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Committee approves $3.3 million DSS transfer amid questions on unused waiver and staffing
Summary
The committee approved FAC 2026‑11, a $3.3M transfer among Department of Social Services accounts; deputies explained vendor procurement failures, low TANF enrollment, eligibility‑staff vacancies and use of overtime as drivers of unspent and needed funds.
The Finance Advisory Committee approved FAC 2026‑11, a $3,300,000 transfer among accounts at the Department of Social Services to meet projected year‑end requirements after deputies outlined multiple operational issues that produced both surpluses and shortfalls.
Chantelle Vars, deputy commissioner for finance and administration at DSS, said one account showed a $2,000,000 surplus because the department was unable to procure an in‑state residential‑care vendor: "We did go out to bid ... we had 1 respondent and they declined to enter into an agreement," Vars said. That procurement failure left funds intended for reinvestment unspent.
Committee members pressed the department on whether the surplus resulted from program redesigns, timing of federal waivers and use of one‑time ARPA funds. Vars and Deputy Commissioner Isha Canada, who oversees eligibility operations, said low enrollment in a TANF‑adjacent cash assistance program has left funds unused despite recent increases in eligibility thresholds. Canada described workforce constraints in eligibility operations and the time required to train new staff: "It's 12 to 18 months, to be able to train someone effectively on all of the policy ..." she said, describing lengthy curricula and quality assurance requirements for front‑line eligibility workers.
Representative Walker repeatedly urged the department to redirect unused TANF or reinvestment dollars to service needs and asked for more detailed staffing and call‑center metrics. Committee members also requested follow‑up on why certain waiver‑funded programs have not been operationalized and whether reserve funds intended for multiyear investments remain appropriate.
The motion to approve FAC 2026‑11 was moved and seconded on the record; the committee approved the transfer by voice vote.
Why it matters: The transfer reconciles program accounts for services aimed at low‑income and vulnerable residents. Committee questioning highlighted a mismatch between available investment dollars and the state's ability to operationalize programs because of procurement, provider capacity and staffing constraints.
What happens next: DSS committed to follow up with more detailed explanations for procurement refusals, the status of pending RFPs, explanations of TANF enrollment trends, and staffing metrics for eligibility operations.
