevention and treatment for women of child-bearing age.  Amount: YES

SUPPLEMENTAL STATE FUNDING REQUEST

1. Add funds to Institutional Foster Care to cover the cost of additional children in care and rate increase.  Amount:  $3,500,000  (Total funds: $3,500,000)
2. Technical Assistance to support DHR'S on-going computer operations. Amount:  $2,298,955  (Total funds: $5,814,270)
3. Operating deficits for Client Registry System (increased usage due to adding non-TANF clients to the Child Support caseloads) and DFCS Protective Services Data System. Amount:  $902,114  (Total funds: $1,712,086)
4. Support for federally required changes to Child Support Enhancement's new STARS system. Amount:  $276,664  (Total funds: $1,007,044)
5. Development of a client transportation system is needed to do trip reports, billing, inventory, and finance information.  Amount:  $776,423  (Total funds: $776,423)
6. Rewrite the Office of Fraud and Abuse Income program, rewrite case tracking system, provide field staff access to SUCCESS & Internet. Amount:  $358,592  (Total Funds: $358,592)
7. Replace the Office of Regulatory Services' old DOS-based system with Oracle-based system, & complete development of web-based information transfer. Amount:  $771,700  (Total funds: $771,700)
8. FY00 Supplemental Approved - ($709,000 Bookkeeping - Object Class Transfer) Transfer funding from regular operating to personal services to reflect actual adjustments made by hospitals to reduce funding per HB144 (1999).  Amount:  YES
9. FY00 Transfer to DCH for 296 new community placement clients and 129 client's from Bainbridge closure.  Amount: $2,484,524
10. Transfer funds from Gracewood to fund autism program in community services in region 10. Amount:  YES  (Total funds: $50,000)
11. FY01 Transfer from DCH for Supported Employment (waiver pending) Amount:  $2,000,000
12. Transfer funds from DHR to DCH for St. Joseph's Mercy Care contract to  provide primary care services to the homeless population. These services were in the Primary Health Care budget which was transferred to DCH in SFY2000. Amount:  $100,000  (Total funds:  $100,000)
13. Provide necessary equipment for Georgia Industries for the Blind (GIB). Amount:  $1,070,000  (Total funds: $1,070,000)
14. Provide funds for GIB Hourly Employees' Leave as required by a recent law change in HB 1314, effective July 1, 2000. Amount:  $100,000  (Total funds: $100,000)