Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Reorganization Plan

Ill IIle meantime, reOrgdn-
ization plan for the whole
department has been prepared
and will be presented to Con-
gress, he said.
AS another sign of progress
in the past two months, Mr..
Duncan noted that the Board
Of Commissioners has applied
to the Agriculture Department
to take part in the food stamp
plan for the needy. This would
replace the surplus food dis
tribution program under invest
igation here after charges of .
abuse.
However, even if the District /
is accepted, the food stamp
plan couldn't be launched loo
ally until January, 1864, he
said.
So Mr.. Duncan will soon
present to the Commissioners a
plan for delivery of surplus
food by private drives under
District rules without exploit
tation of recipients, one abuse
uncovered in welfare opera
tons.
In another area, Mr.. Duncan
said that by June 80, the end
of this fiscal year, the District
will have recruited at least
twice as many foster homes as
in fiscal 1862. There were 112I
new homes opened to children
through March, compared to
Sc in all of last year. Congress
authorized IL new jobs to help
with the recruiting of foster
homes.
Liberalization last week by
the Commissioners of physical
requirements for foster homes
will further stimulate recruit
ment. Mr.. Duncan said.
Investigation Pushed
The Welfare Commissioner
noted that the Congressional
orders investigation of new
public assistance applicants,
and old cases, is proceeding.
Fifty-five of n investigators
authorized are on the job, and
II more have been selected,
leaving only five to be chosen.
Most of the men have back
ground in military intelligence
or some type of military inves-
tigative work. About 80 per
cent have had no experience
and are being trained by We'll
fares Office of Investigations
and Collections.
Among the experienced are
men who have worked as de-
tectives with the Metropolitan
police, private investigators,
credit investigators and social
security investigators.
Mr.. Duncan stressed that the
District is working to meet
NEWS requirements in several
fields and to take advantage OF
all matching fund programs.
Acting Welfare Director Dom
aid Brewer said the department
has submitted TO HEW a plan
to win rs per cent in Federal
matching funds for some ad-
ministrative costs Including
salaries) in public assistance.
This is for a program that
went into effect April / for all
intake interviews. In this plan,
applicants needs as we'll as
their eligibility are explored.
New Funds Matching Formula
Under the 1862 welfare
amendments, service Of this
kind can draw Federal match
ing funds at rs per cent rather
than SO per cent, the old
matching formula.
Also. the department will
launch on May the social
studies required by HEw for
every family receiving Aid TO
Dependent Children relief, Mr..
Brewer said.
During the past two months,
the department has returned
TO having public assistance
workers specialize In one kind
OF case rather than handle sew
eral kinds, he said. Another
development is the completion
OF plans for medical assistance
for the aged.
Congress gave the city
Sll,780 TO put the unwieldly,
l,000-page public assistance
policy manual into simple style
and manageable size.
Three sections now have been
converted into handbooks
which workers can carry with
them when they visit recipients