Agenda - 03-01-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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9 1 initiative will allow people to go either Health Department location and receive a personal sized 2 sharps container, as well as clean syringes and needles. She said these supplies can be 3 returned and replenished as necessary. 4 Chair McKee said there has been a lengthy history of Cardinal Innovations not being 5 accommodating of County policies and procedures, but he sees a change forthcoming based 6 on the Board meeting he attended last night. 7 8 • Board of Social Services: Tamara Dempsey-Tanner, Chair/Nancy Coston, DSS 9 Director 10 Tamara Dempsey-Tanner said the Board has identified the following three issues as 11 those of primary concern for the next year: 12 13 o Child Care 14 Tamara Dempsey-Tanner said DSS received an additional $1 million from the State for 15 childcare, and thus DSS will not need to ask the County for additional child care funds at this 16 time. She said in November there were 160 children on the waiting list, but currently none are 17 on the waiting list. She said 700 children are currently being served with their funds. She said 18 some County funds are being used for after school care. 19 20 o NC FAST Expansion 21 Tamara Dempsey-Tanner reminded the BOCC that NC FAST is North Carolina Families 22 Accessing Services through Technology. She said the intent of this program is to have a 23 universal system for access to all DSS programs, allowing for seamless application and 24 enrollment. She said the State is growing this system slowly, with Work First, Nutrition Services 25 and Medicaid being live thus far. She said there has been some learning curve, and DSS staff 26 has worked diligently to meet the curve while still serving the clients. 27 28 o ABAWD Work Requirements and Employment Services 29 Tamara Dempsey-Tanner said the able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) 30 program began in January 2016. She said this program applies to adults ages 18 to 49 who 31 previously received food and nutrition services. She said these clients will no longer be eligible 32 for benefits unless they have a qualified dependent, and are not currently working. 33 Nancy Coston said DSS is working diligently with clients regarding this change, noting 34 benefits will not cease until April 1. She said it has been a great challenge to reach clients, but 35 DSS will continue to reach out. She said there has been a wonderful response from community 36 partners regarding work program placements. 37 Commissioner Dorosin asked if there is a plan in place to inform clients that benefits will 38 be ceasing. 39 Nancy Coston said a notification letter was sent from the State in December 2015, and a 40 termination letter will also come from the State. She said if clients do not read the letter, they 41 will be informed when the benefits card no longer works at the grocery store. 42 Chair McKee asked if there is an emergency plan in place to help clients in the 43 aforementioned scenario, such as extending benefits for a day or a week. 44 Nancy Coston said no, but noted there is a food bank. She said clients can get back 45 into the program by working with DSS staff to reapply or getting an exemption for a disability. 46 She said the number of people facing the loss of benefits may be as high as 900, and DSS will 47 likely receive many phone calls when benefits are terminated. 48 Commissioner Jacobs asked if the local supermarkets have been notified that this may 49 happen. 50 Nancy Coston said not yet, but outreach to some of these vendors has been discussed.