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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br />September 19, 2011 <br />1 <br /> <br />THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MET ON MONDAY: September 19, 2011 at the <br />Hillsborough Commons, Hillsborough, North Carolina. <br /> <br />BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBERS PRESENT: Pat Garavaglia, Chair; Valerie Foushee; Albert <br />Williams; and Arthrell Sanders. <br /> <br />GUEST: None. <br /> <br />BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBER ABSENT: Claire Millar. <br /> <br />STAFF PRESENT: Nancy Coston, Director; Joyce Lee, Business Officer; Lindsey Shewmaker, Human <br />Services Manager. <br /> <br />I. Call to Order and Introductions <br /> <br />DSS Chair, Pat Garavaglia, called the meeting to order at 4:07 P.M. <br /> <br />II. Board Comments <br /> <br />Valerie Foushee noted she was glad to see Albert back at the meeting. <br /> <br />III. Public Comments <br /> <br />None. <br /> <br />IV. Agenda Changes <br /> <br />None. <br /> <br />V. Action Items <br /> <br />On a motion by Valerie Foushee the Board approved the Minutes of August 15, 2011. Arthrell Sanders <br />seconded the motion. The motion was carried without dissent. Pat Garavaglia added that Friends of <br />DSS provided the materials for the book bags distributed. <br /> <br />VI. Items for Discussion and/or Decision <br /> <br />1. Work First Changes <br /> <br />Nancy Coston informed the Board that a work group has formed to look at the Work First program <br />and determine whether the current program of cash assistance and work support is effective. <br />Child-only cases are now more than fifty percent of the Work First caseload. These cases are <br />made up of children living with grandparents and work-readiness is not a factor. The able-bodied <br />clients who remain on Work First have many barriers to employment. These issues are causing the <br />program criteria to be re-evaluated. Few clients are moving into employment from Work First. <br />Cash assistance for a mother and child is just over $200 per month, which is not enough for a <br />family to live on. The question is whether there is a better way to support low income families. <br />Suggestions have included using resources for child care instead of cash payment and/or using an <br />approach that resembles vocational rehabilitation. Ms. Coston added that she, Sharron Hinton, and <br />Robert Gilmore attended the meetings from Orange County. <br />