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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: <br />February 5,2013 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />5-g <br />SUBJECT: <br />Request for Three Time-Limited Staff Positions at DSS <br />DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) <br />Social ServicesNo <br />ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Nancy Coston, 919-245-2800 <br />Lindsey Shewmaker, 919-245-2817 <br />PURPOSE: <br />To consider approval for Social Services (DSS) to create threenewtime-limited <br />positions to be used during the transition of the current legacy automation systems to the new <br />NCFAST program. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />NorthCarolina is implementing NCFAST in all 100 counties during 2012- <br />2013. NCFAST is a complex automation system that will be used in all programs at DSS, <br />beginning with public assistance programs. Orange County employees have beentrained on <br />NCFAST for use in Food and Nutrition Services and no longer have access to the old system. <br />In the spring, Orange County will begin using NCFAST for other public assistance programs <br />such as Medicaid, Health Choice and Work First. Immediately after this change, DSS is <br />expected to help with the implementation of the new Affordable Care Act requirements. <br />Although some of those changes are not effective until January 2014, the agency will begin the <br />preparation and enrollment process during 2013. <br />For the past few months, counties usingthe new program have foundproductivity drops <br />significantly (up to 50%) while employees learn the new procedures. Given the volume of cases <br />and the need for benefits to be issued timely, there are concerns that the current staff will not be <br />able to manage this successfully. <br />During the past six months, DSS has been studying the skills needed to perform these duties <br />after the implementation of NCFAST and the concepts related to work support strategies. DSS <br />and Human Resources have worked together to develop new classifications to reflect the <br />changes in these jobsbefore vacant positions were filled. This delay has impacted the agency <br />by delaying the hiring for some vacant positions. <br />Although vacancies are now being filled, staff resourcesare beingreallocated withinthe agency, <br />and employees have been authorized to work overtime, there are still concerns about <br />completing work in a timelymanner during NCFAST implementation. Since each month <br />additional cases are impacted by the transition, it is imperative that the agency stay current <br />before new programs are added. <br /> <br />