Infusion of federal money saves social services agency
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
The state has gotten $1.25 million in federal money for the Office of Community Services, five months after Gov. Linda Lingle warned that the office would be the victim of budget restrictions.
The Office of Community Services is part of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and provides employment, food distribution, transportation and legal and youth services. OCS also provides services to the Head Start program, administers eight state programs and works with 25 service providers.
The governor's office yesterday said the state Department of Human Services has identified $1.25 million for OCS. The governor said the federal money will restore most of the $1.6 million that was restricted because of budget shortfalls.
The remaining money will be provided from other sources, the governor's office said.
Under a memorandum of agreement, the Department of Human Services will reimburse OCS for services to clients who qualify for federal family assistance. OCS service providers will screen eligible clients.
Lingle said her administration will continue to seek alternative sources of money for programs.
"This agreement between DHS and OCS assures that services to the most needy will not be interrupted," Lingle said in a written statement. "Even as the state economy improves, it is important to still exercise fiscal prudence in order to align expenses with revenues."
When the budget restriction was announced in May, OCS executive director Sam Aiona said it was "due to the serious impact that projected collective bargaining costs will have on the state's financial situation."
That angered officials with the Hawai'i Government Employees Association, which represents 23,000 workers. Yesterday, union spokesman Randy Perreira said he was pleased the governor found money for the programs.
"But perhaps that's one reason why they shouldn't use scare tactics about funding, because it doesn't serve any purpose and it only serves to create anxiety within the community of nonprofits that they are serving," Perreira said.
Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.
