HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-27-2002 - 8g 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: June 27, 2002
Action Agen
ga
Item No.
SUBJECT: Contracts for Adolescent SUBJECT: Contracts for Adolescent Parenting
DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Coston, ext 2800
Contracts (under separate cover)
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 9684501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To request approval to contract with each school system to provide specialized
services to pregnant and parenting teens.
BACKGROUND: One of the main goals outlined in the federal welfare reform legislation is to
support teen parents and to avoid additional unplanned pregnancies. Therefore, federal funds
in the Work First Block Grant can be used for this purpose. During Fiscal Year 2000-2001,
Social Services initiated contracts with each school system to provide services to pregnant and
parenting teens in the school system. Based on estimated number of teen parents, only the
contract with Chapel Hill-Carrboro was continued during Fiscal Year 2001-2002.
The goals of this program are to improve parenting skills, assure that participants complete their
education, and delay second pregnancies. The ultimate goals are to help teens prepare to be
self-sufficient and to prevent them from becoming dependent on public assistance. Teen
parents are at high risk for becoming dependent on public assistance, particularly if they drop
out of school. These contracts will be coordinated with the programs at Department of Social
Services, which have been very effective at helping participants to finish high school and to
delay additional pregnancies. During last year, there was only one participant who dropped out
of school and there were no additional pregnancies among the participants.
Teen parents have been identified in each school system for services next year, and there is
sufficient need to justify a full-time social worker in each system. The contracts are based on a
caseload of 12-18 teen parents for each social worker in the school system. The social workers
will provide individual and group interventions with teens and will try to address issues that
might result in the student dropping out of school. Supportive services (such as housing,
transportation, day care, medical care) may also be arranged by the social workers. The social
workers at the schools work with the other school personnel to meet the academic needs of
pregnant or parenting students.
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The Social Services Board has reviewed these contracts and recommends approving $39,865
for Orange County Schools and $46,719 for Chapel Mill-Carrboro City Schools for Fiscal Year
2002-2003. The costs for each system are based on the actual salary and related cost of the
person in the school system who will provide these services and varies based on longevity and
other differences. The systems will be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: These costs will be paid from federal funds in the County Work First
Block Grant.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board accept the Social
Services Board recommendation to approve the contracts with the two schools systems and
authorize the Chair to sign the contracts.