This transmittal rescinds Administrative Code rule 5101:9-6-03 Consolidated Funding and replaces it with a new Administrative Code rule 5101:9-6-03 titled Public Assistance Fund Linked Allocations. The consolidated allocation as terminated in Administrative Procedure Letter No. 279, is being replaced by several linked allocations.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is making amendments for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2005 to the policies/business rules to stop the roll mechanism that currently exists within the consolidated allocation. The roll mechanism will be replaced by allocation links in funding streams across several of the individual allocations that made up the consolidated allocation.

ODJFS will first charge expenditures and/or issue draws to the appropriate allocation. If a link exists to any other allocation, then ODJFS will charge excesses to the linked allocation when there are available funds in the linked allocation for an individual county.

The linked allocations are as follows: (1) Federal Social Services (Title XX), Adult Protective Services and State Social Service Operating allocations will be linked; (2) Food Stamp Employment and Training (FSET) will be linked to Income Maintenance and to Federal Food Stamps; and (3) the only link to TANF will be through the County Child Care allocation which will be linked to the quality child care allocation. Refugee Services will be issued a separate allocation with no linkages to other funding streams. These linkages are also illustrated on the attached diagram. Please note the flow arrows in this diagram represent how ceiling excesses for a specific allocation will be linked to other allocations in a grouping. The arrows indicate where expenditures and cash draws that are in excess of ceilings, will link for continued cash flow. Expenditures will only be linked in the direction identified by the arrows.

Food Stamp and Medicaid administration allocations will become pass through allocations to local CDJFS agencies. The Income Maintenance allocation will be used by CDJFS as the non-federal match for the 50% federal financial participation (FFP) until that funding source is exhausted. The Income Maintenance allocation will be increased by $55.5 million to assist county agencies in providing these essential Food Stamp and Medicaid support services. Once the Income Maintenance allocation is exhausted by a county, then the 50% FFP will be passed through to a CDJFS as long as a CDJFS identifies local funds as the non-federal match component. We will develop a process and/or form soon to be used by county agencies for such documentation.

Please contact your Fiscal Supervisor, or the Bureau of County Finance and Technical Assistance at (614) 752-9194 with any questions.

Attachment

Click here to view the PA Fund Linkage