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HomeMy WebLinkAboutElderly Affairs FY2013-2014 DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET REVIEWS April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 1 The departmental budget review reconvened on April 12, 2013 at 3:54 p.m., and proceeded as follows: Elderly Affairs Honorable Tim Bynum Honorable Gary L. Hooser Honorable Ross Kagawa Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura Honorable Mel Rapozo Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura (Present 4:05 p.m.) Honorable Jay Furfaro LUDVINA KEALOHA TAKAHASHI, Executive on Aging: It is a privilege for me to come before you to present our 2014 budget for your consideration and approval. I will go through the budget presentation and give highlights in each area. First of all, goals and objectives, some of the accomplishments, and we have also experienced some shortfalls or short comes and I am reaching these objectives but some that I would like to highlight in the first goal is that we developed our Hawai`i Aging and Disability Resources Center (ADRC). Our goal in item 1(a) with 1,200 visits to be made annually. We had a record of 3,718 visits between the periods of July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. Later going down to item 1(e) our annual goal was to provide 6,000 Information & Referral contacts, where we made 8,495 contacts and with challenges of having short staff this past year. I think it was with our recordkeeping that we were able to chart the context down. Going on to item 2(c) 800 older adults received home and community-based services and we serve 889 for the time period of July 2011 to June 2012. In item 2(d) we served 232 caregivers and these are including grandparents. Going down to item 3(f) this is a very popular program EnhanceFitness (EF) we served 208 participants. Going down to item 4(b) this program is the Hospital Discharge Program and we are working with the Kaua`i Veterans Memorial Hospital and since the inception of the program March of last year, we received 68 referrals and out of the 68 referral, 43 participated and enrolled in the program and we had 15 readmissions. The goal of the program is to help so that they will not have any red missions, so the percentages that we are working at... we are working at 20%... it was like 34% so it is a work in progress. Some of the areas and short comes that we faced was in the area of "Better Choices, Better Health" it has been difficult to recruit a lot of people interested in taking the classes. The classes are over a 6 week period and so we are trying very hard to get both trainers and participants in our Chronic Disease Management Program. Part of our update is necessary to make some amendments to goals as well which we will do in the coming month to look at some of the areas — goals that we are not reaching and look at how we can better address those needs or place realistic goals that we can achieve. Going on to successes and achievements and in our packet, if you look at those you have some demographic profile of the participants that are in the Enhance Fitness Program. It is really neat to see demographics here. During this time period, there were 204 that were included in this study where you have 95% are female participants. We are really excited that we have 5% males. There is a breakdown on the participant race, ethnicity, income, and the age range we have 13 and 90 plus that is in the program which is extraordinary, I think. If you look in the back of the demographic profile, you can look at the chronic disease they are the type of chronic illnesses that the April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 2 participants of which we are addressing with this program. You also have in your packet — another success program is our RSVP. I will just give you a minute to look in your packet. With me today, I do have Celia Melchor-Questin, she is our RSVP Director and also with me is Laura Skrbec, Accountant. She is nervous, do not pick on her. For our Older Americans Month, we have 10 nominees, so we are really excited about that. May 9 is the date that we will hold the recognition event. Some of the challenges that we faced, we indicated Staff vacancies but I just want to give Council an update, I am really happy to say... we have our Accountant on board and she was hired February 1st. We have our Program Specialist II, our RSVP Director Celia Melchor-Questin, and she was hired on March 1. We also filled our vacancy for our Community Service Worker and she is Julie Kajiwara and she was hired on February 19. We are really excited as far as the Staff vacancies were, we have only 1 to replace. The other challenges that we faced was, we are in care of vehicles but I will give you an update. We have 2 new Toyota Prius that has just arrived and then our contract for our third vehicle is being processed and will be here in the next few weeks. That will really be helpful to replace our wear and tear on our vehicles. Next item on page 5 was Planned Improvements and I know it is the same plan that I stated from last year and there reasons to it. The first one is as I indicated to maintain the integrity of our client database to track and record accurate service utilization and expenditure and produce client demographic data. We are having an ongoing issue with the new assessment tool that the State has required us to use. Last year September merged our Kaua`i client database with a Statewide client database and so it has been causing quite a stir in our office. We have been meeting with our vendor every day now and so issues are still unresolved. Hopefully by next year, we will have these things resolve. We have loss some information on fund identifiers for each client. Fund identifiers are a type of funding whether it is State, County, or Federal that the services have been provided to a client. At one time we had it all categorized but it is gone with the merge. Hopefully we will be able to reinstate and get that back. Upcoming Initiatives it is still an ongoing initiative our Aging and Disability Resource Center. It has been a challenge to say the least to get us fully functional and so it is going to be on the scope for a while until we get to a place where we really can say that we are fully functional. As far as our comparative graphs, yes, the budget does reflect reduction of$109,131. Operations were reduced by $94,948. We are going to be cutting meals and I know Councilmember Kagawa and all of you had some concern about us doing that however come Monday, April 15, 2013, we are going to discontinue weekend meals. Notices were mailed out to the participants. We will tap into additional kupuna care funding from the State Legislature in the amount of $275,946 and this was previous approved by Council. That is to help elevate some of the cuts that we are applying. If necessary, we will discontinue caregiver meals, the person who is giving care of the person needing the meals. We do annual reassessments for all those who are participating in home delivered meals. In the last item on the Operating budget discussion, I know Councilmember Bynum last year you inquired about us reallocating some of our Staff, we have reallocated 3 Community Service Workers from SR-9 to SR-13 and you may wonder and ask why only 3 and not the full 5. The 3 achieved their status as a certified information and referral specialist for Aging and so we are requiring new employees to at least come to that level where they can be certified and it is intense. They go through training and take a National test. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 3 Chair Furfaro: On this item here, I have Mr. Rapozo who has an excused absence at 4:15 and we are going to change some of our Monday schedule but I want to give him a chance to ask questions. Mr. Rapozo did you have g q p Y any questions for this program in Elderly? Mr. Rapozo: I had a question regarding the meals, you said on April 15 it is going to be discontinued. Ms. Takahashi: Yes, only the weekend meals. Mr. Rapozo: Right. But does that mean that you do not have the funding in this fiscal year. Ms. Takahashi: No, we do. Mr. Rapozo: So, why are you...? Ms. Takahashi: We are just trying to see if we can just shave off some so it will not be that much of a burden. The weekend meals is just that, we are obligated to provide 5 days a week, the added meals were just like a bonus. Mr. Rapozo: Bonus but I think the Council, if I am not mistaken, I thought the Council put in more money for the meals last budget. Do you remember? Ms. Takahashi: No, it was the same. Mr. Rapozo: Okay. But your funding is till the end of the Fiscal Year. Ms. Takahashi: We have additional — the Kupuna Care funding is until next year, I am not sure, but the recent funding that we received on this date in the amount of $275,000 those are the funding we will be able to use. I am not sure when the contract end date is. Mr. Rapozo: For me personally, I would discourage the stopping of the weekend meals. I do not know how the other members of the Council feel but if that ninety plus thousand dollars is restored, you would be able to continue? Ms. Takahashi: What we are looking at... you are looking at 11,000 meals. Mr. Rapozo: I am just looking at the budget and there was a reduction in the meal program by 90 somewhat thousand. Ms. Takahashi: 94,000. Mr. Rapozo: Is that just for the meals on wheels or is that for the caregiver meals as well? Is that both? Ms. Takahashi: That is both. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 4 Mr. Rapozo: The 94? Ms. Takahashi: Correct. Mr. Rapozo: So, if we should restore that funding, that program will continue, correct? Ms. Takahashi: It will continue even without the funding. Only the weekend meals will not. Mr. Rapozo: I am talking about the weekend meals. I am talking about what you are telling us that is going to be cut. If the funding is going to be restored, that would not be necessary, correct? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Mr. Rapozo: I just think that it is one of the programs that help a lot of people. I just think... and if you have the funding until the end of the Fiscal Year, I do not understand why you would stop it especially the meals on wheels program. I do not understand why... if in fact we had to stop it come July 1 then we stop it when come July 1 but why would we stop it prematurely, I do not know, unless we are trying to save money. Maybe you can help me understand the logic. Ms. Takahashi: Okay. Mr. Rapozo: If it is to break it in, well, they are going to be broken in anyway but if we can squeeze out April, May, June... Ms. Takahashi: Up until July. Mr. Rapozo: At least 3 more months and I am hoping we can find that $90,000 or whatever it is so that we can restore that weekend meals. Did the notices already go out? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. And when we added the weekend meals, we did stress that it is only temporary as long as we have the funding to cover that. Mr. Rapozo: Right and we have the funding. We have the funding until the end of the year. Ms. Takahashi: Okay, I will get back to you. Chair Furfaro: We will send that over as a question for clarification. Before you leave, Councilmember Rapozo, I want to let you know that Monday, April 22nd is going to be almost a full day now because we do not have enough members here Monday to discuss HR. So, we probably be starting a little later on Monday. Mr. Rapozo: Monday the 22nd? April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 5 Chair Furfaro: Monday the 22nd I am going to move the Department of Personnel Services to the afternoon. Remember we booked the recall for Economic Development. Mr. Kagawa: What time in the afternoon? Chair Furfaro: It will start 12:30. We will have an early lunch from 11:30-12:30 and then start... if we went to 1:30, would that be better for you? Mr. Kagawa: I can be here at 3:00. Chair Furfaro: Well, we will still be going until 4:30. Mr. Kagawa: I can be here about 2:15. Chair Furfaro: Okay. Scott, we are going to do the 22nd and I hate to do this to you, Kealoha, you are such a nice lady to allow us to do this but we are going to do Economic Development from 9:00-11:30, we will break early, and then we will start up again Human Resources on Monday at 1:30. I cannot do the new Department with only 4 members. Kealoha, you have the floor again. Ms. Takahashi: In your packets also, the last item in the Planned Improvements, page 5 we develop and conduct client's satisfaction survey and I have a sample for you. I put it again on next year's plate because we just developed the survey and so we want to extend it another year so that we can fill it out and get the results back to you. I have a sample of the survey that will go out in your packets as well. I am all done. Mr. Kagawa: Just to follow up on getting to what Mr. Rapozo was talking about the Kupuna Care funding $275,000, you use some of that to help pay for the weekend meals? Ms. Takahashi: We use it for our home makers services, personal care services, and home delivery meals. Mr. Kagawa: I think it does not go... you do not get enough credit for that program because like I told you that I have a family member that really looked forward to having that service and I am really appreciative to Elderly Affairs for really doing a good job with her as she got old and could not clean ! her house. I feel like Councilmember Rapozo, I want to do all I can to continue the weekend meals, I think especially for those who have trouble getting around and preparing food. If they still can cook and stuff, I would not feel too bad but I am sure there some out there that really have a hard time and end up not eating. I want to do whatever I can to work with you and touch those that we should be helping. Ms. Takahashi: Thank you. I really appreciate that. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 6 Ms. Nakamura: Thank you very much for your presentation and the great work that you and your Agency do throughout the year. I wanted to ask you about the weekend meals, about how many weekend meals do you deliver? Ms. Takahashi: 200. Ms. Nakamura: How would you characterize the incomes of people who receive those meals? Ms. Takahashi: In this handout the targeted performance, it lists particularly on the first page where it says clusters one and two performance data, we have home delivery meals and you have your information there. Ms. Nakamura: I see. Ms. Takahashi: Living alone; 75 years and older, you look at the percentage, we serve 389 and out of the 389 we have 85% that is older and then if you are looking at the living alone would be 6.9% and the numbers... Ms. Nakamura: Well, it looks like you have about... is that under Home Delivered Meals? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Ms. Nakamura: At or below 15% poverty or I am not sure what low income minority means, what you define as low income? Ms. Takahashi: Low income. Ms. Nakamura: We can find that out... So, you have 85% being 75 years old and 86 being frail elderly, okay. Thank you very much. This is useful information. Mr. Hooser: I remember in 1998 going on my first meal delivery and I will never forget that experience and I encourage if anyone has never done that, it is just an eye opening experience. It makes you remember the value of this, food is certain part of it but just visiting these seniors who 85%are over 75 and nearly 40% live alone and just the value of visiting them to making sure they have not fallen down or left the stove on for days or... the value of this service is just so significant and I want to thank all the work that you do and everyone that makes this happen. So, the budget... did you cut your own budget or did you send the budget over to the Administration and sent it back and said you only have so much money? How did the process work? Ms. Takahashi: All of the Departments were assessed a certain amount. Mr. Hooser: So, you were given a percentage to cut? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 7 Mr. Hooser: And then you explained that cut to the Administration? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Mr. Hooser: And they agreed with the cut? Okay. As an individual, I certainly cannot agree with the cut and I am not keen on raising taxes either but as I said earlier, the Budget is the ultimate policy document. My question is, is there a waiting list? Or is anyone requesting meals are able to get it? Ms. Takahashi: No waiting list. We are fortunate to have Celia because she was the Director over at Kaua`i Economic Opportunity who oversaw the Nutrition Program. Mr. Hooser: I remember at one time there was waiting list and that is why I wanted to ask. I know this is not the only worthwhile program but this is certainly a very important one and there are 300-400 people that 85% are over 75 years old and 82% are frail. 2 or more ADLs, what is ADL? Ms. Takahashi: Activity of Daily Living so 2 lack or limited to performing certain activities at daily living, it could be bathing, walking, or mobility issues. Mr. Hooser: I remember visiting a woman in Lihu`e living alone and her laundry was piled up and we asked her how come and she could not lift her arms to hang the laundry on the line outside. It is just really sad. The other programs - are there other programs that deserve the same kind of attention that is being cut? Ms. Takahashi: Basically, home delivered meals that County provides funding for. Mr. Hooser: Okay. Ms. Takahashi: We do have other in-home services. In-home services would include personal care and homemaker but we use the County funds as needed in those areas. Mr. Hooser: Okay. I remember my mother in-law and father in-law would get 2-3 days a week and they really look forward to it and it was a really bright spot in their lives. Thank you. Ms. Yukimura: Thank you very much. It is always such a good feeling to have your report out about your Agency because you all do such a good job. Talk about metrics, you folks have that down. Ms. Takahashi: Thank you. Ms. Yukimura: My question about the meals, you were saying there is not going to be a cut, I am trying to understand about this $275,000 that you mentioned. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 8 Ms. Takahashi: It is just that we can use those funds... it is supplemental, it is additional funding to our Kupuna Care Funds from the State that we get regularly, so this is additional. We can use those funds with any of our Kupuna Care Services which would include personal care, homemaker, home delivered meals, adult day health, case management, and transportation. Ms. Yukimura: So, you are using that money to offset the meals? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: I mean the loss of moneys for the meals? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: So, there will not be any cuts to the week day meals? Ms. Takahashi: We need to get back to you. Ms. Yukimura: But the weekend meals are the ones in question and you have to look at your budget to see if that $275,000 — if you can cover it with that $275,000? Or are you planning by the fiscal year end in June to discontinue weekend meals but continue weekday meals? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: And that will make your budget work? Ms. Takahashi: Hopefully, yes. Ms. Yukimura: Okay. What is this issue about caregiver meals? Ms. Takahashi: It is like a caregiver caring for the elder person. Ms. Yukimura: They have in the past been able to... Ms. Takahashi: Receive meals but we stopped in certain situations because of the constraints in money. When we do have available funding, we will add them back on. It is really helping the caregiver, they do not have to worry about making a meal for their loved ones and they would provide that meal. Certainly in our minds, they are able to prepare their own. Ms. Yukimura: Right, yes, or bring their meal like we bring our lunches. Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: If we have the extra, yes, you want to make sense to give them but if you do not. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 9 Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: Then you have to focus the money on... Ms. Takahashi: Those that really need it. Ms. Yukimura: Yes. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Bynum: This discussion is related to this consultant services line item? Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Mr. Bynum: Okay, because it is not labeled "meals." Ms. Takahashi: I know. Mr. Bynum: And of course you knew my question was going to be about why there is still a SR-9 in there and I accept your answer, it is a good one. But the difference between SR-9 and SR-13 was how many dollars? Ms. Takahashi: I am not sure. Mr. Bynum: Is it like $7,000 more a year? Ms. Takahashi: $5,000. Mr. Bynum: And for Councilmembers that were not here, I have been looking through budgets about pay equity and I have come to the conclusion... and that one is glaring. It is like, these long-term Community Services Workers are the lowest wages in the County. Ms. Takahashi: Yes. Mr. Bynum: And it is sort of the same reason Pre-School Teachers are not paid what they are deserved, it is traditionally a female service job which is one of the biggest gap in pay equity. I am glad that our County is addressing it on a case by case basis. I am exploring the idea of doing the pay equity study for our whole Staff because there are other examples in the budget that do not make sense to me, including some Department Head salaries. I wanted to thank you for pursuing that. Ms. Takahashi: Staff does appreciate that. Mr. Bynum: Thank the Administration for being open to that. Thank you, Mayor. Chair Furfaro: On that note, Kealoha, I want to say thank you and your staff. I am going to recess today's meeting. I think we have only a few questions coming over to you but obviously one of the questions that we want you to April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 10 review is the weekend meals that make... our schedule will start on April 15 but we want you to look at the weekend meals. Ms. Takahashi: April 15 extended it to July. Chair Furfaro: And see if there is funds there to extend it to June 30 which is the last day of this fiscal year. So, that question will be coming over. Thank you very much, I am going to excuse you folks for now and make a couple announcements before we recess for the weekend. On Monday, I have approved excuses for Mr. Kagawa, Mr. Rapozo, and Mr. Bynum. Because there will only be 4 of us, we are going to start at 11:00 on Housing and in the afternoon, we will do the Clerk's Office because we have 1 Executive Session on personnel meeting's regarding our own Staff. The other modifications, Tuesday, the morning is Planning, and the afternoon is CIP with the exception of Economic Development. We have added to our schedule 22nd to do the Economic Development piece in the morning and we are going to do HR and Personnel Services in the afternoon. Mr. Heu, may I assume although we will send a notice, you will be in touch with those individuals? That way because of the new Department structure, we can all be here to participate. Ms. Yukimura: Chair, you are saying Tuesday the 16th Planning in the morning and CIP in the afternoon.g ooh. Okay. CIP with Planning, Parks & Recreation, Housing, Transportation? , an p Chair Furfaro: That is the 18th in the afternoon for Parks. Remember we deferred that to do all afternoon on Wailua Golf Course. Ms. Yukimura: Okay, so then... Mr. Bynum: It is in our calendars. Ms. Yukimura: But I have CIP Parks & Recreation... but it is none Golf Course issues? Chair Furfaro: Anything but Golf Course. Ms. Yukimura: Okay. Chair Furfaro: Again, Tuesday morning — all morning is Planning, and then the afternoon is CIP budget but for Parks & Recreation, it will not include the Golf Course for CIP. Ms. Yukimura: When do we get Roads? Chair Furfaro: Everything else now is on the 16th and Roads is in there. Ms. Yukimura: Because Roads is not... the Highway Fund for Roads is not CIP, it is Operating. I just want to make sure we get them back somewhere. April 12, 2013 Elderly Affairs (dmc) Page 11 Chair Furfaro: Let me tell you this, Transportation is on the schedule and it includes the buses and discussion on other associated transit pieces. Ms. Yukimura: What is that day? Chair Furfaro: Let me finish... the 16th, I am talking about the 16th. It will include Transportation according to this. So, do you want to do Roads as a separate call-back? Ms. Yukimura: Because the Roads piece about repaving and Highway Fund is not a CIP and actually the afternoon for CIP is pretty full in Planning, Housing, and Transportation, I just wanted to make sure there is time... Chair Furfaro: Here is my question, do you want to do Roads separately? Ms. Yukimura: I want to do Roads somewhere. Chair Furfaro: I did not ask that question. Do you want to do it separately? Ms. Yukimura: Yes. Chair Furfaro: Then we will put it on the calendar. Ms. Yukimura: So, we will have Roads under CIP even though it is an Operating Budget issue? Okay, that is fine as long as it is somewhere as I said. Chair Furfaro: Scott, when you reissue the calendar put Roads in there with Transportation. If we run out of time then we will accommodate JoAnn's request and I will ask you folks to give us more time just on Roads. So, that is Tuesday. The 18th and this is electronically out to you folks, we are doing the afternoon Wailua Golf Course as it relates to all those concessions. Now, Monday the 22nd, we are going to do Economic Development which was a call- back from 9:00 — 11:30 and then at 1:30 we will start with Human Resources and Personnel Services and the current calendar that is published out there only has Economic Development in it and we will be adding to that the plans to take care of that call-back. There being no objections,the Council recessed at 4:37 p.m.