Agenda - 09-05-2013 - 5o - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 ORD- 2013 -028 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 5, 2013 Action Agenda Item No. 5 -o SUBJECT: FY 2013 -14 Budget Amendment #1 -B —Acceptance of Grant Funds for a Caregiver Support Program and Creation of a Time - Limited, Part -Time (0.80 FTE) Social Worker I Position within the General Fund DEPARTMENT: Aging PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: None Janice Tyler, (919) 245 -4255 PURPOSE: To accept NC Division of Aging and Adult Services (NCDAAS) grant funds; to utilize those funds and Master Aging Plan funds to establish a time - limited, part -time bi- lingual Social Worker I position to work with Mandarin - speaking older adults; and approve Budget Amendment #1 -B. BACKGROUND: Asian - Americans and immigrants have become the largest minority group in the Chapel Hill /Carrboro metropolitan area. As such, the Department on Aging has experienced a significant growth in the number of Mandarin Chinese - speaking persons seeking services and attending senior center activities. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, more than 20% of the Senior Lunch Program participants identified themselves as Asian. Most speak little or no English. In September 2012 to address this communication gap, the Department on Aging designated Master Aging Plan funds, donated by the Carol Woods Retirement Community, to hire a temporary, part -time bi- lingual employee to interact with the Chinese - speaking Senior Center participants. In March 2013, the Department on Aging was awarded a two -year, $25,000 per year, grant by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services — NC Division of Aging and Adult Services (NCDAAS) to develop a Chinese - language Family Caregiver -to- Caregiver Peer Support program in Orange County. Over the two -year period, the grant will provide funding for a .part -time social worker ($20,302 per year) to recruit and train at least 15 Asian - American volunteers to work with older Mandarin - speaking adults and their families to help them access needed public and community resources. The Social Worker will provide clinical supervision to volunteers and provide direct services as needed.