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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-16-1997 - 8c e s ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No. _ ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 16, 1997 SUBJECT: Agreement Renewal -Automated Information and Referral System DEPARTMENT: Manager's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) < _ BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Agreement Albert T. Kittrell,Assistant County Manager Fact Sheet TELEPHONE NUMBERS: -- ext. 2300 Goals and Objectives Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 9684501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 PURPOSE: To renew agreement with Triangle United Way for Automated Information and Referral Services and receive a status report on the project. BACKGROUND: In August 1995,the County entered into an agreement with the United Way of Greater Orange County to develop a county-wide automated I&R system for human services agencies and provide ongoing administration. In January 1996,the United Way of Orange, Wake and Durham Counties consolidated to form the Triangle United Way. In March 1996,the Automated I&R became operational and officially named the"Orange Resource Connection." In July 1996,the County allocated$31,000 to the Triangle United Way for administration of Orange Resource Connection. The Board approved$31,000 for Fiscal Year 1997-1998 for ongoing administration. The attached agreement covers the current fiscal year. Also attached is a fact sheet of activities from January 1997 to June 1997 and goals for Fiscal Year 1997-1998. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the agreement with the Triangle United Way for the administration of the Orange Resource Connection for Fiscal Year 1997-1998. 2 AGREEMENT BETWEEN ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND r UNITED WAY OF GREATER ORANGE COUNTY Introduction and Contract Puraose This agreement Is entered into between Orange County Government and United Way of Greater Orange County for the purpose of continuing the development and implementation of a comprehensive information and referral (I&R)service named Orange Resource Connection(ORC). The service is available to public and private, non-profit agencies and the general public in Orange County. As the agency identified by Orange County Government as the most appropriate to administer the information and referral service, United Way of Greater Orange County continues to manage the database of community resources. 9M The County agrees to provide United Way of Greater Orange County with funding in the amount of$31,000, in quarterly increments, to assist with the annual operating budget for the period of July 1, 1997—June 30, 1998. Resoonsibiiities United Way of Greater Orange County will: I- Continue to staff the Orange Resource Connection. 2. Provide office space,administrative support and equipment for ORC staff. 3. Submit progress reports to the Advisory Committee. The Committee shall consist of representative from County, private, non-profit agencies and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill. 4. Develop ongoing training for public and private,non-proNt staff in use of the I&R system. S. Continue to identify appropriate sites for installing the information and referral database. 6. Identify moneys to implement and upgrade the IRIS program. 7. Document all expenditures for the I&R services and submit annual or as requested, detailed accounting reports for grant moneys received from Orange County Government. S. Conduct periodic evaluations of the I&R service,including statistical data and community needs assessments. 9. Conduct promotion, public relations,advertising and marketing to Increase and maintain public awareness of I&R services. 10.Work with public and private, non-profit agencies to identify gaps in service delivery and assist in redirecting efforts to improve service delivery. 11.Provide 1 AmeriCorps•VISTA Team TECH member to assist Orange County organizations with technical assistance. mill This agreement becomes valid upon signature by both parties. Financial agreement and all other agreements in this document will contirwe through June 30, 1998 when the County will assess the AR for future funding. Authorized Sigamrss Orange County Government Date United Way of Greater Orange County Date .. 3 ORANGE RESOURCE CONNECTION (ORCI Fact Sheet January 97 — June 97 What has Orange Resource Connection been doing for the last 6 months? ADVISORY COMMITTEE • The Orange Resource Connection Advisory Committee has met 5 times this year. The Committee consists of representatives from: United Way funded agencies, Orange County Government, Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Orange County Association Community Agencies, the Religious Community, and the Hispanic Community. • The Advisory Committee has already identified a need for more information to be accessible to the Hispanic community. COLLABORATION • The Coordinator for ORC has been active within collaborative efforts dealing with housing, elderly, and youth issues. DATABASE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES • In February, agency profiles were sent out to over 230 agencies serving Orange County. The agencies were asked to update the information about their programs. This has been a time consuming task, but necessary for the database to be up-to-date. • ORC has been working on correcting the database with the updates for the past 3 months. This has delayed the outreach within the agencies, but it's important to have information current and correct. • Preparing to publish the"Orange Book'in coordination with the Orange County Public Library. • The Directory of Community Resources on Disk has been installed in 13 agencies during 1997. Each agency received free installation and training on the program. • The Directory of Community Resources is accessible by the internet through UNC. ORC will be able to track the number of times people access the information by computer. INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE • Calls to the Orange Resource Connection information and referral line have increased during 1997 by 15%. • ORC recently moved to a smaller office in April. The office now has better exposure to the public arena. Three people have actually come into the office for help in the last month. IRIS USERS • An IRis User Group Meeting was held May 2e. Each participant will received an update of community services on disk This information will have updated resources in Orange County plus community resources in Durham County. They were given instructions on how to update their files. • A "script fife'has been developed by Benchmark for the read only version that wig report hits to keywords and programs. This is for the [Ris upgrade version only. MEDIA • Free advertisement for ORC was in the"Voices of the Town" Directory published in April. • ORC was featured in the Straight Talk Newsletter for May. • A reporter with the Chapel Hill Herald interviewed the Coordinator in April. 1 1 Goals and O e Ives Orange Resource Connection (ORQ July 97- June 98 AmeriCorWVISTA • Triangle United Way has been selected as one of the eleven communities nationwide that will receive this grant. The Triangle United Way will sponsor four AmeriCorps`VISTA Team TECH members for the next year as they work with Durham. Orange, and Wake County non-profit organizations serving disadvantaged communities. The AmeriCorps•VISTA Team TECH members will help those agencies draw up technology plans and gain resources to implement them. Team TECH members and volunteers will also assist local groups in setting up technology training programs and making them available to the low-income communities they serve. • Team TECH members will also be installing the Directory of Community Resources on Disk in the agencies that receive computers. COLLABORATION • The Coordinator for ORC will remain active with collaborative efforts dealing with housing, elderly, and youth issues. • Be active in these collaborative efforts to identify gaps in service delivery. • The Coordinator has been elected to serve as the Chief Information Officer for the Youth Services Advisory Committee and also on the Advisory Committee for the Association for Community Agencies (ACA). DATABASE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES • Increase the number of ran-profit and government agencies using the Directory on Disk by 20%. • Provide training on the IRis program. Orange Resource Connection will be implementing an Orange Book Directory Advisory Committee this fall. This Committee will provide input for the layout of the book. The Orange County Public Library will be a partner in this publication. • Resources from Orange, Durham, and Wake Counties will be merged into one database. An upgrade to IRis has been developed that has additional components including case management. ORC feels that this version will be accepted more in the community service arena. ORC will be working during the year to find the money for upgrading agencies with this new version. INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE • Answer calls from the general public and community service organizations, Monday-Friday, 8:30am- 5pm. • Forward Orange Resource Connections phone line to First Call Wake when the Coordinator leaves the office. • Participate, provide progress reports, and assist the Chair of the ORC Advisory Committee. • increase number of calls by 15% by June 1998. • Provide to the County Manager a periodic evaluation of ORC which will include statistical data and community needs assessments. • Conduct promotion, public relations, advertising, and marketing to increase and maintain public awareness about ORC.