Orange County NC Website
o In addition, our control group for the Family Success Alliance pipeline in general will be <br /> kids outside the two zones. So, for example after a literacy intervention, we'll be able <br /> to compare 3 d grade reading scores of children in the zone against children not in the <br /> zone. The challenge will be the fact that we'll be slowing filling the gaps in our pipeline <br /> so it will take some time to really see the outcomes most important to us. <br /> • We have asked the United Way to fund a full-time evaluation coordinator and some shared <br /> data-base development. Hopefully they will fund this request. If not, we'll figure something <br /> else out. We can't do this project if we can't evaluate it. It won't always be the absolute <br /> gold standard evaluation that I'd love, but I really think we can do a great job with some <br /> elbow grease and ingenuity. <br /> Commissioner Burroughs said she hoped the United Way would support this initiative; <br /> and if not, she believed Orange County should fund, and support this full-time evaluation <br /> coordinator. <br /> Commissioner Burroughs said some elements of this program sound like Smart Start, <br /> and More and Four. She asked if these programs compare to the Family Success Alliance. <br /> Colleen Bridger said there are existing programs and services in the community such <br /> as the two mentioned above and the role of the FSA pipeline is to bring all of these providers <br /> together allowing easier access for families. She said the Zone Navigators will also help in this <br /> regard. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if there is a timeline regarding the use of these funds since <br /> it is the end of both the fiscal and school years. <br /> Colleen said the Zone Navigator position would start as soon as approval is given <br /> which is about 4 weeks from now. She said the interventions would start over the summer and <br /> some of the funds would be able to be carried forward. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if there is a reason that existing funds are being requested <br /> as opposed to using new funds in next year's budget. <br /> Colleen Bridger said partly because next year's budget is not enough to cover the <br /> outlined goals and partly because the completion of the necessary analyses this past year took <br /> time and caused a bit of delay in the process. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if there is a clear purpose for the use of the Social Justice <br /> Funds and if there is an emergency between now and June 30th, and this fund is depleted, <br /> what would be done. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said the Social Justice Funds in 2014-2015 was $450,000. She <br /> said $100,000 was designated towards the FSA and the Board allocated $350,000 to the <br /> Social Services Child Care Fund. She said the audited fund balance came forward in January <br /> and there were some funds available to replenish the Social Justice Fund, bringing it back to <br /> $450,000. She added that this total does not include the $90,000 that was designated for the <br /> FSA. She said the 2015 to 2016 includes her recommendation to maintain the Social Justice <br /> Fund at $450,000. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if there are any criteria for who is able to draw down on this <br /> money. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said this fund and its uses are determined by the Board of County <br /> Commissioners. <br /> Commissioner Price said the BOCC has not designated criteria for the uses of this <br /> fund. <br /> Chair McKee said the Board did not identify specific uses for the funds other than <br /> childcare and the FSA. <br />