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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRC report to FC BOS for FY 2017TOWN OF NANTUCKET CONTRACT REVIEW COMMITTEE February 9th, 2016 REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS: FY 2017 HUMAN SERVICES GRANT AGREEMENTS (PER CODE OF NANTUCKET CHAPTER 12) This presents the independent report and recommendations of the Contract Review Committee [CRC] regarding the placement on the Town Warrant of Proposed Awards of Town Human Services Grant Agreements for FY 2017. This report is submitted to the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen as required by Chapter 12 Section 6 of the Code of the Town of Nantucket. In support of our recommendations, the CRC also forwards our Analysis and Rationale for Recommendations for each proposal [Attachment A], A Safe Place service statistics FY16 7-12-2015 [Attachment B] Data chart from A Safe Place on services provided 7-12-2015[Attachment C].Health Impartives email containing visit Chart 2015[Attachment D] Massachusetts School and District Profiles Enrollment Data [Attachment E] Inquirer & Mirror [Attachment D] Business Insider July 15 2015[Attachment E] United States Census Bureau [Attachment F] Nantucket Cottage Hospital Quartley report FY2016 to the town of Nantucket July-September October- December SUMMARY The Town Manager has identified an increase in the Human Services Budget from$350,000 for FY2016 to $400,000 for FY2017 .The CRC supports this increase and again applauds Town Management for its continued support of such vital services to the Island community. Accordingly, the CRC is recommending allocations among the proposals received within that budget target. The CRC continues to believe that the economy, increasing human services needs, public health and safety concerns and changing demographics justify the increase in the sum that the Town has budgeted for this purpose. Accordingly, in addition to the recommendations for funding within the target budget, the CRC has support documentation for the need of the new budget. The CRC has done their due diligence, and deliberated carefully in crafting these recommendations. We recognize that the Town has no legal obligation to provide human services such as these, and that if it does a public purpose must be identified and served. In an effort to have a more in depth understanding of each the Human Service Provider’s programs and allocations of the Town’s Human Service Grant to the recipients, The CRC requested additional information pertaining to the following services areas: Increase in services provided to individuals, had the providers expanded their services, was there an increase in the number of individuals seeking services, and was the provider collaborating effectively with other Human Services Providers? In addition, operating budgets were requested from each grant applicant. 2 After reviewing each grant proposal for FY17 the CRC met with the individual Human Service providers for a presentation which included a review of FY16 and their Budget as well as program or services for FY17. The CRC board members then paired up to do on site interviews after grant presentations. After on site visits and presentations some providers were asked to return for a follow up. In some instances we referred to the Town’s Chief Financial officer to help in better understanding of the grant applicant’s finances.The CRC spent numerous hours to have as much information and knowledge in regards to the Island’s Human Service needs. The United States Census for 2014 shows the Island population to be 10,856 with an increase of 6.431% in the Island community over 2013 with no availability of the 2015 census. The Town of Nantucket Census earmarks the population at 12,892 an increase of 3.268 % over last year. Comparably, there is a discrepancy of 18.75% between the U.S. Census and The Town of Nantucket’s census. Nantucket has a registered voter population of 8,764; registered birth certificates for The Town of Nantucket show that only 34% of the children born on the Island are born to parents who are both American citizens; less the 1/3 of the children being born on Nantucket are born to parents that are American citizens. Markedly, enrollment of children under the age of 18 in licensed and accredited educational institutions and programs has increased 5.62% from 1991 to 2103. Demographically, over the last year, the public school has seen a significant change in the school population. In 2014 the schools demographic was 61% Caucasian, 21% Hispanic, 15% African American, 3% Eastern European; in 2015-2016 the numbers are as follows: 58.1% Caucasian (-4.75%) 26.1% Hispanic (24.28%) 10.6 %African American (-29.9%) Eastern European 3.3% (9.9%), Asian 1.7%. The Nantucket Cottage Hospital Health Care Advocacy program (Social Services Department) performs 520 service hours per quarter, the MSW (Master Social Worker) shows that 31% of his hours are for community based services while the ASW (assistance social worker) logs 21% of their hours for community service. More astounding is that the HCA (Health Care Advocates) account for 80% of their hours as community based. The demographics of individuals being seen are: 65% Spanish, 10% Eastern European, with the other 25% falling into the demographics of African American, Asian, Caucasian and other. The number of community individuals seeking services quarterly is 2,467 just under 2/3 are non-citizens. Health Impartives has seen a 17% increase in clients (32% fit in the 100% federal poverty guideline), the client demographics are: 24% African American, 54% Hispanic, 4% Portuguese, 16% non-English speaking proficient. If we were to use the Massachusetts Town clerks adage formulation, for every registered voter there is a non registered voter, Nantucket’s registered voter population is 8764. Using this formulation, that would earmark the population at 17528; if we then added the 2103 of documented children under 18 in licensed and accredited educational institutions and programs, there would be a population total of 19,63. Taking into consideration that these are the only documented population verifiers.When reviewing the available information it could be estimated that Nantucket does not have a year-round population of 10,856 or 12,892, but perhaps a more accurate figure would be close to 20,000. If we were to take the estimated population using the adage analysis of 17,528 and the US census number of 10,856 there is a 61% diffrence in the Island population. 3 The impact of the population and the change in the Islands demographics continues to strain all aspects of the Island services whether public or private, as well as increased issues related to such a diverse and unaccounted for population. A Safe Place has seen an increase in services provided by an astonding 71.42% in just 6 months compared to the last reporting year total. It is estimated, using unverifiable figures, that there is an increase of 33.33% in the use of Heroin and opiates affecting our island Community, especially our young adults. Mental health, and affordable health care, continue to be of signifigance in our Communitiy. The continued care of our growing elderly population, and lack of affordable houising should make us concernened as to who will care for our Island community. Because of the inability to access State and Federal Human Services support agencies for walk in help, social service providers are called upon to provide the needed advocacy. Taking into consideration the island population and diverse demographics, it is evident, by the sheer number alone, that the Human Service providers continue to serve more needs of the Island community. In FY2015 the Town of Nantucket allocated $317,880 in the Human Services Grant monies. In FY2016 the Human Service Grant monies increased by 10.10 % going from $317,880 to $350,000. In FY 2017, the requested Human Service Grants funds increased from $350,000 to $400,000 which is a 14.28% increase. The difference in allocated funds for Human Service in the last two years will increase by 25.83% if the FY2017 request is granted. The increase in Human Service Grant monies by Town Management is reconized as a signifigant effort on theTown of Nantucket . In reviewing each proposal, we have determined that 1) a public purpose is served by the services; 2) the provider has demonstrated that the proposal is cost-effective; and 3) the services meet a specific need level which was identified by the Council for Human Services in its “Back To Basics” 2010 Report to the Board of Selectmen on Human Services Contracting. [Attachment H]. REQUEST We respectfully request that the Board of Selectmen adopt the funding recommendations set forth below and that the Finance Committee issue a positive recommendation on these allocations within Article 9 of the Town Warrant. . 4 CRC FY 2017 Article 9 Funding Recommendations Agency FY 2015 Award FY 2016 Award FY 2017 request FY 2017 CRC Recommendations 1 A Safe Place $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 2 ASAP $4,000 $6,750 $16,750 $16,750 3 Elder Services of Cape Cod $13,000 $13,000 $16,000 $16,000 4 Health Impartives $11,000 $24,960 $24,960 $24,960 5 Family & Childrens $100,000 $100,000 $120,000 *$100,000 6 MVCS $12,000 $12,000 $12,000 $12,000 7 Legal Services $4,000 $4,120 $4,250 $4,250 8 Rental Assistance Program $30,000 $25,000 $38,000 $25,000 9 Emergency Food Pantry $35,000 $35,000 $40,000 $35,000 10 NCH Social Services $35,880 $52,170 $65,380 $65,380 11 MY Nantucket $20,000 $20,000 Totals $317,880 $350,000 $427,055 $369,340 Contract Monitoring In 2013 the CRC started to conduct site visits and interviews with providers who were performing services in order to have a more hands on method for reviewing and assessing the performance of providers. Although the Human Services Director had provided such oversight and reported to the Council for Human Services and the CRC in the past, the CRC believed that first hand observations and contact would enhance the ability of the CRC to understand the work provided under the town’s Grant Agreements and to more accurately report to the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee regarding the public purpose served as well as the cost effectiveness of the programs observed. After discussion and analysis, the CRC established the following methodology: Two members were assigned to a provider and were asked to visit with and interview the principals of the agencies assigned. Thereafter, the factual details and results of the visits and interviews were reviewed and discussed at an open meeting of the CRC. All members reported that they had learned much from the experience. Written narratives were submitted in some cases and in other cases reports of the CRC members were provided orally at the open meeting. For FY2017 the CRC has made recommendations for added provisions to some contracts to help better monitor the services providers. 5 *CRC recommends $100,000 to Family & Children’s Services, $50,000 of which would be used for individual mental health and substance abuse therapy for uninsured clients with the additional $50,000 restricted, to go towards a management audit. Any remaining funds, after the audit, would go back into therapy. The CRC recognizes the significant efforts made by FCSN over the last two years to strengthen their financial stability. The CRC also recognizes the role FCSN has, along with the other 25 private Island Clinicians, in Mental Health and Substance abuse treatment in our Community. It is with this understanding and appreciation of the impact both of these diseases have had in our community that The CRC has made this recommendation. The FCSN financial stability, not only now but five to ten years from now, is vital to the FCSN existence. The CRC reached these recommendations after countless hours of meetings which involved FCSN, the accounting firm Conley and Wood and, Brian Turbitt, Nantucket Director of Municipal Finance. The CRC stands behind this recommendation unanimously.