March 24, 2011
    • 3/24/2011--San Mateo County gives Human Services $3.7M 

    By Michelle Durand 

    San Mateo Daily Journal 

     

    The $3.7 million given to the Human Services Agency yesterday by county supervisors 

    means more needy residents will receive timely help with food, shelter and health care, 

    say officials of the department who’ve been trying to manage growing caseloads with 

    fewer available dollars. 

     

    The agency, burdened by a $5.3 million structural deficit, asked the Board of Supervisors 

    for a mix of one-time funds and ongoing help while it closes the gap and waits for 

    expected state cuts. The board unanimously approved the request, of which $817,000 will 

    be continuous to cover an increase in the general assistance program. 

     

    The deficit’s remaining $1.6 million will be eliminated by department reductions. 

     

    Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, both supervisors Carole Groom and Adrienne Tissier called 

    the fund transfer tough but necessary to help residents and stave off potentially more 

    expensive care down the road. 

     

    The county’s new wave of applicants are individuals who may have never needed help 

    before, may be clueless about what help is available and are forced to make decisions like 

    delaying preventative health care. 

     

    “They’re waiting for something bad to happen. Then they go to the ER which we all 

    know is more expensive,” said Clarisa Simon Soriano, HSA’s economic self-sufficiency 

    director. 

     

    Slowing the eligibility process exacerbates the situation, she said. 

     

    Currently, HSA staff is able to process 92 percent of its aid applications within 90 days 

    but, without the board’s funding yesterday, that could slip to six to nine months, Soriano 

    said. 

     

    The needy would then be left in limbo, waiting for eligibility and relying on nonprofits 

    and safety net services which are already financially strapped themselves. 

     

    The current fiscal year’s deficit is chalked up to the economic downturn, ongoing 

    shortfalls in state, federal and local money needed for both mandatory and discretionary 

    programs and continuing hikes in the cost of operations, programs and manpower. 

     

    The mandatory programs are the primary challenge because the county must fund them, 

    but it doesn’t often have the needed money.  

     

    In November 2010 — four months later than usual because of the state budget stalemate 

    — HSA received $2.9 million less in its Medi-Cal allocation. 

     

    The pool of people needing help is growing, too. 

     

    That same month, the county program received more than 1,900 applications which in 

    turn swelled the caseloads for each benefits analyst beyond 600. 

     

    Over the past four years, assistance applications have steadily risen by approximately 65 

    percent. There are currently 63,863 San Mateo County adults and children in Medi-Cal 

    and the general assistance caseload has nearly doubled since 2006, according to HSA 

    officials. 

     

    Meanwhile, officials said the HSA workforce has shrunk from 858 to 770 in the last two 

    years.