Int. No. 657-A
By Council Members Palma, Fidler, Brewer, Chin, Gonzalez, James, Koslowitz, Lander, Levin, Mendez, Recchia, Vann, Williams, Mark-Viverito, Rodriguez, Nelson, Barron, Foster, Koppell, Garodnick, Jackson, Vacca, Arroyo, Van Bramer, Rose, Dromm, Lappin, Gennaro, Mealy and Halloran
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to collecting and reporting data related to access of individuals aged sixteen through twenty-four to public assistance as head of household.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 21-134 to read as follows:
§21-134 Cash assistance application and caseload engagement status reports for individuals aged sixteen through twenty-four.
a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "BEGIN" shall mean the New York city department of social services/human resources administration program, known as begin employment gain independence now, which collaborates with education and training providers to offer a coordinated program of employment preparation to support the efforts of public assistance recipients who are making the transition to employment;
(2) "Engageable" shall mean an individual is required to participate in employment, programs or activities in order to receive public assistance;
(3) "Head of household" shall mean the member of the applicant household designated by the household to represent the household in all matters pertaining to its eligibility for and receipt of various forms of public assistance;
(4) "Household" shall mean a single individual or family, including couples without dependent children who, or which, are eligible to receive public assistance;
(5) "Public assistance" shall mean safety net assistance and family assistance provided by the New York city department of social services/human resources administration;
(6) "Unengageable" shall mean an individual is exempt from having to participate in employment, programs or activities as a condition of receiving public assistance;
(7) "WeCARE" shall mean the New York city department of social services/human resources administration program, known as wellness comprehensive assessment rehabilitation and employment, which addresses the needs of public assistance recipients with medical and/or mental health barriers to employment by providing customized assistance and services to help them achieve their highest levels of self-sufficiency; and
(8) "WEP" shall mean the New York city department of social services/human resources administration program, known as the work experience program, which is designed to provide a simulated work experience to individuals receiving public assistance.
b. Cash assistance caseload engagement status report for heads of household aged sixteen through twenty-four. Beginning no later than April 1, 2013, and no later than the first day of each subsequent month, the department shall post on its website an updated report regarding the engagement status of heads of household between and including the ages of sixteen and twenty-four, that includes, at a minimum, the following information disaggregated by the following categories: 1) individuals aged sixteen and seventeen; 2) individuals aged eighteen through twenty; and 3) individuals aged twenty-one through twenty-four, calculated both as an actual number and the percentage each such number represents of the overall cash assistance caseload:
A. Total number of recipients of public assistance who self-report as lacking a high school degree or the equivalent at the time of application.
B. Total number of recipients of public assistance exempt from engagement and reason for exemption, including but not limited to:
(a) Total indefinitely unengagable, disaggregated by:
(i) head of household on supplemental social security income or other disability-based income;
(ii) HIV/AIDS services administration case; and
(iii) child only case (ages 17 and under).
(b) Total temporarily unengageable, disaggregated by:
(i) temporarily incapacitated due to health situation;
(ii) child under 3 months of age;
(iii) supplemental security income or other disability-based income pending or appealing;
(iv) temporarily exempt; and
(v) pending WeCARE scheduling/outcome.
C. Total number of engageable recipients of public assistance, including but not limited to:
(1) Total engaged in:
(a) Employment:
(i) budgeted;
(ii) not budgeted: no aid to continue;
(iii) grant diversion; and
(iv) wage subsidy.
(b) WEP:
(i) WEP basic;
(ii) WEP medical limitations/WeCARE;
(iii) WEP and BEGIN managed activities, or any substantially similar successor program;
(iv) WEP special;
(v) WEP and job skills;
(vi) WEP and substance abuse treatment;
(vii) WEP/substance abuse /job search;
(viii) WEP/substance abuse/training;
(ix) WEP/WeCARE concurrent activity; and
(x) WEP and training.
(c) Other work activity.
(d) Substance abuse residential treatment.
(2) Total engaged in other participation, including but not limited to:
(a) education/training;
(b) job search under 12 weeks;
(c) job search 12 weeks or more;
(d) student over age 15;
(e) substance abuse treatment;
(f) substance abuse/job search;
(g) substance abuse/training;
(h) wellness/rehab/WeCARE;
(i) WeCARE and substance abuse;
(j) WeCARE vocational rehabilitation;
(k) WeCARE concurrent activity; and
(l) needed at home.
D. Total number of recipients in engagement process, disaggregated by:
(a) call-in appointment scheduled;
(b) eligibility call-in appointment scheduled;
(c) WeCARE assessment scheduled; and
(d) in review process.
E. Total number of recipients in a sanction process, disaggregated by:
(a) in conciliation;
(b) awaiting conciliation scheduling; and
(c) taking part in a fair hearing:
(i) contesting; and
(ii) not contesting.
F. Total number of recipients with a sanction in effect.
c. Semiannual report for heads of household aged sixteen through twenty. Within sixty days after June 30, 2013, and within sixty days following each six month period thereafter, the department shall post on its website a report regarding the total number of individuals aged sixteen through twenty who applied for public assistance as head of household during the previous six months and of those, the total number accepted and rejected, disaggregated by the following categories: 1) individuals aged sixteen and seventeen; and 2) individuals aged eighteen through twenty. For purposes of this subdivision, each six month period shall be deemed to end on June 30 and December 31 of each calendar year.
§2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
LS #2601 & LS #2656
JMG/ASP
10/3/2012