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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1996 <br />and increasing local residential treatment. This trend tends to <br />increase the local cost of the Agency. Several members of Council <br />noted the trend is an effective unfunded mandate from the State due to <br />the disparity in funding of inpatient versus outpatient treatment. The <br />FY 96-97 budget for the agency is $5.77 million, with 38% funding from <br />the State, 5% funding from localities, 12% funding from the Federal <br />Government; 43% funding from fees and 2% in other funding. <br /> <br />All members of Council expressed appreciation to Mr. Tobin and the <br />Board members for the information presented. <br /> <br />Council next heard from Pat Conrad, Director of Social Services, <br />regarding the status of welfare reform. Also present was the Chair of <br />the Social Services Board, Wanda Rider. Ms. Conrad presented <br />information which demonstrated that the local Agency's caseload of Aid <br />to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was declining, however, the <br />Medicaid caseload is increasing. The welfare reform initiative is an <br />effort to remove persons from the AFDC program and help them make the <br />transition to a work environment. The program has a three-year <br />transition period whereby participants are given assistance with child <br />care and transportation needs, after which benefits will end. Council <br />Member Dallas expressed strong opposition to the welfare reform <br />initiative, stating that the ultimate result would be to make poor <br />people poorer. Ms. Conrad reviewed statistics from the first month of <br />the reform program, which indicated Martinsville had 76% of <br />participants in a work activity. This level was higher than any other <br />jurisdiction in the District. Ms. Conrad and Ms. Rider reviewed the <br />support systems available to participants to help them make the <br />transition from welfare to work and expressed optimism that the program <br /> <br /> <br />