Orange County NC Website
154 <br />The Board continued to discuss Item 17: A genex'al discussion of <br />the results of the new formula for distribution of Title XX funds to <br />be implemented on July 1, 1977. <br />The Social Services Director stated that really none of the Counties <br />receiving Title XX funds were happy with the formula. <br />The Finance Director had presented to the Board a list of the 10 <br />Counties who would receive the least Title' XX funds between ].978 and <br />1980. The list showed that Orange County in terms of percentage would <br />receive the least monies and was number five in total amount. <br />Neal Evans stated that for 1978, the figure was actually greater than <br />62 percent. He added that over the years, Title XX monies had lost millions <br />of dollars for the State. He said that the State was constantly asking <br />Counties who don't spend Title XX monies to spend more and at the same time - <br />made no efforts at the State level to get Counties to spend more. He added <br />that unless the State did something they would lost monies themselves within <br />the next three years. <br />Tom Ward stated that for the past two years, the Title XX Formula was <br />based on the County's fair share. This formula does not take into considera- <br />tion any efforts the Counties has made in the past to have social services <br />programs. It is not based on current spending or what percentage of the <br />Social Services budget over past years has been spent far services. He <br />added that Orange County had been interested in services programs. <br />The new formula for 1980, which is a cutback to $263,000 is based on <br />the number of public assistance receipients in the County. He added that <br />there was not too great a correlation of the number of people receiving <br />public assistance, and the number of people entitled to Title XX services. <br />He stated that many of those in the County eligible for :one type of pro- <br />gram were not eligible for other programs. He stated that the .level had <br />nothing to do with the numbers in the County who need Title XX services. <br />Mr. Ward suggested that the County attack this element of the new formula. <br />The formula says that because Orange County has a low AFDC, Medicaid and <br />SSI caseload that Orange County should have a low need for Title XX serv-.•- <br />ices . -- <br />Mr. Ward stated that if you looked at the 1977-78 figures ($700,200) <br />this was the only formula that took into consideration the current level <br />of spending. He stated that it was logical that this current level of <br />spending be built into the formula. Another factor to be considered is <br />what level of service has been provided through matching funds, <br />Mr. Ward concluded that the question was how to get the formula <br />changed. <br />Commissioner Gustaveson suggested that Orange County schedule a <br />meeting with Dr. Sarah Morrow, Department of Human Resources, Howard <br />Lee, County Commissionezs' Coordinator, legislature representatives from <br />Durham, Guilford, and Orange Counties, and to discuss some of the issues <br />which had been discussed today, and t o find out what is happening to other <br />Title XX mones which the State is.'.holding. <br />The County Manager was requested to attempt to schedule a meeting <br />between those persons mentioned by Mr. Gustaveson to discuss the Title XX <br />situation. The meeting should be scheduled as soon as possible. <br />Upon motion of Commissioner Gustaveson, seconded by Commissioner <br />Pinney, it was moved and adopted that the tentative budget submitted by <br />the Social Services Director be endorsed, and that a letter be sent to __ <br />the Department of Human Resources indicating that this is a tentative <br />budget. <br />The Board agreed that a meeting would be scheduled between the <br />Commissioners and the Social Services Board at a later time. <br />Mr. Ward referred to correspondence he had received regarding the <br />Food Stamp Program. He stated that the impact of the memorandum was that <br />Orange County and other counties were losing out on federal monies through <br />the Food Stamp Program because the number of those eligible, are not parti- <br />cipating. He stated that state-wide, only 37 percent of those eligible, <br />participated in the Food Stamp Program. In Orange County, there are 21 <br />percent eligible, who are participating in the program. One factors to <br />consider in Orange Gounty is that those who are considered eligible are <br />in the higher income range of the food stamp eligibility scale and they <br />