Agenda - 01-30-2007-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I? for b ?aca??°s ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES Director. Board of Directors: Nancy Coston Rosetta Wash, Chair Valerie Foushee Karen Long Joe Robbins Harold Russell Another concern for the Social Services Board is the agency's ability to meet the space standards set by the State of North Carolina. The Department of Social Services is reviewed by the State Division of Social Services to assure that adequate space is provided by the county to meet the needs of the clients. We are due a review at this time and we will not be able to pass the review. The major failures will be the agency's inability to provide private offices and interviewing space to assure that privacy is afforded all clients visiting the agency. Failure to correct space deficiencies can result in the loss of financial participation in our administrative costs. Failure to protect some of this information could also result in very serious HIPPA violations. More important, however, is that the lack of adequate space creates an inappropriate environment for persons who need to come to our agency and share very sensitive information. In addition to the lack of office space for individual workers, it has become almost impossible to schedule meeting space or conference rooms to accommodate the increased number of client team meetings and other meetings necessary to meet the agency's goals. This is complicated by the fact that most of the offices in Chapel Hill are too small for the worker to meet with the clients and often the worker must use a conference room to see a family. We are even struggling to find night meeting space for our various classes for parents and for our prospective adoptive and foster parents. We believe it is important for the county management to understand the financial resources available for our department's space needs since these resources can help the county to meet its overall facility needs. More information about these resources can be found in a report from our staff, which is enclosed with this letter and by contacting Nancy Coston, the Social Services Director. We have developed the following recommendations for the Board of Commissioners to consider: 1. Immediately begin plans to expand the human service space at Southern Human Services. With the current and future needs anticipated at that complex it is farther recommended that two sites be planned for huinan service expansion at that site. A second site will probably be needed in the future and could possibly be combined with a justice center, if it becomes necessary for the county to find a site for that facility in Chapel Hill. There is a considerable interaction between the courts and human service agencies, particularly child welfare. 2. Find and develop space contiguous to the current site at the Richard E. Whiffed Human Services building, which will allow for families to continue receiving services from numerous agencies at one facility. 3. Allow Social Services to temporarily utilize the old Orange Enterprises site for a training center. Funds for needed building renovations and furnishings can be partly financed through DSS administrative funds and through the Work First pilot funds. In addition to providing meeting space for the numerous training sessions and team meetings, this site could provide temporary 300 West Tryon Street, P.O. Box 8181 - Hillsborough, NC 27278 - (919) 245-2800 2501 Homestead Road - Chapel Hill, NC 27516 - (919) 968-2000