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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes-03-21-2023-Business Meeting 1 APPROVED 5/2/23 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUSINESS MEETING March 21, 2023 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Business Meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, and Commissioners Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton, Phyllis Portie-Ascott, and Anna Richards COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Vice-Chair Earl McKee COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager Travis Myren, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present. 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda Chair Bedford dispensed with reading the public charge. 2. Public Comments (Limited to One Hour) a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda There was no one signed up to speak. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Commissioner Fowler said she attended the Cooperative Extension quarterly update meeting via Zoom on March 141". She said Tyrone Fisher was promoted to the North Central Extension Director and Jonathon Smith is the interim Orange County Extension Director. She said the position is being advertised and also noted that members are needed for the Cooperative Extension Advisory Council. She announced that Cooperative Extension has $500 community garden grants that are awarded on a rolling basis and encouraged anyone interested to reach out to Mart Bumgarner. She said she attended the ABC Board meeting and heard from several organizations receiving funding from the ABC Board for alcohol and substance abuse awareness, prevention, education, and treatment. Commissioner Hamilton thanked the Board and Orange County staff for their support while she dealt with the loss of her mother. She said she attended the Alliance Health Board of Directors budget retreat and received an overview of plans for the budget next year with tailored plans. She said the Schools Safety Task Force meets in two days. Chair Bedford said she attended the Board of Social Services meeting yesterday, and recently attended a Board of Health retreat that covered mission, vision, and budget. Commissioner Greene said she will be attending a GoTriangle meeting tomorrow and has nothing else to report. 2 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she has met with the following county departments as part of her orientation process: Criminal Justice Resources, Housing, Budget, Elections, Transportation, Library, Planning, Office of Equity and Inclusion, as well as the Sheriff's Office. She said April is Re-entry Month, and there is a fireside chat on April 101" at the Colonial Inn. She said she enjoyed learning about the work of each department and the staff was very patient and generous during her visits. Commissioner Richards said she met with Housing, Planning, Parks and Recreation, and Family Success Alliance staff since the Board's last meeting. She said she visited the Gateway Housing Complex today and got to witness the partnership between the housing provider, county, and schools. She said when thinking about all of the social determinants of health, it is impressive that the county is part of this innovative approach to holistically address the needs of this community. She said she attended the Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce meeting and highlighted the Economic Conditions Survey which is available on the Chamber website and has information on what the local economy looks like. She said she also attended the Black Business Leadership Council meeting, and just came from the Burlington-Graham MPO meeting tonight. Chair Bedford said that Vice-Chair McKee will not be in attendance tonight. 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations None. 5. Public Hearings None. 6. Regular Agenda a. Approval of Professional Services Contract with Woolpert, Inc. to Conduct a Public- School Capital Needs Assessment, and Approval of Budget Amendment #7-A The Board approved a professional services contract with Woolpert Inc. totaling $984,561 to conduct a Facilities Condition Assessment, a School Optimization Plan and develop Benchmarking Best Practices for all public schools in Orange County, and with the proposed scope of work including $85,000 for a study of educational adequacy of school facilities; and approved Budget Amendment#7-A. BACKGROUND: As a strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of operational services, Orange County Government, Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) and Orange County Schools (OCS) collaborated on the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a design firm to provide a: • Comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) • Optimization Plan of Existing Space Utilization; and • Examining Prioritization Models, Benchmarking Best Practices and Scenarios for both school districts that recognize the distinct structure of the County allocating funds to the two school districts. The desired outcome will help County and School professionals and elected officials better plan, manage and fund new construction and maintenance of the thirty-one (31) school campuses and administrative offices for the two school districts. Ensuring that scarce capital resources are used effectively requires a better understanding of when to repair/maintain, renovate or replace buildings, how and when to contract across campuses and school districts, and how to provide reliable funding to assure that schools facilities are built and maintained in a timely and cost-effective manner. 3 An RFQ review committee selected Woolpert, Inc., an international architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG)firm to perform this work, which is anticipated to take nine months from contract execution. A copy of the Woolpert, Inc. cost proposal is included as Attachment 1. The proposal includes an additional services fee of $85,000 for a study of educational adequacy of school facilities. This study was not requested in the original RFQ but deemed necessary by members of the review committee. The project is scheduled to take approximately nine months to complete, upon issuance of a signed contract. The cost of this contract requires approval by the Board of County Commissioners. Funding of $3,500,000 was set aside through Budget Amendment #5-A in the School Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of funding this contract and providing additional funding for school capital. The professional services fees are recommended to be funded through Budget Amendment #7-A, which would utilize $984,561 of those funds and transfer them to the School Capital Fund. The remaining $2,515,439 will be split between the school districts based on average daily membership (ADM). Those funds will be allocated to specific projects through a subsequent budget amendment at the direction of both School Districts. Budget Amendment#7- A creates the following Capital Ordinance in the School Capital Fund: School Capital Needs Assessment($984,561) - Project#52000 Revenues for this project: Current FY 2022-23 FY 2022-23 FY 2022-23 Amendment Revised From Capital Reserve $0 $984,561 $984,561 Total Project Funding $0 $984,561 $984,561 Appropriated for this project: Current FY 2022-23 FY 2022-23 FY 2022-23 Amendment Revised Project Expenditures $0 $984,561 $984,561 Total Costs $0 $984,561 $984,561 Steve Arndt, Asset Management Services Director, introduced the item and made the following presentation: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY Approval of contract proposal from Woolpert,Inc. to Conduct a Publickhool Capital Needs Assessment Orange County,Board of County Commissioners March 21,2023 4 Steve Arndt introduced Jessica Goodell of Woolpert, Inc. and David Sturtz of Cooperative Strategies who are available for questions this evening. Slide #2 RFQ No 367-005375: Request for Qualifications for Facilities Condition Assessment, Schools Optimization and Bench marking Best Practices (Nov 22) • Comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) • Optimization Plan of Existing Space Utilization; and • Examining Prioritization Models, Benchmarking Best Practices and Scenarios for both school districts that recognize the distinct structure of the County allocating funds to the two school districts. Slide #3 Schedule April May hLIfIC lulV 1A.g.11 SePL Uf. NuY I D_'4 CA Off.Plan for PCanning,Daly 1,atheriP4 F'Kildy[pnraik.pnA$# ment ? F{AReparl Banchnmrking and Best Practice; kh2O Uplimimlpn 41Idn Steve Arndt said the process should be completed by the end of 2023. 5 Slide #4 % A1 Woolpert Inc. • Founded in 1911 as a Surveying and landscape design firm, Woolpert has grown _ to become a national architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) firm. * Woolpert delivers value to clients by strategically blending high-quality services with leading-edge technology and i I. Geographic Information Systems { IS} applications Steve Arndt said that Woolpert is a well-respected international company. Slide #5 COOPERATIVE S T ATEiE GIES w . �• tit . f. 4 T K F A' I r - u I It I� Cooperative Strategies is a team of educational facility and program planners with backgrounds in school facility management, educational program planning, 21st Century learning principles, CIS, engineering, capital planning, and community engagement. • Cooperative Strategies team members include former State department of education thought leaders, school superintendents, maintenance managers, teachers, and administrators; Association for Learning Environments members; Recognized Educational Facility Planners; and MSRB Series 50 Municipal Advisor Representatives. • Cooperative Strategies has completed over 300 Facilities Master Plans nationwide for districts and states of all sizes. 6 Slide #6 Team Organization ORANGE COUNTY *1C11i'1-11 [;AM711INA RAOJ€CT A1#,R�4G fR kslxa GoaLLrll" FACLLFTI'C9H4tr+0N JkSSE SSIF[#0 01 A rlryrnr,.m n M413111 P*W A"Pill amWAm-mvirnworoam[wRd [dug elihnrlWnlwrPlnnnwt M.Iurrari Md1l-aali 13dvidS1uru M rrlianlul&Pktrhhln.d A4 wr rmrnr Lrrd Oirlr4ptiVhks Murk uutlimrr.fll Ann I-Wftr.REFP HaarkYl6mmi mkrlLud Tzfhi14[nlCwmrwurkaMamdi6riphlaL S!anl DnviLhnn.80D. [#fS h"flE7.{ Gual'uhnr Malfnan Slide #7 Deliverables ILI T�F— * Paciiities Condition Assessment w School Optimization Play • Benchmarking and Best Practice • Project Planning • Educational Adequacy Analysis 7 Slide #8 Thank You ! Questions? ORANGE COUNTY Jessica Goodell thanked the Board for the opportunity to work on OCS and CHCCS schools. She said she really enjoys working with school districts and said they are passionate about the work they do and thankful for the opportunity. David Sturtz said he very much believes in this work and has seen the impact it can have on students. He said they have a singular guiding principal and that is what is best for students and communities. He said it is a collaborative process with county staff. He said the Board will be involved throughout the process. Commissioner Richards asked for elaboration on school optimization. David Sturtz said the focus of optimization is twofold; one is educational, and one is operational. He said they are looking at an array of spaces, kinds of spaces and arrangements, and how they align with standards. He said there is also a condition assessment and that is the biggest part, but they also make sure they close equity gaps in terms of space sizes. He said they do not assume school arrangements are what the county actually needs for the next 20 years. He said they want to look at where there are gaps for things like art, special educational programs, He said that legacy buildings were designed without those programs in mind and without adequate space. He said they seek to identify those gaps and prioritize them in the plan amongst the other needs to create a comprehensive plan. He said the next part is efficiency of operations. He said that buildings may have been designed for a certain number of people and now there is a mismatch in population. He said they will look at how much it will cost to fix versus how much it will cost to replace a building. Commissioner Richards asked if they would look at efficiency of administration. She asked if they would look at other counties with multiple districts. David Sturtz said governance is not a main focus of this study. Commissioner Richards asked if it could be reviewed strictly from a facilities standpoint, and she is not speaking about combining districts. David Sturtz said he is working with a county in Tennessee and in that plan, it made sense for the two districts to swap a couple of facilities. He said that kind of thing could be an outcome. He said there are a variety of options for what could make sense in this community. Commissioner Greene asked if the fix would cost more than 50% and if it might be advisable to start over with a new building, would they also consult with the school administrators to see what the solution for the swing space would be during that process. David Sturtz said yes and that would be a dialogue with the districts. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if there have been instances when they have gone into a facility and not recommended any changes. David Sturtz said absolutely. He said that most buildings will be warm and safe but there are a minority of schools where there is such a mismatch that it makes more sense to think about ways they could make it better. 8 Chair Bedford said she read the Guilford County Schools report they worked on. She asked what was in our RFQ for trailers. Steve Arndt said that was not part of the request. David Sturtz said they do look at them as an option. He said they want to see what makes sense to reduce reliance on those in a permanent capacity. Chair Bedford said that the districts did some airflow improvements after COVID and if there are any design standards. Jessica Goodell said they do not do a design study but rather a "like for like" consideration; however, if there are certain standards they would like to set to let them know. She said LED lights are a standard and they do go through and suggest LED change-outs throughout. Chair Bedford asked if part of the analysis with efficiencies is also energy and climate efficiency and friendliness. David Sturtz said they could get a baseline. He said that they will look at utility cost by square foot. He said they found that the older buildings were 1.5x less efficient per square foot. He said that this will be a data point that will be considered. Chair Bedford said the special education classroom space is needed and that the state construction standards are the floor. She said the Orange County standards could also be improved but are better. She said the Board would also like to see more pre-K spaces. David Sturtz said all of that becomes part of the conversation to develop what they want to build to. He said they ask what should every student experience every day. He said they then look at costs and time. Chair Bedford said there is a 2015 facilities assessment and there were different scenarios. She said that the nine older facilities are 1960s construction and that with gun violence, there is a perception that is not safe for students. She said it was economically unfeasible at the time and asked what kind of materials they use for safety. David Sturtz said part of that is determining what you want for every student. He said that considering if there is a single point of entry. He said that some buildings will require more renovations to reach the safety standard that is developed. Chair Bedford said that is a big decision and she does not know who should be making that decision. David Sturtz said they do not come in with answers but rather questions. He said they look at what other districts have done and bring that as information. He said that every school cannot practically have a single point of entry but there are things that can be done to make them safer. He said they will seek those answers out with the committee. Commissioner Fowler said she had the same question on safety and who decides. She said they had previous assessments but did not have a prioritization for the buildings. She asked if they would have a prioritization. Jessica Goodell said those needs will be prioritized during the conditions assessment. Commissioner Fowler said given the county can only afford to do a small amount will there also be sequencing for the priorities. David Sturtz said yes and there will be suggestions on recommended phasing to achieve those goals. Commissioner Hamilton asked how the Brightleaf software workplan will interface with the plan that has phases to be decided on. Jessica Goodell said it will handle the conditions assessment data and with certain parameters set, it will recommend priorities. David Sturtz said to think of it as a layered cake. He said that the conditions assessment is the base layer and will have phases done in the context in the whole. He said they will look which buildings are going to be maintained, which buildings are being renovated, and which buildings are looking at major changes. He said each of those categories will all have different 9 timelines associated with them. He said the top layer is the program enhancements. He said those are also phased in based on what the county can afford, manage, and what makes sense. Commissioner Hamilton clarified that the software is just at the conditions assessment level. She said that for each school it would have recommendations across both school districts. Jessica Goodell said yes and said it is kind of an art. She said the software will come in with recommendations but then they will set up parameters and run the process again. She said it is an iterative process. David Sturtz said they can look across schools for bundling. He said that those projects help get the efficiencies they are looking at. He said if three schools need roofs in the next three years then that would be one project rather than three and that is one thing this will help discover. Chair Bedford said they are growing in Mebane, and she wants to consider if the should build a new school. David Sturtz said that is their bread and butter and they will look at student population data across various areas. Chair Bedford said each year the county gives the schools $3 million for ongoing facilities costs. She said it would be nice to know a standard amount based on needs for actual maintenance. She said she wants to know how much they should be trying to spend. Jessica Goodell said that is part of the prioritization of the conditions assessment. David Sturtz said if they check out the state of our schools report by National School Facilities that would be a baseline. He said that 2% of replacement value is the industry standard for operations maintenance. He said that goes up depending on population and deferred maintenance. He said that would be a dialogue throughout the process. Commissioner Richards asked at what point they will get a baseline of the standard they want to develop the plan around. David Sturtz said around Labor Day. Commissioner Richards asked if when they come back from summer if they will hear from them and have the opportunity for dialogue. David Sturtz said yes. Chair Bedford said it seems like board members and the taskforce need to be in on making those decisions. Bonnie Hammersley said most of this will come back to the taskforce because it makes up the county and the two districts. Chair Bedford said she really liked the presentation. She said she was checking references with Guilford County and was shocked by the price of this. She said Guilford County process seemed that they hired them after they had spent money on prior work. She asked them to help her understand this. David Sturtz said there are several differences. He said the big one is that Parsons in 2017 was a higher-level assessment and did not get into the level of detail this one will. He said it was more of a systems level study. He said this is level five details and that is much more granular and will inform the maintenance plan moving forward. He said there are also 7 years between the studies and costs have risen incredibility. He said they were asked to come back and use the data collected and build a plan and the plan alone cost them $150,000. Commissioner Fowler asked if given the county will probably only be able to afford the top 20% of repairs, they will still need the detailed information for maintenance. David Sturtz said yes, because it will help with daily tasks for a while into the future. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she also thought the price was high but also did not know what to compare it to. She asked how many other respondents there were to the RFQ. Steve Arndt said there were five respondents and two were asked in for interviews. A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to approve the County entering into a professional service contract with Woolpert, Inc. totaling 10 $984,561 to conduct a Facilities Condition Assessment, a School Optimization Plan, and develop Benchmarking Best Practices for all public schools in Orange County including a study of educational adequacy of school facilities; authorize the County Manager to execute the Contract (Attachment 2), subject to final review by the County Attorney, and any subsequent amendments for contingent and unforeseen requirements up to the approved budget amount on behalf of the Board; and approve Budget Amendment#7-A as detailed above. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how they will know what is included in basic services. John Roberts said it will be added in the county's contract. Steve Arndt said the deliverables are also included in the RFQ and in the proposal that was responsive to the RFQ so the contract services are very specific. VOTE: Ayes (Chair Bedford, Commissioner Fowler, Commissioner Greene, Commissioner Hamilton) Nays (Commissioner Richards and Commissioner Portie-Ascott) MOTION PASSES b. Recommendations for Employee Health Insurance and Other Benefits The Board approved the Manager's recommendations regarding employee health and dental insurance effective July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. BACKGROUND: The County provides employees with a comprehensive benefits plan that includes participation in robust health and dental insurance plans for employees and their families. Each year, the Board of Commissioners is asked to review and approve health and dental insurance rates in advance of the annual budget so that open enrollment can be completed prior to the beginning of the plan year which starts on July 1. Health Insurance The Board of County Commissioners approved Orange County's participation in the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool in FY 2018-19. From that time until FY 2022-23, neither health nor dental insurance costs increased due to stable claims experience. In FY 2022-23, the health insurance plan experienced an increase in the overall number of claims and higher costs per claim incurred than prior years, which resulted in a drawdown of reserves. As a result, the Board approved an increase of 5% to the health insurance plan for both active employees and pre-65 retirees. That increase was fully paid by the County and not passed on to employees. Funding for the health plan is based on estimated premium equivalents rates that are necessary to pay for incurred claims, administrative and reinsurance costs, and the expected liability of claims incurred but not reported (IBNR). The plan also carries a reserve balance which ensures the County's ability to pay claims. The reserve policy ranges between 1.5 and 3.0 over IBNR to ensure the ability to pay for future claims based on current claims experience which currently are higher than expected. The County's current reserve ratio is 1.1 through January 2023. In FY 2023-24 and beyond, that reserve amount is recommended to be two(2)times the expected IBNR liability. Although the plan is projected to have a positive year-end balance of$833,090, additional funding is necessary to cover projected total plan costs for FY 2023-24 and to continue to build reserve levels for future sustainability of rates. The actuarial analysis conducted by the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool is recommending an increase of five percent (5%). 11 The Manager recommends that the County assumes 100% of the recommended 5% increase and that the employee contributions continue at current rates. As such, a 5.5% increase for funding the County contribution is proposed. This represents a total budget increase of$659,108. FY 2023-24 Health Insurance Rate Renewal Year Rates Monthly Cost Annual Cost Employee Employer Contribution Contribution 2022 Current Rates $1,098,486 $13,181,834 $1,296,475 $11,885,359 Current Rates with 2023 Employer Increase Only $1,153,412 $13,840,942 $1,296,475 $12,544,467 Renewal Net Increase $54,926 $659,108 $0 $659,108 Dental Insurance Delta Dental is the County's current Dental provider, and the County will continue to provide coverage with Delta Dental. The Board of County Commissioners approved an increase of funding totaling $92,236 (County contribution of $73,286) for the FY 2021-22 Dental Fund. The total Dental budget is currently$639,000, and no increase is recommended for FY 2023-24. Behavioral Health Services A new behavioral health benefit is also being recommended for FY 2023-24. Based on clinical assessments, this program provides access to mental wellness resources, guided assessment and recommendations, an immediate gateway to personalized support, and access to a therapist within three days. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Training, communication and knowledge-building materials are also available and designed to engage all employees in an effort to maintain a supportive work environment that combats the stigma around mental health. The total cost of this program is $89,000. Brenda Bartholomew, Human Resources Director, introduced the item and made the following presentation: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH C:AROLINA Action Item 6-b Recommendations for Employee Health Insurance and Dental Insurance effective July 1, 2023 through June 30,2024 March 21, 2023 12 Slide #2 Background Joined North Carolina Health I nsu ra nce Pool (NCH IP) - July 1,2018 by BDD approval County has maintained a total budget of$13 million and monthly premiurrl equivalent rates for health insurance slabie maims exWLtLnce #tlgh reserve in trarmition year FY 202212023.first rate increase since 2018 Dental Insurance is provided by Delta Dental - total Dental budget is currently 5685,000 ORANGE COUNTY "X)Kfl r CAROUNA Brenda Bartholomew said there are individual members that have their own plan designs, and they pay their own claims up to $40,000 and then above that, they are shared by the pool or paid by the state. Slide #3 Budget Summary through January 2023 - County increased premium equivalents by 5%with no rate increase for employees; increased budget$626,813for health insurance - Total health insurance budget of$13,181.834 - build reserve levels tortuture sustainabililyotrates to coverpropcled total plan casts for FY 2022e2023 • Increase In IN&overall number of clalms • higher oasis per claim • high number of#ilgh claims • two very high cost claims suru As of January 2023 Total Reserve Balance is$833,090; expected IGNR (-claims incurred by not reported)Liability is$740,519 Current fund ratio is 1 1; which is within the ratio to cover expected (IONR) ORAW-E COUNTY Y htIRIlI k:.=.!4titAN.S 13 Slide #4 Budget Summary through January 20 3 • Total average plan enrollment is 1043 — • Budget Comparison per employee �per month (PE pM) shoves actual to — — budget spend.experienced high deficit in November and January P; • Actual cost th roug h Ja nuary 2023 is $7.9M,projected total spend on Health Insurance yearend is s°•�-°^•m,.�. $13.5M 5" Medleal CMIMS S4.7M — 28% Rx-Claims $2 2M 10%Adam and Stop Lo-sr.Fps MO.= S%other SMOM ORANGE COUNTY KOW 7 t CAROLINA Slide #5 FY 2023/2024 Renewal • Recommending an increase of five percent(5%)to oover expected costs for FY 202 312 024 • The manager reoamrnends that the Counter assumes 100 of the refcornmended 5%increase and that the employee-contributions oontinueat current rates Total budget for heaIth insurance for employees and pre-65 retirees is $13,84G,942 This represents a total budget increase of$659.108 ® Rmu- MFHWWCW fnnudCM E�pviree EmomAl CanWbilan CanWdW M © Curorc R09L 51 R36 465 NO W 04 51 296 475 $11 1335353 Cmel Rdw++thEnvkm 31.153A1Z 24,476 W.FuA? hxw"Omlh IRar"Poll MinImiusa J54926 389909 90 9.553JR ORANGE COUNTY NO n t thRQ1_[Nh 14 Slide #6 Behavioral Health Benefit • Part of the Manager's Initiative to recognize employee stress and burnout in the workplace — Focusan a more direct strategyfor prevenling burnouIand to work more proactively,and more collaboratively with partners to implement prograrns that are accessible,useful to employees and sustainablein the workplace. • UNUM Behavioral Health - Based on clinical assessments,this program provides access to mental wellness resources,guided assessmentand recommendations,an immediate gateway to personalized support,and access to a therapist within three days The services is available 24 hours a day,7 days a week. — The total cost of this program is $89,000 ORANGE COUNT' NOWTJ I CAW 1LIN: Commissioner Fowler asked if this is an online or in-service program. Brenda Bartholomew said that it could be either in-person or online and that it is probably going to be online. Commissioner Hamilton asked how long they will get the therapist. Brenda Bartholomew said the program is either designed to be part of an 8-week program or a 12-week program. She said it is not a transition like the EAP program. She said it is seamless and it is not a group. Commissioner Fowler asked if it is a licensed therapist. Brenda Bartholomew said she believed so, but would verify that information. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if it is the same therapist for the duration of the program. Brenda Bartholomew said she can confirm, but she believed that was correct. Commissioner Richards said she is glad to see this benefit offered. She said that when she attended the national conference, they had a program called First Aid and this is very akin to that. Slide #7 Manager Recommendation • Board approve an increase of 5%to the Health Insurance Premium Equivalents for both active and pre- 65 retirees and the amount of the increase to be fully paid by the county • Board approve an increase of Health Insurance funding of$659,108 • County to continue to participate as a member in the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool (NCHIP) • County to continue with Delta Dental with no increase in rates or funding • County implement UNUM Behavioral Health as a benefit to all employees ORANGE COUNTY .1k)EM 11:.AROIANA 15 Slide #8 QUESTIONS? ORANGE COUWi i NO [CA3 LIN.S Commissioner Greene said this is the second year the Manager is recommending the county absorb the increased cost of health insurance. She asked how the reserves work and how confident they can be in how long that can go on. Brenda Bartholomew said as the pool grows, that will help sustain the funds. She said that last year there were two very high claim costs that could have hurt the renewal. She said one of the reasons the county joined the pool in the first place is that you can look at the plan over the years and that between 2018-2023 there has only been at 10% increase, while other municipalities and counties have seen double digit increases each year. She said the target for reserves is 1.5-2 million and they are at $1.1 million right now. A motion was made by Commissioner Richards, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to approve an increase of 5% to the Health Insurance Premium Equivalents for both active and pre- 65 retirees and the amount of the increase to be fully paid by the County; approve an increase of Health Insurance funding of$659,108; approve the County's continued participation as a member in the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool (NCHIP); approve continuation with Delta Dental with no increase in rates or funding; and approve the County implementing UNUM Behavioral Health as a benefit to all employees at a cost of$89,000. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 7. Reports a. Child Welfare Updates and Planning The Board received an update on child welfare services provided by the Department of Social Services (DSS) including current system challenges and plans for the future. BACKGROUND: North Carolina's child welfare program is county administered and state supervised. Child welfare services, including child protective services, foster care and adoption, are legally mandated to be provided by departments of social services in all North Carolina counties. Counties are responsible for staff and management of the program while the state supervises the counties based on state law and policy. The rules, policies and procedures are predominantly established by federal and state legislation and by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Most of the costs for staff and for services to these children and families are paid through federal and county dollars. 16 Child welfare services consists of several components: prevention; assessment or investigation of child safety; provision of protective services to families; and, foster care/placement services. Much of the work of the Department of Social Services involves the District Court and only the courts can make decisions regarding child custody. The last several years have brought many challenges to DSS programs. First, there is a national shortage of social workers, particularly social workers working in child welfare positions. When there are staff shortages, DSS struggles to meet all the needs of children and families as well as all the regulations. Another challenge is finding appropriate services for families and children. The impacts of the pandemic and the current substance use issues are seen in many of the families served in child welfare services. The lack of health insurance or Medicaid for these parents is yet another barrier for them. Finding therapeutic placements and services has been particularly difficult and counties are often left with few options for the children in their care. DSS, with the support of county management, has been working to address the issues outlined above. DSS will present these efforts as well as plans for the future for input and direction. Nancy Coston, Department of Social Services Director introduced the item and Crystal Mitchell, DSS Human Services Manager. Crystal Mitchell made the following presentation: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Social Services Child Welfare Updates and Planning March 21, 2023 17 Slide #2 Child We Process Overvie As�,essrnents In Home nency Planning Ucensing r• r • r Slide #3 Child Protective Services Intake and Assessment Intake Assessments Involves screening CPS reports to Involves determining if the family determine what further action is needs services and what:level of required intervention is necessary to assure safety • 1,321 CPS reports were received in 2022 • Average of 49 assessment cases • 53%(597}of the reports rnet open each month in 2022 statutory requirements for child maltreatmentto be assessed further .�P- Crystal Mitchell said all residents are mandated reporters of child abuse. She said if there is an imminent safety concern, staff can petition the court to intervene. 18 Slide #4 CPS In-Horne Services Supports families to safely -- " maintain their children) in their own home by eliminating safety concerns and reducing risk of future child maltreatment Average of 72 cases open each •a r month in 2022 u ' Crystal Mitchell said the preference is to keep families intact. Slide #5 Permanency Planning • Court system mandated Sortie Factors that contribute t involvement ' removal of children: • DSS has legal custody and • Substance Use placement authority + Domestic Violence • DSS is required to provide • Mental Health services tc reunify children with their caretaker �+ Abuse • 87 children ages birth to 17 in DSS custody L�2 � of current cases involve bstance use as a factor Crystal Mitchell said that a judge makes determination of whether the facts of a case warrant DSS maintaining legal custody. 19 Slide #6 Abuse/Neglect Court ProcessA . f- Fi.n i.W=IIM HeRFIAS Nnn-ieCu re cusLady prOCkii Chair Bedford asked what dependency means. Crystal Mitchell said an example is when a child is without a caregiver, such as when a parent suddenly passes and there is not another legal guardian available, the child becomes a dependent in need of a legal guardian. Slide #7 Ages and Permanent Plans of Children in DSS Custody Age Permanent Plans ■II-}ys,3 �HeunlF+oUnn is fi ll yY3ro ■C��i'S31�Yi0 .13.1 T yaaiz ■ldc#.^^ 20 Slide #8 Teens and Young Adults LINKS Foster Care 18 to 21 Pirograrn Independent living initiative targeting Offers young adults who turned IS youth In thE!foster care 5y5tem a5 well while in the faster Care System an as young adults who have been opportunity to continue faster care discharged from foster care placement and transition to independence with D55 supervision • Serves ages 14 to 21 • Dutcorne based service Young adults in this program ■ Fluid program (rant exit and re-enter the program) Crystal Mitchell said the LINKS program service can actually start with 13-year-olds. She said that this is an outcome focused service. She said some stay with foster parents, some go into formalized independent living programs, some live on campus in a dorm, some live with friends or roommates, or some live with relatives. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if they still have Medicaid after 18. Crystal Mitchell said Medicaid is in effect until 26. Commissioner Greene said her understanding is that this population is at risk for homelessness. She asked what percentage of young people in Orange County are succeeding in transitioning vs. those who may become homeless. Crystal Mitchell said while five are in the program, there are ten who are eligible. She said she does not have exact numbers to give with that, but they have been able to stay in touch with the ten young people eligible for this program. She said they work with housing to provide FYI vouchers, and one person is housed with one of those vouchers. Commissioner Fowler asked if it is full Medicaid until 26. Crystal Mitchell said yes. Commissioner Hamilton asked how many people are in the LINKS program. Crystal Mitchell said there are currently 20 young adults 13-17 and 10 that are 18-21. Commissioner Hamilton asked if one social worker does both programs. Crystal Mitchell said yes. 21 Slide #9 Foster Home Licensing .1 • 52 licensed foster families Monthly average of 58 Incensed Foster p foster families in 2022 Crystal Mitchell said there is a 10-week curriculum required to become a licensed foster family. She said they are always recruiting foster families. Slide #10 Adoption Method provided by law to establish legal relationship of parent and child proteotion.. between persons who are not related �'--!;�µ:muldetwoha tufts multielai ra3=..P by birth with the same mutual rights 0 that exist between children and their ~, t� actin birth parent. i�� • Average of seven cases open each ,�� liCfin,---'' month '" li4Tsi#yr! • Nine adoptions were completed in W.i 2022 Commissioner Richards asked how long it takes for an adoption to be final. Crystal Mitchell said it can be anywhere from 6 months to a year. She said that it can be 12 months or longer if there are appeals due to delay to receive an appellate decision. She said there are sometimes children with complex behavioral health needs that may need particular supports in an adoptive home. Commissioner Richards said she is an adoptive parent and understands the complications that go along with the process. She asked what age range there are for foster adoptions. Crystal Mitchell said from birth to age 18. Commissioner Richards asked if DSS works with private agencies. Crystal Mitchell said they do work with private agencies for placement. 22 Commissioner Richards said one of the things she hears most in this process is the rights of grandparents and single dads. Crystal Mitchell said relatives are an important part of this process. She said that preference is given for placement with family. She said that kinship assessment of relatives is conducted to see if it is a safe and appropriate placement. She said that 40% are placed with a relative, and many times a relative adopts or becomes the guardian. She said that some relatives cannot be a placement but want to be part of the child's life and that is also allowed. She said fathers are definitely important in the process. She said if there is an unknown father or father who is not actively engaged, they are tasked with getting them involved in different ways and report to the court each parent and other relative options for children. Commissioner Fowler asked if it is typically a foster family, relative, or other that adopts. Crystal Mitchell said it is typically a foster family or a relative. Commissioner Fowler asked what guardianship means for permanent placements. Crystal Mitchell said that it is children in custody with a permanent plan and when terminating the parent child relationship is not in the child's best interest. She said that relatives can take guardianship. Commissioner Fowler asked how much time DSS staff spend in court. Crystal Mitchell said they are in court two full calendar days per month. She said that in FY 2021-2022, they held over 450 court hearings. Commissioner Richards asked how FY 22-23 compares to previous years. Crystal Mitchell said the numbers have remained consistent except for with permanent placements. She said that the number of kids in custody dropped in 2020-2021 but has trended upward in 2022. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if they track cases for kids already placed in foster care or in natural families. Crystal Mitchell said both. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if they are tracking cases of kids that are already placed in foster care or just natural families and where the higher number of incidents are happening. Crystal Mitchell clarified that Commissioner Portie-Ascott was referring to incidents of abuse or neglect and said there are higher incidents in families than in foster families. She said if a claim is made against a child in Orange County custody, it becomes a conflict of interest, and a neighboring county has to investigate. Commissioner Greene asked how many social workers handle the work and if there are enough of them. Crystal Mitchell said there are 20 social workers that have blended in-home and foster care cases, and everyone is at caseload standards right now. She said there are four vacancies for in-home foster care teams. She said they have looked at ways to assign administrative tasks a social worker may have to other social services staff in other areas of the agency. 23 Slide #11 Current Child Welfare Priorities Slide #12 Workforce • Collaboration with County Manager's office and Hurnan Resaurces Implement step plan for all staff working in child welfare • Recruit and hire CPS staff above minimum Nancy Coston said challenges are in the workforce. She said there are four vacancies and those are felt. She said it also takes time to learn how to do this. She said it is hard to compete for social workers and there is a widespread need. She said there is a STEP plan implemented for social workers to make sure they stay competitive. She said they are competing with nearby counties and their hiring rates. She said they are trying to make sure taking care of the employees that are here. She said staff spends a lot of time in court, but also spend a lot of time interviewing applicants for positions. 24 Slide #13 Supporting Child Placements PlarementTVpesfor Chi;drenfYouth in • Increasing support for kinship CCDS5Custody placements • Additional services to stabilize foster home placements Data as of 1/31/2a Nancy Coston said they have been talking with behavioral health partners for wrap around supportive services for foster families. She said sometimes there are older kids who need behavioral health wrap around services to provide support to them and foster families and their kin families. Slide #14 Supporting Permanency Planning Initiatives Anticipated Outcomes • Develop family friendly visltatio Improved family time quality center Increased duration and frequency of family time • Increase staffing to suppo' hour and weekend familytirn 5upp4rthigher rates of reunification Impact timellness to permanency Nancy Coston said they are trying to increase family time because that increases the chances of reunification and creates a better environment. She said that it is being done in a home rather than in the office. 25 Slide #15 QUESTIONS Nancy Coston said there are three weeks of initial training required by the state before they can begin work. She said they are trying to keep the staff they have, and it is hard work. Chair Bedford asked if some of the outside agencies the county funds help with after school programs for foster children. Crystal Mitchell said yes that they partner with several agencies including the Exchange Center of the Piedmont and the Boomerang Program, among others. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about the home in the neighborhood for parents to visit with their children. Nancy Coston said this is a new trial. She said that having the visit in a more traditional family setting allows flexibility for how to spend the time together. 8. Consent Agenda • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda • Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda • Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to approve the consent agenda. VOTE: UNANIMOUS a. Minutes The Board approved the draft minutes for the February 16, 2023 BOCC Meeting as submitted by the Clerk to the Board. b. Fiscal Year 2022-23 Budget Amendment#7 The Board approved budget, grant, and capital project ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2022-23. c. Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) — Receipt and Transmittal of 2023 Annual Technical Advisory Committee Report The Board received the 2023 Annual Report of the SAPFO Technical Advisory Committee (SAPFOTAC) and transmit it to the SAPFO partners for comments before certification in May. 26 d. Professional Services Award for Whitted Buildings HVAC Replacement The Board: 1) Approved the County entering into a professional service agreement with Progressive Design Collaborative, LTD of Raleigh, NC for the design and construction administration of the Richard E. Whitted Buildings A and B Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Replacement; and 2) Authorized the County Manager to execute the Agreement, subject to final review by the County Attorney, and any subsequent amendments for contingent and unforeseen requirements up to the approved budget amount on behalf of the Board. e. Boards and Commissions —Appointments The Board approved the Boards and Commissions appointments as reviewed and discussed during March 14, 2023 Work Session. f. Change in BOCC Meeting Schedule for 2023 The Board approved a change to the Board of Commissioners' meeting calendar for 2023. g. Alliance Health Board of Directors —Appointment The Board approved an appointment to the Alliance Health Board of Directors. 9. County Manager's Report Bonnie Hammersley mentioned that the Orange County Climate Action Plan Mission and Vision Statements are included as an information item in follow up to the Board's request at their retreat. 10. County Attorney's Report John Roberts had no report for the Board. 11. *Appointments None. 12. Information Items • March 7, 2023 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List • Memorandum — Orange County Climate Action Plan Mission and Vision Statements 13. Closed Session None. 14. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Greene, to adjourn the meeting at 9:01 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Jamezetta Bedford, Chair Recorded by Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board