Chapter 2.30 — HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

There is hereby established a Human Services Agency under the administrative supervision of the Director of the Human Services Agency.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

The Director of the Human Services Agency shall administer the provision of youth and family services, including shelter care and dependent children under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, programs of community services, self-sufficiency programs, job training, homeless services and other special social service programs, in conformity with the State and Federal statutes and regulations and in accordance with the provisions of the San Mateo County Charter, this code and such other applicable laws, ordinances and regulations as may be hereinafter promulgated.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06: Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

The Director of the Human Services Agency is hereby directed to keep full and complete records of all requests for assistance, investigation of such requests, and all public assistance, granted or denied, and services rendered; also records of the investigation of all applications for licenses and the issuance or denial of the same.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

All records and information concerning recipients of public assistance or services provided by the Human Services Agency shall, to the extent permitted by state and federal law, be confidential within the Agency and no information may be released except to duly authorized agencies or individuals for purposes pertaining solely to the administration of aid or to persons within the Agency for purposes of administration

of the programs of the Agency; except that such records may be made available for research purposes provided that such research will not result in the disclosure of the identity of the applicants or recipients of public assistance or social services.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

The Director of the Human Services Agency shall be responsible for the formulating of rules and regulations concerning policies and procedures in the administration of all Social Service programs in the County of San Mateo. Such rules and regulations shall be presented by him for review to the Board of Supervisors through the County Manager. Said rules and regulations shall be final and binding thirty (30) days from the receipt of said regulations by the Board of Supervisors unless within thirty (30) days of receipt thereof by that Board, the County Manager or a member of the Board of Supervisors places the regulations or amendments on the agenda of any meeting of the Board of Supervisors for that Board's formal consideration. Regulations brought before the Board of Supervisors in this manner, and thereafter formally approved or amended by the Board of Supervisors, will become effective thirty (30) days from that approval or amendment.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

The policies and procedures provided for in this code shall establish eligibility for aid to indigent residents in the County of San Mateo through an adult general assistance program, and also shall provide for care to indigent minors. Persons eligible for adult general assistance shall be defined as all indigent adults or legally married indigent minors who are lawful residents of San Mateo County as defined in Welfare and Institutions Code 17105 and who are not supported by their own means, by relatives or friends, or by State hospitals or other State or private institutions, or who are not eligible for any other program of assistance. Adult indigents may be incompetent, incapacitated by age, disease, or accident, or be unemployed. Eligible indigent minors are those persons who are under 18 years of age, not legally married, and who would be eligible for adult general assistance except for the fact that they are under 18 years of age.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

Indigent non-residents in the County of San Mateo, who otherwise qualify, may receive adult general assistance, or care as indigent minors, in one of the following situations: (1) on an emergency basis only while awaiting authorization for return to their place of legal residence; or (2) upon an agreement entered into with the County of residence providing for reimbursement from said County.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

Recognizing the possibility of other emergency situations not covered by the eligibility requirements set forth herein, the Director of the Human Services Agency or the Director's designee is hereby authorized to

grant temporary assistance, in the most appropriate manner, where the circumstances indicate an urgent need for such relief. The policies and procedures referred to in this code shall provide for such emergency relief, setting out the criteria for its availability, and the nature of such relief.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

All applications for general assistance shall contain, in addition to the usual identifying information, a sworn statement of assets, real and personal, possessed by the applicant, a record of his employment and prior residence, and the immediate cause of indigency. Anyone applying for general assistance shall complete such application, and if it is determined that the applicant is a minor, said applicant shall be referred to Children's Services for the provision of care to indigent minors, as set out in the policies and procedures formulated by the Director of the Human Services Agency pursuant to section 2.30.050 of this code.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

Procedures for securing repayment of aid shall be established to implement the statutes contained in the Welfare and Institutions Code. San Mateo County may require recipients of adult general assistance, as a condition of aid, to sign an agreement to reimburse the County for aid advanced. An adult general assistance recipient may be required to execute a lien on any real property, owned or acquired by said recipient, to secure the repayment of monies expended by the County for the recipient's support. The Director of the Human Services Agency shall adopt a scale for determining the amount of repayment required, based on the following factors:

Amount of the account or sums due the County;

The actual market value of the debtor's real property; and

Liabilities and responsibilities of the debtor.

Such liens may not be enforced during the life of the recipient, unless the property securing same is sold, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of, but any income from such property shall be applied to the cost of said aid. In those cases in which the recipient is survived by a dependent spouse or child, the lien may not be enforced until the death of that spouse or child, or until such time as said spouse or dependant child has achieved self-maintenance, or until the property is sold, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

In order to establish eligibility for general assistance, an alien must be indigent, otherwise qualified for aid as established by pertinent sections of this chapter and have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence or permanently residing in the United States pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act. Any alien who is otherwise qualified for aid shall be eligible to receive general assistance, if he certifies under penalty of perjury that to the best of his knowledge, he is in the United States legally and is entitled to remain indefinitely, or if he certifies that he is not under order of deportation. Such certification by the alien may be forwarded to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service for verification.

Sponsors of aliens may be contacted to determine their willingness to support the alien, if the alien has been residing in the United States for less than five (5) years.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

The home for dependent children shall be operated and managed by the Director of the Human Services Agency. Admission to said home shall be made upon recommendation of the Probation Department, by request of parents or other persons having custody of dependent non-delinquent children having need of such placement, and, in emergencies, directly by the Human Services Agency. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a minor who presents himself/herself as indigent and not being provided for by any other individual or institution may be placed in the home for dependent children pending investigation of the minor's status.

Payments for said care shall be made by the parents, or other legally responsible individuals, when it is determined that funds are available for this purpose.

It is the intent and express policy of the Board of Supervisors that said home shall be for temporary care of dependent and neglected children pending return to their own homes, or placement in another suitable home or institution in accordance with law.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)

The accounting section of the Human Services Agency is hereby authorized to assume responsibility for all financial recording and accounting necessary in the administering of the programs heretofore enumerated in this chapter, upon the request and with the approval of the County Controller.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06)