Minutes - 20050913 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Nancy Coston said she would like to suggest that DSS da all four of these interventions but she wanted the Board of Commissioners to have time to discuss this. The other piece that is driving this is the statistics that are coming back to them on group care. Children are not having the kind of outcomes they would want them to have after they have been in group homes. When they become adults, DSS is seeing things that make them feel that maybe they could have intervened in a different way to make them more self-sufficient adults. The statistics from both the mental health and social services are not goad. They are acknowledging this and taking this opportunity to see if something better can be done. This is not to say that there aren't children who will need group care. But, if they need group care, DSS would want it to be in Orange County. Chair Carey said that when a similar report was given to the OrangelChatham Justice Partnership, they commended the Sheaffer House group and others for their rapid response in trying to make sure that the services we need in Orange County are provided in Orange County for this group of kids. The partnership thought this was the direction in which they should be going. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the liaison with OPC would be working with juveniles and Nancy Coston said that they would be working with anyone from Social Services. She said that what was proposed was that they share the person that is also with the Juvenile Court because some of the children are the same children. She said that they would serve any Social Service children that need mental health care. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the age group. Nancy Coston said that with Sheaffer House the age was12 years and older. These could also be the more difficult children to deal with so that is going to be the age group that the majority of the time is spent an, in terms of difficulty. There is also a need for mental health services for parents of younger children, in addition to, teen- agers. She said that many families are also in need of mental health services. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the $18,000 for the liaison position and Nancy Colton said it is half time for 10 months. John Link asked if this was an OPC or a County position and Nancy Colton said it was an OPC position. Nancy Coston said that OPC has not filled the position yet. She said that OPC has asked her if they could consider delaying this until Social Services made a decision about whether they were interested sa that they could participate in the interview process. Chair Carey said that some of funds in the $220,000 that was previously available have been paid and some of it may be paid back. He asked how much of the $166,705 (budget request from Social Services) was in the $220.000 and Nancy Coston said $165,000. She also said she had not actually looked at the Justice Partnership money. Nancy Coston said that the numbers are prorated. The Caring Family Network numbers are the ones they have quoted. They have had to pay some very expensive casts to wherever happened to have a placement. She said she thinks that DSS may not need four homes once mental health is up and running. Commissioner Gordon clarified that Sheaffer house could take care of 6 children. Nancy Coston said that they calculate for four children at any given time because 2 of the children could be Juvenile Justice children and they are planning for them. She said that since DSS refers about two-thirds of the children to the Sheaffer House, which means about four out of the six children would be theirs to take care of. Commissioner Gordon asked about the closing date. Nancy Coston said that on June 10t" Sheaffer House closed their doors because of mold abatement and at the end