Supervisors on Tuesday found out San Benito County faces a shortfall of more than $400,000 due to an employee filing late claims for in-home support services.
An employee with the county neglected to file the claims by a deadline for the 2010-11 fiscal year, Catherine Shaw, a mangement analyst, told supervisors Tuesday. She was there to present a first-quarter budget update that included projected revenues that were still pending and some revenues that were anticipated, but will not be materializing.
The shortfall is for more than $400,000 in claims from the state’s Department of Social Services.
“Several claims will not be honored by the state due to tardiness of the claims,” Shaw said.
The problem with the late claims has been rectified, said Rich Inman, the county administrative officer. The money, however, already has been disbursed to in-home support services employees who submit invoices to the county, which then files claims with the state for reimbursement.
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz asked if “a head should roll” for the late filing of the claims, but Inman said that the issue had been addressed – without giving out details except to say that the most-recent quarter for which claims had to be filed was done in time.
“The identification of the problem is done,” Inman said. “That department is trying to find ways to make up the money.”
Supervisor Margie Barrios noted that the shortage of money creates a difficult situation since, she said, “We have people receiving services that are necessary.”
Inman said the solution will probably be to cut services to make up the difference, as he did not recommend moving money from the general fund to cover the loss.
Supervisors during the meeting also heard of another $200,000 loss from the state.
The San Benito County Behavioral Health Department had anticipated $200,000 from the state for CalWorks mental health and substance abuse services. The state Health and Human Services Department decided not to give out the money for the programs – after the supervisors had adopted the final budget in September. Shaw said that the county behavioral health department would be bringing back a budget adjustment to address the issue at a future meeting.
Those discussions came in the same meeting where earlier in the morning, the supervisors provided a proclamation declaring November as National Caregivers Month in San Benito County. De La Cruz introduced one IHSS worker who cares for an adult family, and several other IHSS workers sat in the audience.
“She’s hard working and been taking care of a family member all her life,” De La Cruz said of the woman who came up to collect the proclamation. “She is the perfect example of the benefit of the program. Without her, this person would be in an institution, at great taxpayer expense.”
