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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Papen

 

DATE TYPED:

2/24/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Commodity Supplemental Food Program Software

 

SB

794

 

 

ANALYST:

Dunbar

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$122.0

 

 

Non-Recurring

GF

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates: HB 692

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

Department of Health (DOH)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 794 appropriates $122,000 from the general fund to the Department of Health (DOH) for expenditure in FY2004 for computer software development and implementation for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). 

 

     Significant Issues

 

According to a recent Brandeis University survey,  New Mexico is number one in the nation for food not having appropriate security, and third in the nation for hunger.

 

The DOH CSFP program serves commodity foods to 17,285 seniors and 4,395 pregnant, breastfeeding, and post partum women.  It also serves infants, and children under the age of 6, at 54 sites every month in New Mexico.  It operates out of 4 warehouses and 50 tailgating sites co-located with shelters, community facilities and facilities for seniors.  The computer program used for tracking inventory and distribution now operates by using a DOS based computer system that is very outdated and obsolete.  It has degraded to the point of being practically unusable.  Additionally, there are gaps in reporting capabilities in the inventory system.  There is not a state level reporting capability or roll up capability.

 

The proposed funds would allow for development and implementation of a new Windows-based software that has additional enhancements for food warehousing services.  The proposed funding is a small amount for a computer system.  The last system was pieced together using one contractor over a 10-year period and resulted in a total cost of $100,000.

 

SB 794 is in response to an effort made by local communities to support the CSFP program. 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $122.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 04 shall revert to the general fund.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

Staff time would be required to participate in development of this new system.

 

TECHNICAL ISSUES

 

Although this system uses personal information, it is not health related.  This program is purely a food assistance program and not a health services program; therefore, it would not be subject to HIPAA regulations.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

There are no initiatives in DOH to address the CSFP system and computer system funding.  This program is virtually non-existent through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).  The CSFP program has used $10,000 per year of scarce administrative funding to piece together the current system that now is inadequate to serve the needs of this vulnerable population of elderly, women, infants, and children.  These are our most vulnerable citizens, meeting income criteria of 185% poverty for families and 130% poverty for elderly.

 

The food provided by the CSFP is only supplemental and does not cover needs for an entire month.  It is essential to provide these services efficiently and account for every can of food to assure continued funding by USDA.  The 50 tailgates reach across New Mexico to rural areas. These tailgates require a system to inventory the foods being distributed and need a system to record data and criteria checks for participation. 

 

QUESTION

 

Is the level of funding adequate for designing and implementing a food inventory system?

 

BD/njw