HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2008-079 Orange Co School Bd Reconsideration of Rental Fee KidSCope at Hillsborough Elem2
Orange County Board of Commissioners /~ °G `~ ~
RESOLUTION '~ ~
Requesting the Orange County School Board Reconsider
Requiring gidSCope to Make Annual Rent Payments at
Hillsborough Elementary and Recommit to
Rent free Occupancy
WHEREAS, KidSCope is an early intervention program created in 1988 by a coalition
of professionals and child advocates to address a documented need for specialized
services to young children experiencing social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties, and
WHEREAS, KidSCope is comprised of a number of specialized components; i.e.,
parent-child therapies, technical assistance and training for child care providers, and
customized counseling and education for families, but community outreach remains its
core service, and
WHEREAS, in 2005 KidSCope was divested from the OPC Area Program as required under
statewide mental health reform and became a program of the Chapel Hill Training and
Outreach Program, and
WHEREAS, statewide mental health reform as mandated has created untold financial
stressors and strains on a severely weakened local provider network; and.
WHEREAS, KidSCope continues to receive funding from the NC Division of Mental
Health, Orange County government, the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the
Children's Trust Fund, and to a larger part, as allowable, Medicaid; and
WHEREAS, in 2007 after an 11-year agreement to allow KidSCope to occupy a building
on the Hillsborough Elementary campus rent-free, Orange County Schools requested rent
payments in the amount of $25,200 annually, thereby placing KidSCope in an
increasingly fragile financial position; and
WHEREAS, Orange County government due to considerable financial constraints has
been unable to provide supplemental funding to KidSCope to relieve the non-profit of
this major expense;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of County Commissioners
request the Orange County School Board as a show of support for services to children
with special needs, respectfully reconsider its decision to charge KidSCope annual rent
for space occupied at Hillsborough Elementary, and recommit to allowing KidSCope to
provide these vital services in existing space rent free.
Adopted on this day November 6, 2008
Barry Jacobs, Chair