Temporary and Disability Assistance, Office of

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Agency Web Site: http://otda.ny.gov/Link to External Website

Mission

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), working in close collaboration with the Office of Children and Family Services 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.

Budget Highlights

The Executive Budget recommends $5.47 billion for the agency. This is a decrease of $260 million from the 2013-14 budget. The change primarily reflects decreases in authority for Federal grant programs, as well as a decrease in the SSI program due to the State administrative takeover of the program.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 1,918 FTEs for OTDA, which reflects the addition of 54 staff related to the takeover of the SSI State supplementation program from the Federal government that was authorized in the 2012-13 enacted Budget and the addition of 5 staff to implement additional Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) capital construction projects.

Major budget actions include:

  • Expanding Homeless Housing Capital Funding: The 2014-15 Executive Budget proposes a total of $63 million in capital funding for HHAP, a $33 million increase over 2013-14. This funding will expand and improve the supply of permanent, transitional, and emergency housing for homeless persons.
  • Implementing a Fair Hearings Chargeback: OTDA administers and the State pays for the fair hearings process through which recipients of various benefit programs such as SNAP, public assistance and Medicaid may appeal a decision made by a local social services district. The high volume of hearing requests, of which approximately 60 percent are withdrawn, has led to increased State costs and indicates that local districts could improve their efforts in resolving outstanding issues before a fair hearing is requested. This Executive Budget proposal will establish a performance based “chargeback” to local social services districts to recoup a portion of State costs associated with administering such hearings.

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)

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category Available
2013-14
Appropriations
Recommended
2014-15
Change From
2013-14
Reappropriations
Recommended
2014-15
State Operations 412,909,000 398,545,000 (14,364,000) 262,484,000
Aid To Localities 5,283,114,000 5,006,940,000 (276,174,000) 3,141,421,000
Capital Projects 30,000,000 63,000,000 33,000,000 86,101,000
Total 5,726,023,000 5,468,485,000 (257,538,000) 3,490,006,000

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program 2013-14
Estimated FTEs
03/31/14
2014-15
Estimated FTEs
03/31/15
FTE Change
Administration
General Fund 345 345 0
Administrative Hearings
General Fund 311 311 0
Child Well Being Program
General Fund 11 12 1
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 38 38 0
Disability Determinations Program
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 879 879 0
Employment and Economic Support Program
General Fund 208 260 52
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 10 0 (10)
Specialized Services Program
General Fund 34 45 11
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 23 23 0
Supported Housing
Capital Projects Funds - Other 0 5 5
Total 1,859 1,918 59

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/20/2014

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables