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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 12-09-2025; 12-3 - Information Item - Memorandum - Update on Human Services Work Group ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Cait Fenhagen DATE: December 9, 2025 SUBJECT: Update on Human Services Work Group In late 2024,the County Manager requested that the Interim Deputy County Manager convene a Human Services Work Group.The purpose of this Work Group would be to enhance communication and collaboration between the departments providing residents with critical human services and to identify overlapping work, inefficiencies and identify improvements to the service delivery.This Work Group, which first met in January 2025, includes the department directors of DSS, Health, Criminal Justice Resources,Aging, Child Support Services, Housing, Libraries, Office of Civil Rights and Civic Life,Arts, Community Relations and the Strategic Planning Manager. The Work Group meets in-person monthly and at the initial meeting, the Work Group developed the following mission: 1. Educate departments and the community on the full spectrum of human services provided by the County; 2. Map out the County's human services to identify gaps, overlapping or duplicative services, inequities, inefficiencies and opportunities to collaborate; 3. Formulate strategies and solutions to address gaps, increase collaboration and efficiencies, and ensure improved information sharing and navigation regarding services; 4. Identify, evaluate and track performance measures for county human services work and for all county-funded human services agencies; 5. Identify priority challenges, needs and solutions. The early meetings offered an opportunity for each director to share their organizational chart and to describe the programs and positions in their departments that provide human services work.This information-sharing moved quickly to a plan to apply a version of sequential intercept mapping as a strategic planning tool for improving system and service-level work for residents. Our team of stakeholders that encompass multiple systems would develop a comprehensive picture of how people flow through county government human services.The intercepts are the different departments. In meetings from February to April,the Work Group engaged in a lengthy mapping process of human services offered in these departments in the following areas: behavioral health, physical health, children/youth, housing,the unsheltered population, families, aging, employment, veterans, benefits, education,transportation, programming,justice-impacted individuals, harm reduction,food insecurity and protective services. The Work Group has been critically supported in this process by Kelly Guadelupe,the Strategic Planning Manager, and Delaney King from NCACC, who is interning with Kelly. 300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Delaney and Kelly have created a Human Services Matrix and Analysis from the mapping exercise.The Work Group is reviewing the Matrix and Analysis at upcoming meetings and looks forward to applying the information to address gaps, reduce duplication and inefficiencies and improve human service delivery to Orange County residents. In addition to the mapping effort,the Work Group has addressed other priorities to improve collaboration and human services delivery: • An Internal Human Services County Roadshow—Department directors and their public-facing staff feel that they do not sufficiently understand what each department provides in human service work and programming.As a result,the Work Group is organizing a day-long roadshow at the Whitted Building on January 28, 2026,for all county staff that serve our public or have an interest in learning more about county resources. Services, programs, contact and eligibility information will be shared. • Creating and Maintaining a County-Wide Human Services and Resources list—The Work Group discussed the multitude of resource lists that are maintained by departments and community entities.These lists vary in their comprehensiveness and how regularly they are updated. A review of these lists indicates the need for a county-supported, shared, comprehensive and up- to-date listing of available human services and programs provided by county government and by outside entities.The Work Group proposes that a skilled intern could start with the OC Connect online resource and enhance and update the material.This project would take 3-6 months. • The Work Group is recommending a Human Services Public Information position for the Community Relations department for fiscal year 26-27.This position would maintain the Services and Resource list and work with Human Services departments to ensure effective communication to residents about services and events.The position would also work directly with the Human Services departments to update and streamline their websites and increase proactive communication.The expectation is that this position could be created from an existing vacant public information position. • Lessons learned from Chantal recovery work have been a significant conversation for the Work Group. While there was critical response and recovery work led by Emergency Services and supported by many county departments,there were also communication and coordination delays that impacted residents and the community. In October, Kelly and Cait facilitated a listening session with invited volunteer and community agencies that assisted in Chantal recovery. On December 13th, a listening session facilitated by Orange County will be held at the Drakeford with invited residents directly impacted by the storm. The information from these sessions will be compiled in a report that will be shared in January with the Manager and the BOCC. 300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181 � 3 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA • The Work Group is discussing the need for a Task Force comprised of Human Services department staff that could provide support, care management and direct communication to residents and communities during times of extended crisis.This would reduce the stress on DSS and the Health department, but could also enhance the communication and direct work with residents in need.The next Human Services Work Group meeting will include a training by Social Services Director Lindsey Shewmaker and Health Director Quintana Stewart on their recovery responsibilities in the Emergency Operations Center(EOC) and how a Task Force could supplement this work. The Human Services Work Group will continue to meet and discuss shared priorities and challenges while also seeking to improve overall collaboration and efficiency in human services delivery. As recommendations for action and reports are developed,they will be forwarded to the Manager and to the BOCC. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. 300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181