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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 19, 2018 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-d <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Social Services Reform and Performance Memorandum of Understanding <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br /> <br />Memorandum of Understanding <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> <br />Nancy Coston, 919-245-2802 <br />Janet Sparks, 919-245-2178 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To receive an update on Social Services Reform and to consider approval of the <br />Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Orange County and the North Carolina <br />Department of Health and Human Services regarding performance expectations. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: In 2017, the North Carolina General Assembly approved Social Services <br />Reform legislation (House Bill 630). The legislation contains many components including: <br />• hire consulting firm to develop plans for reform; <br />• establish workgroup to develop recommendations on creation of state regional offices; <br />• develop plan for regionalization of local offices; and <br />• implement performance agreements between local social service agencies and the state <br />Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). <br /> <br />The outside consulting firm, the Center for the Support of Families, is conducting research in <br />North Carolina and has visited Orange County. The Social Services Work Group, facilitated by <br />the School of Government, has issued its first report on establishing state regional offices and is <br />now working on local agency regionalization plans. <br /> <br />The performance agreement section of the law becomes effective July 1, 2018, with an <br />expectation that counties submit a signed MOU to DHHS by June 29, 2018. County directors <br />and state staff have met numerous times to develop the performance measures and the <br />language for the MOU. Although the measures in the MOU are not new, the law contained <br />additional language to allow progressive actions if counties do not meet the goals. These are <br />outlined in Attachment X of the MOU and include program improvements and corrective action <br />plans. If counties have continued failures in performance after corrective action, the Secretary <br />of DHHS may assume control of service delivery. County directors have expressed concerns <br />about signing the MOU’s knowing that they cannot meet all the expectations. During the <br />meeting, the DSS Director will provide information about any known actions by other counties <br />related to signing these agreements. <br />1