Orange County NC Website
20 <br /> <br />Commissioner McKee complimented the Manager on the choice of Ms. Moore for this <br />position. <br />Commissioner Jacobs complimented the Manager for returning this to a standalone <br />department. <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Price for the <br />Board to: <br />1) Approve the new organizational structure creating the Department of Human Rights and <br />Relations as a separate independent department. (See attachment 1); <br />2) Change the name of the Department of Housing Human Rights and Community <br />Development to the Department of Housing and Community Development; <br />3) Authorize the Director of Human Rights and Relations to enforce the Civil Rights <br />Ordinance; <br />4) Amend the Bylaws of the Human Relations Commission to reflect the changes created <br />by the reorganization as provided in Attachment 2; and <br />5) Make these changes effective December 5, 2017. <br /> <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> <br />Chair Dorosin asked if the BOCC could receive an update on the Performance <br />Improvement Plan. <br /> <br />7. Reports <br /> <br />a. House Bill 630 – Family/Child Protection and Accountability Act <br />The Board received information about legislation passed by the North Carolina General <br />Assembly impacting programs at the Department of Social Services (DSS) and considered <br />sending a letter outlining Orange County’s concerns to Orange County’s legislative delegation <br />and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. <br /> <br />Nancy Coston, Department of Social Services (DSS) Director, presented this item, and <br />reviewed the following information: <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In June 2017, the North Carolina General Assembly passed House Bill 630, Family/Child <br />Protection and Accountability Act. This bill includes study and changes designed to improve <br />outcomes for families in the child welfare system and to improve performance in all mandated <br />social service programs. A UNC School of Government Overview is attached and House Bill <br />630 can be accessed at the electronic link noted above. <br /> <br />There are many facets of this law, some of which have major implications for local departments <br />of social services. Some of those areas are organizational structure/regionalization of <br />both state and county services, performance contracts between each county and the <br />state, and an external study of the social services system. Although the timelines vary <br />for different parts of the law, performance contracts with the state will become effective <br />July 2018 and the details of those contracts are currently under development. <br />The law includes language regarding corrective actions and “state takeover” of all or some of <br />the programs in a local agency if the performance measures are not met. <br />