ASSEMBLY, No. 221
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION
By Assemblywoman WEINBERG and Assemblyman ZISA
A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June 30, 1995 (P.L.1995, c.164).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.1995, c.164, there is appropriated out of the General Fund the following sum for the purpose specified:
GRANTS-IN-AID
62. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
50 Economic Planning, Development and Security
54 Manpower and Employment Services
07-4535 Vocational Rehabilation Services.............$4,000,000
Special Purpose:
Sheltered Workshop Support........(4,000,000)
The amount hereinabove, together with the amount appropriated for Grants-In-Aid to the Department of Labor for Sheltered Workshop Support pursuant to P.L.1995, c.164, shall be used for reimbursement of client services in full, subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting.
The Commissioner of Labor, on behalf of the Rehabilitation Commission, established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1955, c.64 (C.34:16-21), shall report in writing to the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, on or before March 15, 1996, on the expenditure and committment of State funds for the Sheltered Workshop Support program for fiscal year 1996 and shall provide program evaluation data regarding the cost of client services, the rate of reimbursement per client and client year, the number of clients and client years served and the number of unfunded clients .
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be retroactive to July 1, 1995.
STATEMENT
The bill provides a General Fund supplemental appropriation of $4,000,000 to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in the Department of Labor for Fiscal Year 1996 for the Sheltered Workshop Support program. Retroactive to July 1, 1995, the bill requires that the additional funding be used for the reimbursement of client services. Moreover, the bill directs the Commissioner of Labor, on behalf of the Rehabilitation Commission, which has sole jurisdiction over the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program, to report to the Director of the Division of Division of Budget and Accounting and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee on the expenditure and committment of State funds regarding this program and to provide certain program evaluation data on or before March 15, 1996.
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provides funding by contract to private and public non-profit agencies which operate extended employment programs for severely disabled individuals. Known as sheltered workshops, these programs offer long-term training and rehabilitation services to individuals who cannot sustain or achieve competitive employment in their communities, and who might otherwise be confined to their homes or institutions.
The supplemental appropriation will enable the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to increase its anticipated rate of reimbursement to those agencies which provide services, from 85 percent to 100 percent per client year, during fiscal year 1996. The additional funding will also allow the division to provide reimbursement for the more than 300 individuals receiving workshop services each year for whom the State currently provides no support.
Supplemental appropriation of $4,000,000 to DOL to fully fund Sheltered Workshop Support program.