N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 18 § 300.9

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 43, October 23, 2024

Section 300.9 - Local Flexibility Incentive Pilot Program

(a) Purpose. The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (office), in cooperation with the Department of Labor, is authorized to establish the Local Flexibility Incentive Pilot Program to enable social services districts or groups of social services districts to demonstrate innovations and efficiencies to aid public assistance recipients in attaining self-sufficiency. Participation in this program is at local district option.

(b) Funding. The funds for the pilots are to be distributed under the conditions described below.

(1) The office must approve funding only in cooperation with the Department of Labor.

(2) The approval of funding is also subject to the approval of the director of the budget.

(3) The funding is separate from the State aid that the social services district or districts would otherwise be eligible to receive.

(c) Waiver of regulations. The office is authorized to waive State regulations for the pilots when the regulations would impede the successful completion of a project, provided that the demonstration project:

(1) is consistent with applicable State and Federal statutes; and

(2) will not impair the general health or welfare of the people receiving services under the project or others receiving services in the applying social services district.

(d) Appropriate alternative standards. The office is authorized, in consultation with the Department of Labor where appropriate, to allow appropriate alternative standards in place of any waived requirements.

(e) Applications. Applications for pilot projects must include, but are not limited to, the following elements:

(1) the name of the applying social services district or group of social services districts;

(2) the population;

(3) the size of its welfare-related programs, including medical assistance, family assistance, safety net assistance, and emergency assistance to families or its successor programs;

(4) the size of the population to be subject to the pilot project;

(5) the project proposed, with quantified cost savings and an explanation of how such project, if approved, would result in cost containment of the amounts described in the application or improvements in the delivery of services and benefits;

(6) the start date and completion date of the project;

(7) whether, if successful, the project would require funding in future years; and

(8) identification, as necessary, of any rules, regulations or statutory requirements that could impede the successful completion of the project.

(f) Approved projects. If a project is approved, the office must provide funding within amounts made available by appropriations.

(1) However, no social services district or group of districts can receive more than 25 percent of the funds available in any year.

(2) No payment will be made until 30 days after the agreement has been executed.

(g) Reimbursement. An approved project that achieves its cost-savings goal will receive full reimbursement for the costs of the project in the amount approved by the office in cooperation with the Department of Labor.

(1) In no case will the State or any of its agencies require remission or repayment of funds saved by any applicant.

(2) Reimbursement for successful applicants will not take place until the office has been satisfied as to the savings levels actually achieved.

(h) Evaluation. Each social services district or group of districts implementing a pilot project must establish an on-going program evaluation and assessment program employing objective measurements and systematic analysis to determine the manner and extent to which the project is achieving the intended objectives.

(i) Contents of the evaluation. Each evaluation and assessment program must contain the following information:

(1) an annual performance plan with goals which establish target levels of performance;

(2) the target levels, which must be expressed as tangible, measurable objectives against which actual achievement can be compared; and

(3) the comparison must include a goal expressed as a qualitative standard, value or rate.

(j) Annual program performance report. Each participating district or group of districts must submit an annual program performance report for the prior fiscal year to the office, the Department of Labor, the governor, the speaker of the assembly, and the majority leader of the senate.

(k) Contents of the annual program performance report. The report must document:

(1) the performance achieved compared with the performance goals established for the pilot project;

(2) improvements in the quality of services provided and any cost savings;

(3) an explanation if a performance goal was not met; and

(4) an assessment of the effectiveness in achieving performance goals.

(l) Exemption from administrative limitations. State reimbursement for expenditures made by a social services district for the administration of any project, including expenditures made in connection with the development, if performed by a county employee or employees, is not subject to any limitations on administrative expenditures, ceilings or caps which otherwise would apply to the reimbursement of such administrative expenditures.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 18 § 300.9