COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. No.: 0178-06

Bill No.: Perfected SS for SCS for SB 48

Subject: Modifies the Family Care Safety Registry

Type: Original

Date: March 14, 2001




FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
General Revenue ($67,174) ($64,897) ($66,580)
Criminal Record System Fund $121,527 $18,506 $17,871
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

State Funds

$54,353 ($46,391) ($48,709)



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
Local Government $0 $0 $0

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 6 pages.

FISCAL ANALYSIS



ASSUMPTION



Officials from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Corrections, and Department of Social Services stated the proposed legislation has no fiscal impact on their agency.



Officials from the Department of Mental Health (DMH) stated changes in this legislation could increase the volume of contacts to the DMH, but there is no way to determine whether or how much of an increase in volume will occur with the implementation of this legislation. There appears to be no change to the previously reported fiscal impact of $0 to unknown. The changes are merely points of clarification and do not change the previously reported fiscal impact to the DMH.



Oversight assumes that any increase in the volume of contacts to the DMH could be absorbed with current funding levels.



Officials from the Office of Attorney General (AGO) did not respond to our request for fiscal impact. However, in response to an earlier version of the proposed legislation, the AGO officials stated the costs of the proposed legislation could be absorbed by the agency.



Officials from the Department of Health (DOH) stated the proposed legislation will fiscally impact their agency. The DOH officials stated that according to a representative of the Division of Aging there are currently 372 agencies that contract to provide in-home services. It is unknown the total number of employees of those agencies. The three largest agencies in the state employ a total of 2,500 care staff. Since several of the agencies are very small, it could be assumed that the remaining agencies would have an average of 10 employees. Using this assumption, 2,500 (3 largest agencies) plus 3,690 from the smaller agencies (369 x 10) for a total of 6,190 to be registered.



According to a representative of Vocational Rehabilitation, there are currently 1,100 individuals who meet the requirements of 187.661. An additional 120 individuals are added each month. Each of these individuals has two to three caregivers that meet the definition of personal care attendant or personal care worker. By 2002 they believe 4,000 individuals will be served with the potential for an additional 12,000 caregivers. It is unclear just how many of these care givers may serve more than one client but an estimate could be made that at least 2,000 may fall into this category.







ASSUMPTION (continued)



According to a representative of the Department of Mental Health, there are 4,200 entities that contract to provide personnel care services. It is estimated they employ 13,000 individuals to perform those tasks.



6,190 In-home workers (Aging)

10,000 Personal care workers (Vocational Rehabilitation)

13,000 Personal care workers (DMH)

29,190 Total



The turnover rate for these individuals would be similar to that of other in-home providers. The current turnover rate is estimated to be 35%, which would translate to 10,217 individuals to be registered annually.



The DOH estimates one Family Care Registry staff member is needed per 5,000 registrants. This individual will process the registrant, provide information to the registrant regarding information that will be released, provide responses to employers regarding background via the toll free number, confirm by letter the information provided to the employer and registrant, and provide additional detailed information if requested.



Two Account Clerk I's are needed to process the daily fees that are submitted with the applications. As a result of the Family Care Registry legislation, it is estimated above that the DOH will receive approximately 10, 217 applications each year in addition to the 48,302 estimated when the legislation originally passed. This has placed a burden on existing staff and will exceed their ability to meet this level of need. Each application includes a fee that has to be processed and deposited into the Criminal Records System Fund. The DOH currently receives a similar number of receipts related to the Vital Records program we administer, and that workload is performed by two FTE. The fee is collected at the time of registration, which is administered by the DOH; thus, Department handles the fee receipts and depositing of them into the Patrol's Criminal Records System's Fund.



Therefore, the DOH estimates that 4 FTE - 2 Health Program Reps. I/II and 2 Account Clerk I's will be needed along with the necessary equipment and expense. The DOH is also requesting rental space for the 4 additional FTE. Total expenditures are estimated to be $183,712 for FY 02 (10 months); $195,772 for FY 03; and $200,883 for FY 04.



Oversight assumes the DOH would be able to implement the proposed legislation with 2 Account Clerk I FTE, would place the additional FTE in current office space, and would not need rental space.





ASSUMPTION (continued)



Officials from the Department of Public Safety - Missouri Highway Patrol (MHP) stated the proposed legislation would fiscally impact their agency. The MHP state the Patrol's Criminal Records and Identification Division would require an additional FTE as a result of this legislation based on the following assumptions:



Vocational Rehabilitation Personal care workers 10,000

Mental Health Personal care workers 13,000

Division of Aging In-home workers 6,190

Total Searches 29,190 First year



After the first year, it can be expected that there will be 30% annual turnover rate, which would result in 8,757 name searches needed per year.



37 name searches per day

8 working hours in a day

7.07 minutes per name search

= 1 FTE.



This FTE would be an AFIS Entry Operator to review data submitted, verify data entered into the CJO2 System and against similar names, DOB and social security number. They would also be responsible for retrieving data with and without criminal history and submitting criminal information for RAP sheet to be verified by the Criminal History Record Technicians. Once verified by the Criminal History Record Technician, the FTE would prepare it for release and process the criminal record request forms to the submitting agency.



The FTE would require the standard office equipment.



Officials from the MHP stated the proposed legislation would also affect Total State Revenue. During the first year, 29,190 name searches would be done. Each name search is $5.00 so $145,950 would be deposited into the Criminal Record Systems Fund. For every year after that, 8,757 name searches would be done at $5.00 each. This would result in $43,785 being deposited into the Criminal Record Systems Fund during each FY 03 and FY 04.













FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2002

(10 Mo.)

FY 2003 FY 2004
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Costs - Department of Health
Personal Service Costs (2 FTE) ($32,042) ($39,411) ($40,396)
Fringe Benefits ($10,680) ($13,136) ($13,464)
Equipment and Expenses ($24,452) ($12,350) ($12,720)
Total Costs - Department of Health ($67,174) ($64,897) ($66,580)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
GENERAL REVENUE FUND ($67,174) ($64,897) ($66,580)
CRIMINAL RECORD SYSTEM
FUND
Income - Department of Public Safety -
Missouri Highway Patrol
Criminal Record Search Fees $145,950 $43,785 $43,785
Costs - Department of Public Safety -
Missouri Highway Patrol
Personal Service Costs (1 FTE) ($15,006) ($18,457) ($18,919)
Fringe Benefits ($5,001) ($6,152) ($6,306)
Equipment and Expenses ($4,416) ($670) ($689)
Total Costs - Missouri Highway Patrol ($24,423) ($25,279) ($25,914)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
CRIMINAL RECORD SYSTEM
FUND $121,527 $18,506 $17,871



FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 2002

(10 Mo.)

FY 2003 FY 2004
$0 $0 $0



FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business



No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.



DESCRIPTION



This act modifies the Family Care Safety Registry. The Registry will provide information on child care, elder care, and personal care workers and providers from the following sources:



Missouri State Highway Patrol's criminal record check system; The Division of Family Services' abuse and neglect records; Financial exploitation of the elderly or disabled; The Division of Aging's employee disqualification list and abuse and neglect registry; The Department of Mental Health's record of disqualified employees; Foster parent licensure denials, revocations, and involuntary suspensions; Child care facility licensure denials, revocations, and suspensions; and Residential living facility licensure denials, revocations, and suspensions.



Any employee who fails to register and any employer who fails to confirm such registration will be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.



This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Department of Social Services

Department of Health

Department of Corrections

Department of Mental Health

Department of Public Safety - Missouri Highway Patrol



NOT RESPONDING: Office of Attorney General









Jeanne Jarrett, CPA

Director



March 14, 2001