Association ~ of Counties Washington, D.C. wwvy.countynews.org Vol. 34 No.12 ~ June17, 2002 Bush asks for new Cabinet Department of Homeland Security BY M. MINDYMORElTI Chemical, Biological, Radio- SEMOR STAFF IVRITER logical and Nuclear Countermea- In a recent primetime address sures, and to the nation, President George W. ~ Information Analysis and In- Bush proposed creating a new De- frastructure Protection. partment ofHomeland Security. If Another key component of the approved, this new department new department, and possibly the would be the first new major gov- one most vital to county govern- ernment department in more than ments, is the State/Local Govern- 50 years, and would pull together ment & Private Sector Coordina- several government entities already tion. Under this coordination, the in existence. The president's pro- department would streamline rela- posal closely mirrors a bi-partisan tions with the federal government Senate bill introduced in May. forstate and local The Photo by Donald Murray governments. As part of the president's pro- new department would contain an President-elect Ken Mayfield (r) discusses his testimony with Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick posal, agencies such as the Federal intergovernmental hy (D-vt.). affairs officethat Emergency Management Agency would coordinate the federal home- (FEMA), the Coast Guard, Cus- land security programs with local toms Service, Boarder Patrol, Im- officials. ayfield calls for diversion migration and Naturalization Ser- It would give state and local vice (INS), the Animal and Plant officialsone primary contact instead HealthInspecuon Service(APHIS), of many, and there would be an f non-violent mentally ill the recently created Transportation additional primary contact just for Security Administration, the training, equipment, planning and Nuclear Emergency Search Team other critical needs emer- Bl Donacb MURRai such as a year as part ofa coalition of more Paula M. Ditto n; Mental Health and and the National ISSOCIATE LEGISLATIVEDIRECIOR Pharmaceutical gency response. This division ofthe than 30 national organizations in Treatnient of Inmates and Proba- Stockpile, to name a few, would new department would also manage testimony before the Senate designing a proposal for federal as- tioners, Mayfield maintained that fall under the direction of the De- federal grant programs for Committee on June 11, sistance to foster community col- the majority ofthe mentally illnow partment of Homeland Security. firefighters, police and emergency o's President-elect Kenneth laborations between crimmal justice in jail are there for "minor infrac- The department would be orga- medical personnel. called on Congress to en- and health and human service agen- more tions, often the manifestation nized in four divisions The department would also set legislation that would help cies. The proposal is expected to be ~ of their illness than the result of Border and Transportation Se- standards for state and local pre- non-violent, mentally ill of- introduced later this month. intent." criminal cuilty paredness activities and equipment from county jails. Citing a landmark 1999 Bureau ~ Emergency Preparedness and has been working forover ofJustice Statistics (BJS) report See DIVERSIONon by page 7 Response See DEPAIRTMENTonpage 6 Quik Takes hanges proposed to NA(o bylaws ve R ) BY Eu FERGUSON The committee also has recom- ~ clarifymg the entities that can SER VICES DE PAR I'MENT DIRECTOR Jackson County, Mo. $ 184 mended a few substantive changes, submit nominations to the Board of 's King County, Wash. 160 Bylaws ReviewCommit- including: Directors $ ~ Maricopa County Ariz $ 147 has been meeting fornearly a requirement that board ~ increasing the size of the Fi- Hennepin County, Mmn. has proposed a series of members representing all affili- nance Committee to 13 $ 144 members, (Sourcu'. to the NACo bylaws. The ates, the Hamilton County, Ohio $ 142 with exception of the two ofwhom must be county finance Souroo willbe voted by the member- National Council ofCounty Asso- officers or directors, and requiring the Annual Conference in New ciation Executives, be from NACo the members on the committee rep- on July 16. Most ofthe pro- member counties resenting the National Association This issue of ColtnfI'eyt's changes are "housekeeping" in ~ under certain conditions, in- ofTreasurers and Finance Officers, includes a second section, "Net designed to make the bylaws creasing I'rom 10 to 12 the number of the National Association of County Orleans Conference Guide." read. Bylaws provisions have members of the Board of Directors Civil Attorneys Ifyou and the National did not receive and put in more logi- representing the counties with the a copy, please call 942-4256 largest number of votes See B YLAIIVS on page 5 (202) for a replacement. % J.. a r" 2 w Welfare reform proposals at a glance icaid transitional program. provide Medicaid and State Below is a comparison of the fioor before the August recess. work activities under current law and Senate is also to include Health Insurance Program House-passed welfare reform billto The Senate bill is expected to be may even expand on those. Look for The likely child-care fund- an option to cover new legal immi- to new legal children curtent law. The Senate isjust getting more flexible than the House bill.Itis considerably more immigrant Assistance pregnant women is still started and its Finance Committee is not expected to have a 40-hour work ing than in the House bill,an increase grants under Temporary is also in the Social Services Block Grant, for Needy Families (TANF) legisla- Similarly, the fate of the expected to mark up a billthis week. requirement. The Senate bill Med- Whether there willbe an option to waiver authority is unknown. The goal is to have a billon the Senate expected to keep afl the allowable and a fiveyear expansion ofthe tion. Compariso n of House Welfare Reform Billto Current Law (Selected Provisions) Provision Current Law House Bill 4737 Promotion Actof 2002 Title Personal and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996 Personal W and F 2007. to states, funded at $ 16.5 billiona year through FY 2002. No change in structure or funding. Extended through FY Temporary Assistance Capped entitlement 20 For Needy Families bo Block Grant (TANF) Stisrcture & h)c two parent families. Overall Work Participadon Adult recipients must be engaged in work or work activities. Requires 5tP/o of There is no separate standard for single and 55% in FY 2004, 60% iiiFY 2005, bu Requirement afi families and 90% oftwo-parent families to participate. percentages would be 509o iilFY 2003, 65% iiiFY arid 70% iriFY 2007 and thereafter. ah standard for single and two parent families. The overall Required Hours of Adults in afl families must participate 30 hours a week in work activities (20 of There is no separate hours, 24 ofwhich must be in direct work Woiir those hours must be in priorityactivities). Two-parent families have a 35 hour hours ofwork increase to 40 with 30 in adivities. activities. ". activities to six duect work activities. They are: Definihon ofWork Allows 12 activities to count, nine ofwhich are considered "priority The nine Reduces the nine priority sector employment: subsidized Activities priority activities are unsubsidized employment; subsidized private sector unsubsidized employment; subsidized private supervised work experience; and employment; subsidized public sector employment; work experience; on-the- public sector employment; on-the-job training; services. The other activities (known as qualified f] job training; job search (6 weeks) and job readiness; community services; supervised community are allowed to meet the rest ofthe 40 hour requirement are: vocational education (up to 12 months, limited to 30% of the caseload) & activities) that treatment; rehabilitation treatment &services; praviding child care to an individual participating in community services. The substance abuse counseling or search & readiness; other activities other activities are education related to employment for an individual who has work-related education &training; job job not completed high school, and satisfactory attendance at a semndary school or the state deems necessary. school course. 24 hours ofqualified activities to count toward the direct Three Month Option Not applicable. The state may aBow months in 24 month period. Education mi For Qualified Activities work adivity requirement for three any count for four COI to i attendance in high een Parents Meet the work requirement ifthey maintain satisfactory do school or the equivalent or participate in education activities directly related to for 20 hours. for of children under age one is retained, but parents of Parents ofYoung Parents with children under age six are only required ta partidpate 20 hours. The exemption parents between the ages of one &six willhave to meet the 40 hour Children Parents ofchildren under age one may be exempted. children month limit,but eliminates child care &transportation for Time Limit Federal time limitof 60 months for the receipt ofassistance. States have the Keeps the 60 the definition of assistance. option to lower it. Assistance is defined as aid to meet basic needs &support unemployed parents from services such as child care 8 for funding $200 milliona year until itreaches $3.1 Child Care Funding The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is funded at $4.8 Increases the discretionary by billionin FY 2007. Increases the entitlement funding to $2.9 billiona year.