Minutes 04-04-2019 Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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19 Nancy Coston said this number fluctuates, and about 75% of cases involve severe mental health or substance abuse issues on the part of the parents. Overview and Update on Reform Plan • North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has published 14 recommendations based on the reform work completed thus far • Highlights include: o DHHS to create 7 regions, phasing in by first establishing virtual regions and using existing community space by March 2020 o Modify language of NC REACH legislation to include youth who exit foster care to a permanent home through Guardianship Assistance Program o Modify legislative language to include provision for training Social Services Boards no less than 2 times annually o DHHS to conduct a feasibility and cost study for transferring adult guardianship cases from the Department to the counties o DHHS, in collaboration with key stakeholder groups, study and recommend a workforce development model for key positions in county DSS, regional offices and central offices • House Bill 291 authorizes the continuation of the Social Services Working Group • Directs the group to provide more detailed recommendations in certain areas • Continues work toward exploring mandatory regionalization of social services departments Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there was a particular impetus to do these measures. Nancy Coston said a few things, but it mostly came out of the federal government citing North Carolina as failing the Child and Family Review. She said every state failed, and the federal measures are almost impossible to meet. She said there was also a desire to review how child fatalities that were active child welfare cases, were reviewed. Erica Bryant, Child Support Director, resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Performance Measures: Child Support • All state performance measures for Child Support are set at a threshold of 80% • County goals may be set higher or lower by the state • Orange County met all county goals in SFY18 Erica Bryant said the County goal is based on federal incentive goals, which turns into revenue for the County. She said 80% was picked as the goal for the performance measures for House Bill 630, because that is where the incentive benefits are maximized. Commissioner Greene said she does not understand how 108% of paternities can be established. Erica Bryant said looks at the number of children born out of wedlock the previous year, and it is calculated by the number of paternities that are established this year. She said the birth rate is declining, so the figure will continue to be above 100%. Commissioner Greene asked if this is because some are being counted from last year. Erica Bryant said the base figure is always the number of children born out of wedlock the previous year, which is the federal calculation. Commissioner Dorosin clarified that the only item on which the County is behind its goal, is the percent of orders established. Erica Bryant said yes, and last year DSS met all of the incentive categories, being 1 of only 3 counties in the state to do so.