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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 6,.2008 <br />Action Agen a <br />Item No. r ~ <br />SUBJECT: DSS/Health Department Space Options <br />DEPARTMENT: Purchasing, Budget, Social <br />Services and Health <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Comparison Charts <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Pam Jones, 919-245-2652 <br />Donna Coffey (919) 245-2151 <br />Nancy Coston (919) 245-2800 <br />Dr. Rosemary Summers (919) 245-2412 <br />PURPOSE: To consider approving an option to address long-term space needs in <br />Central/Northern Orange for the Department of Social Services (DSS) and Health Department. <br />BACKGROUND: The various iterations of the Space Needs Study have identified <br />departmental needs through 2010. Many of these needs are being met- through on-going <br />projects such as the Gateway Center, the County Campus projects and others that will be <br />completed within the year. However, a solution for addressing Human Services departmental <br />space needs has not previously been forthcoming. While space constraints particularly in <br />Health and DSS have been problematic in the past few years, they reached a critical level with <br />the issuance of a violation from the State regarding space allocations for DSS. The Health <br />Department as well faced challenges in their upcoming accreditation because of insufficient <br />space allocated for departmental programming. <br />At the behest of the Board of Commissioners, both groups were asked to confirm their intended <br />service delivery method and the space needed to support their programs. DSS indicated a <br />desire to maintain a large primary facility of approximately 50,000 square feet with essential <br />services provided to clients at a secondary site, approximately 5,000 square feet, which would <br />be located in the opposite end of the County. They noted that service delivery at the satellite <br />center would be transparent to the clients and would offer essential services, although via a <br />lower concentration of staff than at the primary location. The Social Services Director noted that <br />this is not dissimilar to their current operation in that some services are located only in <br />Hillsborough and other services are located only in Chapel Hill, with both locations offering <br />emergency services. <br />The Board of Health and the Health Director indicated a desire to continue to provide two <br />functionally equal service locations in the southern and the central part of the County, including. <br />Dental services. <br />