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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 20, 1990 <br />SUBJECT: DSS Positions - JOBS and Income Maintenance <br />DEPARTMENT Social Services /Budget <br />ATTACHMENT(S) <br />1 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item NO �n <br />PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X <br />INFORMATION CONTACT <br />Marty Pryor - -Cook, ext 2803 <br />Rod Visser, ext 2450 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBER <br />Hillsborough 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968 -4501 <br />Mebane 227 -2031 <br />Durham 688 -7331 <br />PURPOSE: <br />To authorize creation of four permanent positions for the JOBS and <br />Income Maintenance programs in the Department of Social Services. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In his 1990 -91 Budget Message, and during the Board's budget <br />deliberations, the County Manager outlined a growing need for <br />additional positions in the Department of Social Services. Several <br />factors were particularly notable in this regard: the establishment of <br />the new, federally mandated Job Opportunities -Basic <br />Skills (JOBS) program, and increasing numbers of applications and <br />broader eligibility for public assistance. <br />The Manager indicated that based on preliminary assessments of caseload <br />and workload, that there was a likelihood that 7 positions would be <br />needed for implementation of the JOBS program in 1990 -91. Five <br />positions were added, and funds for the entire JOBS program were <br />budgeted, at the August 21, 1990 meeting. Ongoing assessment suggests <br />that the program staff can expect to carry an average caseload of 200 <br />in the JOBS program. An additional two Social Worker II positions will <br />be needed effective January 1, 1991 to complete implementation of the <br />program for this fiscal year. No additional county funds or budget <br />action will be necessary to carry out this action. <br />Funds were included in the 1990 -91 budget for two full -time, <br />temporary Eligibility Specialist positions. The Manager indicated in <br />his message that there was a possibility that these two positions might <br />need to become permanent in the near future. Ongoing assessment of <br />workload indicates that such a step has become necessary. Applications <br />for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Medicaid have <br />continued to increase significantly, and actual caseload in the first <br />quarter of 1990.91 increased from 523 to 540 for AFDC, and from 1160 to <br />1241 for Medicaid. No additional county funding or budget action will <br />be needed if these two temporary positions are made permanent. <br />