Temporary and Disability Assistance, Office of
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: http://otda.ny.gov/
Mission
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), works in close collaboration with the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and other agencies, helps low-income households achieve economic self-sufficiency through work, job training and the provision of supportive services that help avert dependency on public assistance. OTDA also provides economic assistance to aged and disabled persons who are unable to work.
Organization and Staffing
OTDA has its central office in Albany and several field offices statewide. These offices provide direct operational support, supervision and guidance to the State’s 58 local social services districts, which include each county and New York City. Social services districts are responsible for directly administering most public assistance programs, including those that serve the homeless and refugees. Agency staff also provide legal and audit support.
Budget Highlights
The FY 2018 Executive Budget recommends $5.6 billion for the agency. This is an increase of approximately $14 million from the FY 2017 budget. The increase primarily reflects increased authority to accommodate updated public assistance caseload projections.
The FY 2018 Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 2,026 FTEs, an increase of 73 FTEs over FY 2017 workforce levels. The additional staff will support increased emergency shelter oversight responsibilities in the new Division of Shelter Oversight and Compliance.
Major budget actions include:
- Affordable and Homeless Housing Plan. The FY 2018 Executive Budget continues funding to support the full implementation of the five year investment for the Affordable and Homeless Housing Plan which is aimed towards creating new housing opportunities for individuals in need of supportive services and providing resources to support vulnerable populations in securing stable housing.
- Public Assistance Lottery Intercept. Currently, Social Services and Tax Law allow the State to recoup 50 percent of lottery winnings for public assistance recipients with winnings over $600 in order to pay back any cash assistance received by the recipient in the last ten years. The Budget includes a proposal to authorize the State to recoup the remaining 50 percent of such winnings over $600, up to the amount of cash assistance provided.
- Summer Youth Employment Program. The Budget increases funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program by $5 million, to $36 million, to ensure that the State can continue to serve approximately 18,750 youths that were employed through the 2016 program.
For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:
Briefing Book – Human Services (PDF)
Program Highlights
- Public Assistance. New York provides cash assistance to income-eligible individuals and families through the Family Assistance (FA) and Safety Net Assistance (SNA) programs. For income-eligible families with a minor child, ongoing cash assistance provided through the FA program is financed entirely with Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for up to 60 months, pursuant to federal statute. Families who have exhausted their 60-month time limit on FA, as well as income-eligible single adults and childless couples, can receive such assistance through the SNA program which is financed with State and local dollars. The FY 2018 caseload is estimated at approximately 559,000 recipients.
- SSI State Supplement Program. New York's Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program supplements Federal SSI benefits to low-income elderly, blind, and disabled persons. The FY 2018 caseload is estimated at 715,000 recipients.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federally mandated program that seeks to improve the nutritional level of low-income families and individuals by providing supplemental assistance to purchase food items. In New York, SNAP is directly administered by local social services districts which are also responsible for administering programs to assist SNAP recipients in gaining the skills necessary to obtain and retain employment through training, education, and supportive services.
- Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP). HHAP provides grants to not-for-profit corporations and municipalities to expand and improve the supply of permanent, transitional, and emergency housing for homeless persons. HHAP also links its projects to other State and Federal funding sources to deliver appropriate support services to help tenants move towards greater self-sufficiency and economic stability.
- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). HEAP helps low-income households pay the cost of heating their homes. Eligibility is based on a number of factors, and eligible households may receive one regular benefit per year and emergency benefits, as available. The HEAP program also operates a heating equipment repair and replacement program, a heating equipment clean and tune program, and a cooling program during the summer months.
- Child Well-Being. The Center for Child Well-Being provides assistance with paternity and child support establishment, as well as the collection of child support. In addition, the Center operates an Access and Visitation program which aids parents in development of successful parenting plans and visitation supervision and enforcement.
| Category | Available FY 2017 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2018 |
Change From FY 2017 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 432,798,000 | 429,618,000 | (3,180,000) | 244,470,000 |
| Aid To Localities | 5,133,500,000 | 5,150,538,000 | 17,038,000 | 3,093,661,000 |
| Capital Projects | 63,500,000 | 64,000,000 | 500,000 | 143,459,000 |
| Total | 5,629,798,000 | 5,644,156,000 | 14,358,000 | 3,481,590,000 |
| Program | FY 2017 Estimated FTEs 03/31/17 |
FY 2018 Estimated FTEs 03/31/18 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 335 | 335 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | |||
| General Fund | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 38 | 38 | 0 |
| Disability Determinations Program | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 924 | 924 | 0 |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | |||
| General Fund | 259 | 259 | 0 |
| Administrative Hearings | |||
| General Fund | 308 | 308 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | |||
| General Fund | 45 | 115 | 70 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| Supported Housing | |||
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Total | 1,953 | 2,026 | 73 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 171,160,000 | 170,160,000 | (1,000,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 259,138,000 | 256,958,000 | (2,180,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 2,500,000 | 2,500,000 | 0 |
| Total | 432,798,000 | 429,618,000 | (3,180,000) |
| Adjustments: | |||
| Transfer(s) From | |||
| Special Pay Bill | |||
| General Fund | (6,366,000) | ||
| Appropriated FY 2017 | 426,432,000 | ||
| Program | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 54,955,000 | 54,037,000 | (918,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 2,500,000 | 2,500,000 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | |||
| General Fund | 10,895,000 | 10,877,000 | (18,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 37,075,000 | 36,988,000 | (87,000) |
| Disability Determinations Program | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 185,143,000 | 183,075,000 | (2,068,000) |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | |||
| General Fund | 48,666,000 | 48,654,000 | (12,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 28,200,000 | 28,200,000 | 0 |
| Information Technology Program | |||
| General Fund | 8,383,000 | 8,383,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Administrative Hearings | |||
| General Fund | 30,446,000 | 30,446,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | |||
| General Fund | 17,815,000 | 17,763,000 | (52,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 3,720,000 | 3,695,000 | (25,000) |
| Total | 432,798,000 | 429,618,000 | (3,180,000) |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 25,687,000 | (918,000) | 25,543,000 | (918,000) |
| Child Well Being Program | 2,511,000 | 92,000 | 2,425,000 | 92,000 |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 17,314,000 | 28,000 | 17,054,000 | 28,000 |
| Administrative Hearings | 25,536,000 | 0 | 25,073,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 15,703,000 | (52,000) | 15,642,000 | (63,000) |
| Total | 86,751,000 | (850,000) | 85,737,000 | (861,000) |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 100,000 | 0 | 44,000 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | 0 | 0 | 86,000 | 0 |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 160,000 | 0 | 100,000 | 0 |
| Administrative Hearings | 0 | 0 | 463,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 0 | 0 | 61,000 | 11,000 |
| Total | 260,000 | 0 | 754,000 | 11,000 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 28,350,000 | 0 | 815,000 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | 8,366,000 | (110,000) | 201,000 | (30,000) |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 31,340,000 | (40,000) | 9,475,000 | (200,000) |
| Information Technology Program | 8,383,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Administrative Hearings | 4,910,000 | 0 | 355,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 2,060,000 | 0 | 30,000 | 0 |
| Total | 83,409,000 | (150,000) | 10,876,000 | (230,000) |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 362,000 | 0 | 26,944,000 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | 100,000 | (38,000) | 8,019,000 | (42,000) |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 128,000 | 3,000 | 21,687,000 | 157,000 |
| Information Technology Program | 0 | 0 | 8,383,000 | 0 |
| Administrative Hearings | 250,000 | 0 | 4,010,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 185,000 | (250,000) | 1,825,000 | 250,000 |
| Total | 1,025,000 | (285,000) | 70,868,000 | 365,000 |
| Program | Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 229,000 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | 46,000 | 0 |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 50,000 | 0 |
| Administrative Hearings | 295,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 20,000 | 0 |
| Total | 640,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 2,500,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | 36,988,000 | (87,000) | 5,449,000 | (149,000) |
| Disability Determinations Program | 183,075,000 | (2,068,000) | 74,000,000 | (311,000) |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 28,200,000 | 0 | 2,584,000 | 66,000 |
| Information Technology Program | 5,000,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 3,695,000 | (25,000) | 1,800,000 | (10,000) |
| Total | 259,458,000 | (2,180,000) | 83,833,000 | (404,000) |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 2,500,000 | 0 |
| Child Well Being Program | 31,539,000 | 62,000 |
| Disability Determinations Program | 109,075,000 | (1,757,000) |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | 25,616,000 | (66,000) |
| Information Technology Program | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | 1,895,000 | (15,000) |
| Total | 175,625,000 | (1,776,000) |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 1,305,581,000 | 1,369,811,000 | 64,230,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 3,798,019,000 | 3,750,827,000 | (47,192,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 19,900,000 | 19,900,000 | 0 |
| Fiduciary Funds | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 0 |
| Total | 5,133,500,000 | 5,150,538,000 | 17,038,000 |
| Program | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Well Being Program | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 140,000,000 | 140,000,000 | 0 |
| Employment and Economic Support Program | |||
| General Fund | 1,195,385,000 | 1,258,815,000 | 63,430,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 3,622,519,000 | 3,575,327,000 | (47,192,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 0 |
| Fiduciary Funds | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 0 |
| Specialized Services Program | |||
| General Fund | 110,196,000 | 110,996,000 | 800,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 35,500,000 | 35,500,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 9,900,000 | 9,900,000 | 0 |
| Total | 5,133,500,000 | 5,150,538,000 | 17,038,000 |
| Comprehensive Construction Program | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change | Reappropriations FY 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supported Housing Program | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 500,000 | 358,000 |
| Housing Program Fund | 63,000,000 | 63,000,000 | 0 | 143,101,000 |
| Total | 63,500,000 | 64,000,000 | 500,000 | 143,459,000 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/17/2017