Posted Monday, August 10, 2009 -- 9:30 p.m.

A program designed to help flood victims needs some cold hard cash to stay alive.

A local emergency manager is asking the state to fork it over. Sauk and Columbia Counties joined forces after last year's flood to help people get their lives back in order.

Problem is the program may go belly up if it can't come up with some cash to pay its employees.

Cash, that some are saying the state is sitting on.

"A lot of paper work."

Stacks of paper -- filled with hundreds of flood victims' names. Victims--who still need help.

"We had 31 counties that were impacted by the flood. We have people that are out there in dire situations."

Jeff Jelinek is Sauk County's Emergency Manager. Last year, after the flood, Sauk and Columbia Counties teamed up and created the Sauk-Columbia Long Term Recovery Committee.

The committee and its case workers help people get back on their feet.

Jelinek says, "With out case workers we have no program."

Case workers find out what aid people have received and what they're still eligible for.

Then they bring that information back to the committee.

"So they're really an advocate for the family," says Jelinek.

But, the money used to pay these "advocates" is running out. In a press release, Jelinek, says there are funds available to keep the program going -- he just can't get his hands on it.

"I've been told to be patient for 8-months and patience is running thin."

In January Wisconsin's Department of Health Services got a $15.9 million dollar Social Services Block Grant .

The money is supposed to help flood victims statewide. So far it hasn't.

"State procurement sometimes takes a little longer."

Seth Bofeli represents the Department of Health Services. He says he understands Jelinek's frustrations. But, the state wants to do the greatest amount of good with the money, and not just get it out there.

"What were trying to do with this money is target it towards the people that didn't see the relief in this past year. "

Exactly when that will be -- Bofeli can't say. But he says it should be " In the near future."

" I can't wait anymore. Patience is over." For Jelinek that may not be soon enough.

According to Jelinek there is only enough money left to pay the case workers for about three to four more weeks.