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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: January 23, 2007 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 5--m <br />SUBJECT: Time-Limited Positions for Work First Pilot <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Nancy Coston, 245-2802 <br />PURPOSE: To consider establishing four time-limited positions using Work First pilot funds to <br />provide intensive services to Work First participants. <br />BACKGROUND: The North Carolina General Assembly appropriated some of the available <br />Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to support local pilot projects to <br />enhance the participation rates of Work First recipients. Changes in federal rules are <br />expected to make it difficult for local agencies to meet the required federal participation rates. <br />The pilot projects must be used in a way to increase these participation rates. <br />Participation rates are determined by the number of recipients who complete 30 hours per <br />week of allowable activities. Most of the allowable activities are short-term training, community <br />work experience, on-the-job training, employment or subsidized employment. Orange County <br />is not currently meeting the required 50% participation rate for all parents who are not either <br />disabled or have a child under the age of one. As the number of recipients has declined it has <br />become more difficult for the agency to meet the federal requirements since many of the <br />current recipients have complex issues and multiple barriers to employment. <br />In November 2006, the Board of County Commissioners accepted grant funds for this fiscal <br />year in the amount of $270,838. There is no local match required, and if the pilot project is <br />meeting its stated goals, then the funds can be continued for two more years. <br />The plan approved for Orange County provides funds to increase its on-the-job training <br />components with employers, to provide job coaches for targeted participants, to provide work <br />incentives for successful participants and to provide subsidized employment opportunities. <br />In order to manage this program, Social Services is requesting that four time-limited positions <br />be created using pilot funds. Two positions would be Community Social Services Technicians <br />and would provide one-on-one coaching as well as transportation for clients to attend various