A Review of the Nassau County Department of Social Services Home Care Program

Publication Date: June 2000

Publisher: Center for Governmental Research Inc.

Author(s): Kent Gardner; Sarah Boyce

Research Area: Government; Health

Keywords: Government Management; Health

Type: Report

Coverage: New York

Abstract:

In 1998, Nassau County’s Personal Care Services Program spent nearly $100 million, far above the average for NYS counties whether calculated per recipient or per capita. This is about a third of all non-NYC spending on personal care in the State of New York, even though Nassau County accounts for only 13% of the non-NYC over-65 population.

CGR was engaged by the Department of Human Services to identify strategies for improving the efficiency of service delivery. By reducing benefit levels to those more typical of comparable counties and improving service delivery through prudent use of alternative programs, CGR estimated savings for Nassau County in excess of $5 million.