ORD-2015-013 Ordinance approving Budget Ordinance Amendment #8-A for FY 2014-15 transferring funds from Social Justice Fund to Family Success Alliance

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K In the short -term, these navigators will assist in identifying and enrolling the incoming kindergartners in the proposed kick start program. They may also work with the families of these kindergartners by conducting home visits before and after the start of school to prepare children and families for kindergarten, and to coordinate existing supports provided by the other agencies along the cradle-to-career/college pipeline. In the long -term, these positions will form the foundation for a coordinated support network — providing the link between parents, children, school, and other supports in the zone. Similar programs exist in model cradle-to-career/college projects such as the Northside Achievement Zone and East Durham Children's Initiative. These staff members would be located not at the Health Department, but within an agency in the zones and the priority is to hire staff with deep familiarity in the zones (ideally a community member). NOTE: Additional information about the Family Success Alliance Advisory Council and zones can be found at www.orangecountync.gov/health/fsa.asp. Data from the gap analysis will be posted on the website after the web migration takes place. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Board previously approved Budget Amendment #6 -A in February 2015 transferring $10,000 from the Social Justice Fund to the Health Department to pay for Family Success Alliance attendance at the Harlem Children's Zone Practitioners Institute. The total funding proposed for transfer through this Budget Amendment #8 -A is $90,000, which would effectively utilize the remaining Social Justice Funds designated for Family Success Alliance use for FY 2014 -15. The majority of these funds (approximately $80,000) would be allocated to a pilot kindergarten preparation program with literacy focus in at least schools. The remainder of the funds (approximately $10,000) would be allocated for one navigator at a partner agency in each zone for the remainder of FY 2014 -15. Continuing funding for these positions for FY 2015 -16 will be approximately $150,000 of the requested $250,000 budget for FSA and will be granted to partner organizations. No new permanent County positions will be created with this proposal. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve Budget Amendment #8 -A transferring funds from the Social Justice Fund to the Family Success Alliance to 1) pilot kindergarten readiness and literacy programs for at least one school in each of the pilot Family Success Alliance zones; and 2) provide initial funds to a zone partner agency for a Family Success Alliance navigator in each zone.