04 ANNUAL REPORT 2 - Alabama Department of Human Resources

Block Grant (Title XX), and to child care assistance.The transfer to the Social Services Block Grant helpedfund child welfare services associated with the R.C.Consent Decree. The child care transfer helps to providesubsidized child care to low-income working families.An increase in the number of TANF families anda December 2002 increase in welfare benefits reducedthe amount of money available for subsidized childcare.ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICESThe Department of Human Resources is responsiblefor protecting disabled adults and the elderly fromabuse, neglect and exploitation. This responsibility isoften overshadowed by focus on the agency’s effortsto prevent and remedy the abuse and neglect of children.Unlike children, whose interaction with others providesan opportunity for possible abuse or neglect tobe detected, disabled adults and the elderly are oftenisolated. It is this isolation that makes them primetargets for abuse, neglect and exploitation, and it isnot unusual for the perpetrator to be a relative.In FY 2004, statewide, DHR investigated 4,739 reportsof adult abuse and neglect, up slightly from the 4,691reports investigated in FY 2003. The agency reliesupon its public and private sector community partnersto protect vulnerable adults. In FY 2004, DHR workedwith the state Attorney General’s Family ProtectionUnit, the state Department of Senior Services and theAmerican Association of Retired Persons (AARP) inconducting interdisciplinary seminars on elder abuse.Seven regional meetings were held during the year.The agency allocated available funding to countydepartments of Human Resources for homemakerservices and day care for adults. Minimum staffinglevels were established for Adult Protective Services(APS), assuring that core resources were reassignedto ensure that each county APS program has a fieldconsultant, and on-site training was provided forcounty APS workers. The department initiated ananalysis of services that DHR and the stateDepartment of Senior Services provide to the elderly.CHILD DAY CAREA monthly average of 29,986 children received subsidizedcare through the Department of HumanResources in Fiscal Year 2004. The year before, themonthly average was 38,351 children.A monthly average of 29,986 childrenreceived subsidized care throughDHR in Fiscal Year 2004.Total spending for day care slots was approximately$85.6 million in FY 2004, compared to $108 millionduring the previous year. In recent years, fewer familieson welfare meant more money was available fortransfer from the TANF Block Grant. Growing welfarerolls meant less money could be transferred to childcare. The ongoing funding of a December 2002 TANFbenefit increase was another factor in the decreasedchild care spending.The department saved tax dollars when it reduced thenumber of regions served by child care management(CMAs) agencies from 12 to 9, in FY 2004. The CMAshandle child care subsidy eligibility and case management,under a contract with DHR. The administrativesavings were used to help provide subsidized childcare for low-income families.In September 2004, DHR reduced the child/staffratios for licensed day care centers. The ratioreductions were implemented to improve child safety.The child/staff ratios and other changes were recommendedby a committee that included child careadvocates and day care providers.PROGRAM INTEGRITYThe Department of Human Resources is firmly committedto being a good steward of the taxpayers’ dollarsthat are entrusted to the agency each year. Thisincludes recouping benefit overpayments, whetherthey resulted from intentional fraud, a misunderstandingof program regulations or from an administrativeerror. The agency recovered a total of $2.2 million infood stamp and TANF (Temporary Assistance forNeedy Families) benefit overpayments in Fiscal Year2004. Approximately $800,000 of the total was recoveredthrough wage garnishments and by interceptingfederal and state income tax refunds.2004An interagency agreement between DHR and the stateAttorney General’s Welfare Fraud Unit produced 96criminal convictions in FY 2004. Under the agreement,9