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Center for Employment and Economic Supports
Rus Sykes, Deputy Commissioner
The Center for Employment and Economic Supports (CEES) is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and procedures for OTDA programs that provide temporary assistance to families and individuals while helping them attain self-sufficiency. These programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Safety Net Assistance, Food Stamps, Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Center accomplishes this work through various bureaus that oversee specific programs, and offer advice and consultation to the local district social services (LDSS) offices, which administer the programs in each county. In addition to these functions, CEES is also responsible for the development of federally required State Plans and related legislation, the development of State regulations and administrative directives for these programs and the oversight of current and new welfare reform initiatives.
The Center’s Bureau of Transitional Programs (BTP) is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and programs related to hard-to-serve families and individuals, as well as the newly-employed. BTP oversees a range of services for hard-to-serve populations as well as the newly-employed including Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program outreach, SSI maximization, domestic violence initiatives, drug and alcohol initiatives, veterans’ initiatives, case management initiatives, adolescent pregnancy and youth issues.
Working in concert with the Bureau of Information Technology (BIT), CEES is responsible for ensuring that program, policy and procedure changes are reflected in OTDA’s existing Welfare Management System, and for developing new strategies to improve local district social services operations, where feasible, through technological changes. In addition, CEES provides specialized operational services for such projects as Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), Jiggetts, State Supplemental Personal Needs Allowance (SSPNA) and a toll-free information Hotline. Additionally, the Center is responsible for the development of State policies, applications for Federal grants and development of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to deliver services to families and individuals served through OTDA.
Welfare-to-Work policy development, guidance, monitoring, and federal reporting are a part of our Temporary Assistance Policy structure. Specific program management including the Education for Gainful Employment (EDGE) program, wage subsidy, transportation, English Language Immersion, specialized work programs and locally administered employment programs is a part of our Bureau of Transitional Programs. Regional Jobs staff working across the State either in LDSS offices, One-Stops or DOL regional offices are a part of our CEES Operations structure.