Fiscal Year 2004 Proposed Budget

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DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
DIRECTOR'S OFFICE/PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM MISSION: To provide leadership, policy guidance, planning and goal setting, management oversight, and tools to the Department of Human Services to ensure that high quality, integrated human services are provided to Arlington County residents and businesses.

The Director's Office/Planning and Administration monitors conditions, assesses needs, conducts strategic and tactical planning, and works closely with state and other local human service agencies and community organizations to extend resources and achieve common goals. During FY 2003, the Director's Office will have implemented privacy policies and procedures necessary to comply with privacy provisions mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).  Implemented procedures include those which protect patients' private health information; provide employees with minimum appropriate access to private health information to perform their jobs effectively; create processes for handling complaints, requests for disclosures, and restrictions as requested by patients; and train all employees on HIPAA compliance as it relates to their jobs by April 14, 2003.  The Director's Office, working in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Social Services, secured major new funding through the Local Public Assistance Cost Allocation Plan (LPACAP) for one-time and ongoing human service enhancements, undertaking a public input process on how the funds should be allocated. Further efforts to maximize revenues will continue in FY 2004.

Units within the Director's Office/Planning and Administration provide administrative services to support delivery of services and achievement of the Department's program mission.  Five bureaus, which provide centralized and specialized administrative support for the Department's five program divisions, report to the Director and Deputy Director. Responding to the breadth of programs and services in the Department, the diversity of funding sources, and the complexity of administrative support needs, these units provide support within the Department that cannot be provided by the County's central support departments.  Close coordination with these departments ensures that the Division complements, but does not duplicate services.

• The mission of the Human Resources Bureau (HRB) is to enable DHS employees to maintain the highest level of service to the community by providing accurate, timely and supportive Human Resources Services.  HRB is responsible for management of the Department's workforce needs and departmental efforts to ensure compliance with all human resource policies and procedures.  The Bureau provides coordination of and special expertise regarding the Department's recruitment, employee relations, organizational development, payroll, performance management, equal opportunity and affirmative action, staff training and development, and position classification activities.  In FY 2004, attention will be given to a continued review of HR processes and the development of strategic plans, especially in the areas of staffing and organizational development.

• The mission of the Automation Services Bureau (ASB) isto enable DHS staff to do their jobs by providing information technology support and training.  ASB coordinates and supports automation and technology use in the Department, including development and implementation of information technology strategic directions. Department staff at multiple sites rely heavily on a wide and complex array of information systems, related to a multitude of federal, state, and local programs, funding sources, and regulatory mandates, to conduct day-to-day business and serve clients, as well as account for and report to numerous state agencies and other entities.  The Department of Human Services Information Technology Strategic Plan envisions a flexible information technology architecture of multiple platforms and applications systems, with multiple connections directly to state systems, as well as through the Internet, which interface with a central DHS client data repository containing shared information needed to support the DHS objective of integrated service delivery. The Bureau has the responsibility of supporting, in coordination with the Department of Technology Services, the hardware and infrastructure necessary to carry these systems, as well as supporting the several major business applications systems critical to service delivery, tracking and reporting, and management.  FY 2004 will see the culmination of the multi-year effort to replace the outdated Client and Service Event (CASE) mainframe system and its four sub-systems and achieve system interface among different systems. Other projects implementing the DHS Information Technology Strategic Plan include multiple ASP and Web-interfaced applications to reduce support overhead and improve application performance and creation of a community human services network to share the benefits of the County's INET system with non-profit human service partners.  In addition, network and infrastructure improvements continue at 3033 Wilson Boulevard and other DHS sites.

• The mission of the General Services Bureau (GSB) is to provide a safe, clean, healthy, and efficient working environment by managing DHS resources in the areas of facilities, vehicles, and related areas.  GSB assists in maintaining the buildings occupied by the Department, working closely with the County's Office of Support Services.  The Bureau supports Department programs by providing mail and delivery services, maintaining a central medical supply storage, managing the Department's vehicle fleet and reservation system, coordinating activities designed to ensure a safe and secure working environment, and managing closed files and permanently retained case records.  For the new building at 3033 Wilson Boulevard, the Bureau provides tenant facility management and liaison with the owner's building management, the Office of Support Services, and vendors for building systems maintenance, custodial services, parking garage management, electronic access and security services.  In FY 2004 Bureau staff will participate in facility design and implementation of renovations to the Fenwick Center and the relocation of ACAP/Head Start to renovated space at the DHS Edison complex.  The Bureau will also be involved in County efforts to inventory and develop systems for managing the wide array of client records throughout the Department, in accordance with federal and state mandates.

• The mission of the Financial Management Bureau (FMB) is to provide sound financial management for the Department of Human Services and to maintain good working relationships with internal and external customers.  FMB performs centralized Departmental accounting and financial reporting functions: issuing certain client assistance payments; tracking Departmental revenues and expenses; developing and maintaining financial reports for program managers and grantor agencies; ensuring that the Department's fiscal procedures are in compliance with County, state and federal policies and practices; centralized Departmental billing and depositing functions; collecting grant revenue and fees from agencies, clients and other sources; and recouping assistance payments in accordance with state and federal mandates.   The Bureau coordinates collection of overdue accounts with the Treasurer's Office, debt set-off, and state and federal tax recovery programs.  Bureau staff are involved in a number of revenue maximization efforts to draw down additional federal and state funds, including LPACAP and Medicaid reimbursements.

• The mission of the Management and Budget Bureau (MBB) is to ensure that the Department has sufficient resources to achieve organizational goals by coordinating the timely development and implementation of an annual budget that is inclusive and accurately plans for the Department's financial and personnel goals. MBB is responsible for coordinating the development and submission of the Department's County budget, coordinating the Department's performance measurement efforts, evaluating overall financial issues in the Department, and coordinating with the County Manager's Office on County Board reports and actions.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• FY 2004 proposed personnel expenditures include the addition of 1.5 FTE:  1.0 FTE reallocated from the Economic Independence Division (EID), for a HIPAA/Records Management position; and 0.5 FTE, also reallocated from EID, for an administrative support position to be combined with another 0.5 FTE within the Director's Office/Planning and Administration Division to create a full-time administrative support position.  The Records Management position is unfunded in the proposed budget, but has been included for possible funding from the Human Services Grant Allocation Strategic Initiative. 

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Objective: To facilitate client service delivery in the Department of Human Services through the provision of essential support services.

Proposed Budget Contents | Section H Contents