Orange County NC Website
<br />1 <br />ORD-2015-013 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date:May 19, 2015 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No.7-a <br />SUBJECT: Family Success Alliance Request for Social Justice Fundingand Approval of <br />Budget Amendment #8-A <br />DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) <br />Health DepartmentNo <br />ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />None Colleen Bridger,919-245-2412 <br /> Meredith Stewart, 919-245-2070 <br />PURPOSE: <br />To approve Budget Amendment #8-A transferring funds from the Social Justice <br />Fundtothe Family Success Alliance to 1) pilot kindergarten readiness and literacy programs for <br />at least one schoolin each of the pilot Family Success Alliance zones; and 2) provide initial <br />funds to a zone partner agency for a Family Success Alliance navigator in each zone. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The Family Success Alliance(FSA)was created with support and approval <br />from the Board of Commissioners in June 2014 in response to Health Department reports about <br />the growing issue of child poverty inOrange County. InMay 2014 Health Department staff <br />highlighted alarge and multi-disciplinary body of research showingthat a family’s income <br />shapes a child’s educational, employment, and health outcomes throughout their life.In <br />particular, children who have adverse childhood experiences that are more common among <br />families experiencing poverty are at higher risk of health outcomes like obesity, depression, and <br />substance abuse. <br />FSA staff and zone partners have worked since January 2015 to collect qualitative and <br />quantitative date about the state of the cradle-to-college/career pipeline in each zone. A total of <br />132community surveys, 21 in-depth interviews, and 6 focus groups were conducted between <br />thth <br />January 30and March 13across the two zones. FSA staff also analyzed secondary <br />quantitative data, such as birth data and school performance data, and reviewed existing <br />community reports publically available for each zone, such as Self Help’s Northside Housing <br />Market Action Plan. Each zone reviewed the resulting data at a community meeting, and took <br />part in activities to choose initial priorities for action. <br />Zone 4 prioritized the need for transportation, activities to prepare children for kindergarten, and <br />increasedsupport for Latino families. Zone 6 prioritized affordable housing, activities that <br /> <br />