The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) oversees essential health, social, disability, and child care programs for residents of the Commonwealth. EOHHS and its 14 agencies provide these services through state-operated programs, contracts with private organizations, and direct benefit payments.

In Fiscal Year 2000, EOHHS will provide oversight and policy support to:

• coordinate and expand health initiatives through new tobacco settlement funding;
  


• implement changes in the Commonwealth’s welfare law that reinforce the Cellucci/Swift Administration’s work-first approach to welfare reform, and continue implementation of federal welfare reform;
  


• continue implementation of the Targeted Cities Initiative, a collaborative effort with local government and nonprofit groups to improve outcomes for at-risk youth; and
  


• coordinate statewide domestic violence initiatives stressing prevention and targeted intervention.
  

By the end of Fiscal Year 2000, the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) anticipates serving approximately one million residents of the Commonwealth, including 300,000 children, families, and working adults who are newly eligible for health care coverage or premium assistance as a result of the recent Health Care Reform legislation. Many of DMA’s Fiscal Year 2000 initiatives, including expanding the Senior Pharmacy Program, will be supported by the newly created Health Care and Community Services Trust, funded initially by annual payments from the national tobacco settlement. Other DMA Fiscal Year 2000 objectives include: completing the implementation of the Insurance Partnership Program to increase access to private health care coverage, and expanding eligibility for MassHealth benefits to people who are diagnosed with HIV or AIDS who are earning less than 200% of the federal poverty level.

In Fiscal Year 2000, the Executive Office will collaborate with the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and other departments to ensure that recipients of Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) continue to receive crucial support services such as child care, job training, transportation, and services to address domestic violence. The Executive Office will also work with DTA and other departments to monitor TAFDC recipients who have reached their two-year time limit on benefits and provide information to them on their continued eligibility for job search services, child care, Food Stamps and health care benefits. In addition, the Executive Office will give particular attention to the expanded needs of recipients who will be required to work in Fiscal Year 2000 because of changes in the Commonwealth’s welfare law.

The Executive Office, through the Targeted Cities Initiative, will provide matching grants to 11 cities to support programs aimed at reducing juvenile crime, teen pregnancy, and high school drop-out rates. The programs will serve children of all ages, and will focus on integrating services offered at the state and local level to families and children, and on improving the availability of after-school activities such as mentoring and tutoring.

In Fiscal Year 2000, the Executive Office will improve the planning and coordination of domestic violence services statewide. This effort will include collaboration with a wide range of state agencies both within Human Services and in other Executive and Judicial branch agencies, including the Trial Court, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Department of Education. Domestic violence services provided through these and other departments will include shelter and counseling services, emergency and transitional housing, teen dating violence prevention services, and programs for children who witness violence. In addition, the Executive Office will facilitate the operation of a pilot program to address confidentiality for victims of domestic violence.

The Fiscal Year 2000 recommendation for the Executive Office is $7.2 million. This recommendation includes a reserve of $3 million to fund the Targeted Cities Initiative (4000-0110) and $180,000 for domestic violence services coordination and a pilot confidentiality program for victims of domestic violence (4000-0107 ).

This budget recommendation also includes a $15 million reserve in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (1599-6897 ) to improve salaries for the lowest paid contracted provider staff delivering direct care services to the Commonwealth’s citizens.

In addition to these recommendations, $5.5 million in spending is supported by the new Health Care and Community Services Trust. This contribution will be used to study the uses and efficiency of current tobacco control programs and to increase the capacity of health and human service agencies to improve eligibility verification and identify client costs eligible for federal reimbursement.

In Fiscal Year 2000, the Department of Youth Services will be transferred from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to the Executive Office of Public Safety to align the agency with the goals and objectives of public safety.