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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 2, 2006 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. _~_~ <br />SUBJECT: Work First Block Grant focal Plan <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): (Under Separate Cover) INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Work First Plan Nancy Coston, 245-2802 <br />Gwen Price, 245-2885 <br />PURPOSE:' To consider approval of the two-year Work First Plan for 2007-2009. <br />BACKGROUND: Work First is North Carolina's cash assistance and employment services <br />program for low-income families with children and is funded by the federal Temporary <br />Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, state, and county funds. North Carolina <br />General Statutes require counties to submit their strategies for meeting the state and federal <br />goals through a county plan. <br />A local stakeholders group was appointed by the Commissioners in. August and this group has <br />met during the last few months to make recommendations about the needs of Work First <br />clients and low-income families in Orange County. A draft of the plan was approved by the <br />stakeholders and was advertised for public comment. This plan will become effective October <br />2007. The Social Services Board has reviewed and approved the plan. <br />The Work First planning meetings provided an opportunity for the community to review the <br />progress being made and to address issues related to low-income families with children in <br />Orange County. Based on this input, goals and strategies for improving the community <br />response to these families were developed. Four workgroups met to discuss employment, <br />transportation, mental health (including substance abuse and domestic violence) and family <br />well-being. Each workgroup developed strategies to address these issues and all of the <br />strategies were incorporated into the plan. Some of the strategies discussed included <br />enhancing on-the-job training programs and incentives for participants seeking employment; <br />providing extensive assessment and intensive case management services for participants with <br />multiple barriers; developing additional transportation options for participants in rural areas; <br />and developing comprehensive interagency plans for participants with mental health issues or <br />other disabilities. <br />