Agenda - 09-10-2009 - 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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58 limited mission. They have been effective, but are effectively insulated from other county operations via function and location. VI. SMART START CIIII,D CARE AI~1VIIl®TISTRATIOlOT - In Orange County State Smart Start child care subsidies are administered via the local Smart Start organization. At the same time, very similar subsidies are being administered via the County's DSS. Elsewhere, Smart Start Boards make a direct allocation of Smart Start funds to county DSS agencies and DSS administers those allocations similar to existing programs from other funding sources. Administration of these identical programs with different funding sources is being duplicated. Dollars spent on administrative expense could be put into child care subsidies for those seeking that assistance. VII. COI~tSOI.II)ATE~D IIITIVIAIOT SERVICES - As a function, consideration of this option would only be available pending special authorization by the NC General Assembly. NCGS 153A- 77 makes it possible for counties with a population of 425,000 or more to consider merging health and social service functions within one operational department. There are wide ranging implications for such a consideration and resistance to any change would come from vested interests in current organizational structures. The `potential' implications and "long-term" impacts of such a bold and aggressive approach to reaching out to those in need of assistance within Orange County would not be out of context with the efforts and many differing groups now actively involved in delivering services to a diverse population. In a county as rich in community involvement as Orange County and known for taking progressive approaches toward addressing local needs, such a step deserves detailed study at some point. There are working relationships between the