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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2-24-2025 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 24,2025 THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MET ON MONDAY: February 24, at the Orange County Department of Social Services at 113 Mayo Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278. BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBERS PRESENT: Jane Garrett, Ann Wilkerson, Chris Barnes, and Oscar Fleming GUEST: None BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBERS ABSENT: Earl McKee STAFF PRESENT: Lindsey Shewmaker, Social Services Director; Sharron Hinton, Human Services Manager; Crystal Mitchell, Human Services Manager; Rebekah Rapoza, Fiscal Operations Manager, and Brittany Mann, Social Work Program Manager I. Call to Order and Introductions DSS Chair, Jane Garrett, called the meeting to order at 4:03 pm. II. Board Comments Chris Barnes stated he enjoyed the all staff meeting last month and noted the environment seemed to be a good place to work. III. Public Comments None. IV. Agenda Changes None. V. Action Items On a motion by Chris Barnes, the Board approved all previous minutes of January 21, 2025. Ann Wilkerson seconded the motion. The motion was carried without dissent. VI. Items for Discussion and/or Decision 1. Community Child Protection Team Annual Report Brittany Mann, Social Work Program Manager, explained the purpose of CCPT and reminded the Board she is the current Chair of the team. She explained the CCPT meets jointly with the Child Fatality Prevention Team. Oscar Fleming is the DSS Board representative for the CCPT. Ms. Mann explained the two teams are merging and the new name will be the One Local Team. Ms. Mann reviewed the annual report with the Board noting CCPT reviewed 10 families with 23 kids. Substance Use and domestic violence was a factor present in five families. Additionally the team reviewed two near fatalities with factors of safe sleep and fentanyl exposure. As a result of the team reviewing these cases in 2024, the team recommends 1 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 24,2025 1. Enhance and expand treatment and placement options for youth with complex behavioral health, substance use, and mental health needs. 2. Increase inpatient substance abuse/mental health treatment facilities for parents and children to be co-located. 3. Provide widespread community education about preventable child death and near fatalities due to drug exposure, unsafe sleeping arrangements for infants, and unsecured firearms. Ms. Mann highlighted community outreach efforts in 2024 to include handing out gun locks and medication lock boxes at community events. Also, DSS gives fentanyl strips to families. Jane Garrett asked if social workers handle fentanyl strips and Ms. Mann explained they only provide them to clients for their use. Ann Wilkerson asked if CPS provides cribs and Ms. Mann stated we do as well as have a conversation about safe sleep with every family we serve through child welfare. Oscar Fleming added the Health Department and Orange County Partnership for Young Children support safe sleep and crib access too. Lindsey Shewmaker stated we provide fentanyl strips and naloxone as part of a harm reduction effort strategy; she advised there is a vending machine with these items located in the lobby at Southern Human Services Center. Chris Barnes made a motion to approve the 2024 CCPT Annual Report. Ann Wilkerson seconded the motion. The motion carried without dissent. The CCPT annual report goes before the Board of County Commissioners on 3/18/25. 2. Presentation of the FY2025-26 DSS Budget Lindsey Shewmaker, Director, presented the FY 2025-26 budget for the Board beginning with the FY 25-26 budget drivers. Rebekah Rapoza, Fiscal Operations Manager, reviewed the overall department wide budget. Jane Garrett asked where the additional revenue comes from and Ms. Rapoza explained the majority comes from Economic Services. Next, Ms. Rapoza reviewed the summary of budget changes—revenue, operations, and capital changes. She noted personnel information is not currently loaded by county finance at the time of this presentation. Lindsey Shewmaker shared the Administrative Services Programmatic Highlights which included a time-limited to permanent position; increased funds for IT-Laserfiche, ending the lease on Europa; and mandated vs. non mandated travel. Director Shewmaker pointed out we want to make sure travel for mandated programs don't get cut. Jane Garrett asked if social worker have mandated training hours each year? Crystal Mitchell, Human Services Manager, explained both Children's and Adults' Services social workers do have mandated training. An overview was provided for the Child and Family Services and Subsidy sections. Director Shewmaker noted we will ask for additional funds incrementally over the next several years for our In Home Aide program as we currently have 20 individuals on a wait list. Additionally we are asking for increased funds for guardianship services and contracts; about $5,000 in additional funding. Ann Wilkerson asked if foster parent training is offered monthly? Crystal Mitchell explained training for new foster parents is offered in the Spring and Fall. Ongoing training is offered throughout the year and we would like to offer more onsite/local training in FY 25-26. Jane Garret asked if we thought increasing foster care training funds would lead to permanency sooner and Director Shewmaker explained the primary purpose of training is to try and keep placements stable. Jane Garrett asked for more information about adoption subsidy and vendor amounts. Crystal Mitchell shared the adoption assistance eligibility process and if a child is found eligible the subsidy amount is based on the foster care room and board rates determined by the General Assembly. If a child is eligible for vendor payments, the max that can be spent or reimbursed in a FY is $2400. Oscar Fleming asked if there was any word on federal funding changes for child care subsidy. Director Shewmaker reported she has not heard much about child care subsidy funding at this time. 2 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 24,2025 An overview was provided by Director Shewmaker for the Economic Services and Public Assistance programs. The budget requests a time-limited Human Services Specialist I (HSS 1) and an extension on two time-limited HSS I positions working in Medicaid. Ms. Shewmaker shared the Food and Nutrition Services employment program rebranded and is now called More Than a Job. Director Shewmaker discussed continuing outside agency contracts next year. She shared we may make some changes with our IFC contract to reallocate some emergency assistance funds to a direct payment to OWASA. The driver for this decision is to maximize efficiency and reaching more indvidivals in distribution of these funds. IFC will continue to get support with their feeding programs and less money for their emergency assistance. Ann Wilkerson asked if Meals on Wheels is this through IFC. Director Shewmaker responded it is not. Rebekah Rapoza pointed out to the Board that any line item change of greater than $5,000 is highlighted with an explanation on page 8 of the budget book. Ann Wilkerson asked if there has been any discussion as how to supplement certain programs if federal funding is cut. Director Shewmaker explained it has not. She further shared there are millions of dollars in Medicaid, FNS, and Child Care. Currently, there is a county wide hiring freeze, contract freeze, and travel and training freeze that isn't already funded. All DSS positions are exempt from the hiring freeze thus far. Director Shewmaker reviewed performance and workload measures explaining they are a combination of state and county performance measures. Board members were given an opportunity to ask questions about the data. There were no questions. Oscar Fleming stated he appreciated the outcome measures section as it indicates quality work. He asked in the future for us to focus on tying measures into the financial picture and make sure all stated outcomes are measurable. Director Shewmaker thanked him for the feedback and will incorporate the suggestions for next year. Director Shewmaker provided an overview of the remaining budget process with dates to include: 3/21/25: Budget meeting with County Manager; 5/6: County Manager presentation of budget to BOCC; 5/15: outside agency budget work session; 5/22: Human Services departments' budget work session; 6/17: Final Budget Adoption by BOCC. Board members thanked Director Shewmaker and staff on a job well done with the budget. Chris Barnes made a motion to approve the FY 25-26 budget and recommend to the County Manager. Ann Wilkerson seconded the motion. The motion carried without dissent. 3. Director's Report Lindsey Shewmaker shared we have three items on the 3/18 BOCC meeting agenda—Medicaid Expansion, CCPT, and Prevent Child Abuse Proclamation. She also shared the Drakeford opened today; we have four staff and one state staff housed there. Sharron Hinton, Human Services Manager, stated DSS is excited to be there and it is a beautiful facility. Director Shewmaker stated with the grand opening delayed by weather we may consider a Board meeting there in the future. Board members are in favor of this. Chris Barnes asked if cold weather cot shelters were open last week. Director Shewmaker provided an update and also shared DSS's recent role (three staff deployed) with a warming center that opened at Passmore Center due to a mass car crash on the interstate during winter weather. 3 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 24,2025 VII. Announcements Ann Wilkerson moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:25 pm. Chris Barnes seconded the motion. The motion was carried without dissent. Submitted by: Lindsey Shewmaker, DSS Director Jane Garrett, Chair 4