Orange County NC Website
6 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 Finally, the State's Medicaid Managed care plan will begin this summer. On July 1, two regions <br /> 3 will begin the initial enrollment process, which includes Orange County. This managed care <br /> 4 plan and all of its enrollment elements will be a significant transition to navigate for our monthly <br /> 5 clients which average 16,436. We anticipate that families will call with questions beginning in <br /> 6 June as the enrollment information is distributed; therefore, more staff time will be needed in this <br /> 7 capacity, along with verifying current addresses for enrolled participants. <br /> 8 <br /> 9 As we go forward into this next fiscal year, the DSS Board members appreciate the ongoing <br /> 10 support from the county commissioners and county manager in our staff's work and services to <br /> 11 our Orange County citizens. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 Going forward, the DSS Board appreciates the support of the Board of County Commissioners <br /> 14 <br /> 15 Commissioner Price asked if there could be clarification about the 55 on the wait list. <br /> 16 Nancy Coston, DSS Director, said the State had everyone go to a childcare wait list <br /> 17 while it determined if there were any available funds to reallocate. She said DSS is looking into <br /> 18 how much County funds are available to serve children without getting over extended. She said <br /> 19 some funds may be moved around to serve more children, and this waiting list has a tendency <br /> 20 to grow rapidly. <br /> 21 Commissioner Price asked if this was the same list to which the Board directed <br /> 22 additional funding last year, or the year before. <br /> 23 Nancy Coston said yes, it was three years ago when the State made large cuts. She <br /> 24 said there were a few years thereafter when the money was not needed, but it is needed again. <br /> 25 Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the federal shutdown had an impact. <br /> 26 Nancy Coston said there was some bad information that went out about the food <br /> 27 program, and her food and nutrition staff was very stressed; but the State managed to space out <br /> 28 the next distributions so the families did not get into a crisis, and any gaps were filled with extra <br /> 29 funds, food bank, donations, etc. <br /> 30 Commissioner Dorosin referred to the subsidies, and asked if there is an issue in <br /> 31 capacity of service providers, or if it is just an issue of funding. <br /> 32 Nancy Coston said at this point, it is just an issue of funding. <br /> 33 <br /> 34 • Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) Cecilia Redding, Vice Chair <br /> 35 <br /> 36 Cecelia Redding said she is a farmer in Orange County, and reviewed the following <br /> 37 APB's accomplishments: <br /> 38 In 2018, reviewed and recommended approval for 16 additional farms as Voluntary <br /> 39 Agricultural District and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District farms, adding 1,748 <br /> 40 acres to these programs. This increased the total enrollment in both programs to 14,303 <br /> 41 acres on 109 farms throughout the County, and increased acreage in all of the seven <br /> 42 Agricultural Districts. <br /> 43 • Hosted the third annual breakfast program/informational workshop for existing and <br /> 44 prospective VAD/EVAD farm owners to encourage new participants and answer <br /> 45 questions; nearly 100 attended at the Schley Grange Hall. <br /> 46 Starting in 2018, the APB fills a dedicated seat on the board of the Orange <br /> 47 County Food Council, in recognition of the close ties between the two programs. <br /> 48 Promoted participation in the Century Farm Program by assisting farm owners with the <br /> 49 enrollment process. <br />