Executive Office of Health and Human Services

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

Office of the Secretary.

State Appropriations.

4000-0100

For the operation of the executive office, including the health facilities appeals board; provided, that said executive office shall provide technical and administrative assistance to agencies receiving federal funds; provided further, that said executive office shall monitor the expenditures and completion timetables for systems development projects being undertaken by the department of social services, the division of medical assistance, and the department of transitional assistance, and shall ensure that all measures are taken to make said systems compatible with one another for enhanced interagency interaction; provided further, that said office shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the secretary of administration and finance on the progress of the development of said systems and the measures taken to ensure interagency cooperation not later than January 15, 1998; provided further, that said executive office shall continue to develop and implement the common client identifier, so-called; provided further, that $100,000 shall be expended for the purposes of evaluating welfare reform pursuant to section 282; provided further, that said executive office shall work in conjunction with the office of child care services, the department of social services and the department of transitional assistance to develop a detailed plan for the implementation of a unified intake and eligibility system for day care in fiscal year 1999; provided further, that said plan shall include, but not be limited to, the costs of developing, implementing, servicing, and operating said system; provided further, that said executive office shall submit said plan to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the executive office of administration and finance not later than March 1, 1998; provided further, that said executive office shall ensure that any collaborative assessments for children receiving services from multiple agencies within the secretariat shall be performed within existing resources; and provided further, that said executive office shall work in cooperation with the department of transitional assistance, the department of social services, and the office of child care services to facilitate the consolidation of day care services within said office of child care services

......................................................$1,972,842

4000-0105

For the Annie E. Casey foundation project, prior appropriation continued. approval of the secretary and the notification of the house and senate committees on ways and

4000-0122

For a citizenship assistance program to assist legal non-citizens in becoming citizens of the United States; provided, that the executive office of health and human services is authorized and directed to enter into an interagency service agreement with the office for refugees and immigrants for the administration of said program; provided further, that said program shall be administered in consultation with said executive office, the department of transitional assistance, and the division of medical assistance; provided further, that said program shall be provided through community-based organizations to the maximum extent determined appropriate by the office for refugees and immigrants; provided further, that the program funded by this item: (1) shall provide assistance to persons who are eligible to become citizens of the United States within three years; (2) shall provide assistance to such persons who have been determined ineligible for federally funded benefits solely because of their status as non-citizens and who are currently receiving state-funded benefits which could be replaced in whole or in part by federally funded benefits if such persons became citizens of the United States; and (3) may be funded not only through state appropriations but also through matching financial or in-kind contributions by private organizations or local government agencies; provided further, that persons who would qualify for benefits provided pursuant to chapter 118A of the General Laws, but for their status as legal non-citizens shall be accorded the highest priority for provision of services; provided further, that said program shall neither be an entitlement, nor be construed to create an entitlement, and shall be subject to state appropriation; provided further, that the office for refugees and immigrants shall issue quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and means and to the executive office of administration and finance on the number of persons participating in said program and the number of persons attaining citizenship in each quarter; provided further, that said report shall also detail the number of participants in said program receiving state-funded benefits by category of benefit and the federal benefits each participant would have been eligible for, but for his status as a legal non-citizen; provided further, that said office for refugees and immigrants shall report quarterly to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the executive office of administration and finance on the amounts of matching or in-kind contributions by private organizations or local government agencies; provided further, that no funds shall be expended from this item to replace expiring federal funds; provided further, that no funds shall be expended from this item for AA subsidiary payroll costs, so-called; and provided further, that it is declared to be the intention of the general court that this program shall not continue beyond fiscal year 2000 and that not more than an aggregate amount of $6,000,000 shall be expended for the purposes of said program during the period from fiscal year 1998 through fiscal year 2000, inclusive

......................................................$2,000,000

4000-0175

For a pilot program of nutritional assistance through the purchase of federal food stamps for distribution in fiscal year 1998 to residents of the commonwealth who are qualified aliens within the meaning of section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, so-called, and non-citizens otherwise permanently residing under color of law in the United States; provided that such a resident shall be eligible for such benefits only if he (1) is ineligible for federal food stamp benefits pursuant to the provisions of sections 401, 402 or 403 of such Act, (2) would be eligible for federally funded food stamps, but for his citizenship status, and (3) has resided in the commonwealth for at least 60 days; provided further, that priority in the distribution of such benefits shall be given to persons who were receiving federally funded food stamps in fiscal year 1997 but were rendered ineligible for such benefits by operation of said sections 401, 402 or 403; provided further, that on or before August 1, 1997, the secretary shall promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of this item and shall direct the department of transitional assistance to implement the provisions of this item, subject to submission and approval of any plan required under federal law for such distribution; provided further, that the benefit levels established for such program shall, to the extent feasible, replicate the equivalent levels in effect for the federal food stamp program as of June 30, 1997, but shall be reduced by a consistent percentage across all benefit levels to the extent necessary not to exceed the amounts appropriated herein; provided further, that such benefits may be distributed by electronic benefit transfer to the extent such distribution does not jeopardize otherwise available federal funding or impede the effective distribution of such benefits; provided further, that on or before February 1, 1998, the secretary shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means on the fiscal and policy impacts of the pilot program, including an assessment of the size of the caseload, the size of any waiting list for such benefits, and recommendations for future legislative action with respect to such program; provided further, that nothing herein shall give rise to enforceable legal rights in any party or an enforceable entitlement to services, other than to the extent that such rights or entitlements exist pursuant to the regulations promulgated by said department consistent with this item; provided further, that nothing stated herein shall be construed as giving rise to enforceable legal rights or an enforceable entitlement to any services other than to the extent that such rights or entitlements exist pursuant to the regulations promulgated by said department consistent with this item

......................................................$5,000,000

Federal Appropriations.

4000-0705

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Emergency Shelter Grants Program

......................................................$1,700,000

4000-0706

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Crisis Nursery

......................................................$60,000

4000-0707

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Supportive Housing

......................................................$10,738,764

4000-0708

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Head Start

......................................................$200,000

4000-9401

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Community Mental Health Service

......................................................$6,384,827

4000-9402

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant

......................................................$29,566,735

4003-0804

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Refugee Targeted Assistance Grant

......................................................$1,461,269

4003-0805

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Refugee Resettlement Program and Social Services

......................................................$1,877,195

4003-0806

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Refugee Cash Assistance, Medical Assistance, and Administration

......................................................$10,579,448

4003-0807

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, State Legalization Impact Assistance Grant

......................................................$2,652,931

4000-9404

For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, the Shelter Plus Care Grant

......................................................$7,772,400