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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Fox-Young
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
2-3-06
HB 548
SHORT TITLE SOUTH VALLEY CHILDREN'S SERVICES
SB
ANALYST Lucero
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY06
FY07
$100.0
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates to HB759
Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Human Services Department (HSD)
Department of Health (DOH)
Children, Youth and Families (CYF)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill appropriates 100.0 from the general fund to Children, Youth and Families Depart-
ment for the purpose of providing child care, health care and homeless services for children in
the south valley of Albuquerque.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $100.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any
unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert to the
general fund.
pg_0002
House Bill 548 – Page
2
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
CYFD enjoys a strong working relationship with Cuidando los Ninos, a contract provider serving
the South Valley community in Albuquerque. Cuidando los Ninos has special expertise and es-
tablished history in providing child care, support and other services to low-income and homeless
families.
Some of the individuals who would benefit from the services outlined under HB548 could poten-
tially be Medicaid eligible and those services would therefore be eligible for a federal Medicaid
match.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
The bill could positively impact the percent of families reunited within one year of a child enter-
ing custody; the number of substantiated child victims; and the percent of children with repeat
maltreatment in this high-need community.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
It is unknown how many of the individuals receiving services would be Medicaid eligible.
Therefore, the administrative impact to HSD is not known.
CYFD would absorb any additional administrative impact associated with passage of this bill.
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
Relates to HB 759
TECHNICAL ISSUES
The bill does not specify if the child care, health care and homeless services are bundled to-
gether. If bundled, then the number of providers might be limited who can qualify for this ex-
penditure by CYFD. If unbundled, what is the allocation to each service.
The bill does not mention eligibility requirements. Is the childcare limited to 150% of the fed-
eral poverty level and is the health care limited to the Medicaid eligible.
Homeless children should be in the custody of CYFD’s protective services.
pg_0003
House Bill 548 – Page
3
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
The South Valley of Albuquerque is an area of high need among children. Twenty-five percent
of residents are under the age of 15. The population is 75% Latin or Hispanic origin. The area
has the highest unemployment in the city, at 8.19%, and 42% of families with children under age
18 are below 186% of the federal poverty level. (US Census, 2000).
The Department of Health (DOH) Rural Primary Health Care Act Program provides funding for
primary care services in the South Valley through the First Choice Community Health Center
and Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless. In addition, while the Healthier Kids Fund pro-
vides primary care for school-age children, no new clients are being enrolled due to funding limi-
tations.
ANA/sec