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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br />October 7 , 2019 <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />currently 130 children on the waiting list and it will take all state and county dollars currently <br />allocated to continue to serve the 756 children currently receiving services each month. To <br />eliminate the waiting list and keep a new one from forming would cost the county approximately <br />$360,000 of additional funding for the remainder of the year. Staff continue to add children referred <br />from child welfare and Work First. The Food and Nutrition Employment and Training Program can <br />pay 50% of the costs of care for families in that program and staff are still enrolling those children. <br /> <br />Jamezetta Bedford asks how the Orange County Partnership for Young Children and their funds <br />relate to these DSS programs. Ms. Coston responded that Orange County DSS applies to <br />administer Smart Start funds for the county each year. DSS also receives federal child care funds <br />allocated through a state funding formula. DSS is currently administering over $6 million in child <br />care subsidy funds. <br /> <br />3. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employee Initiative <br /> <br />The County is doing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training for employees. Department Heads <br />have already gone through two days of training. Orange County is also working with the <br />Government Alliance on Racial Equity (GARE) on racial equity with an outward facing lens. Staff <br />showed a video the county is using to introduce the topic. <br /> <br />Anne Wilkerson asked who was conducting the training. Nancy Coston responded that the <br />company is called Visions, Inc. <br /> <br />Ms. Wilkerson asked whether it is open to Boards. Ms. Coston responded that GARE will be <br />reaching out to Boards but Visions, Inc. is contracted to work with staff. <br /> <br />Jamezetta Bedford noted that she would bring up the possibility of training at the Commissioners’ <br />retreat. Diversity of boards has come up as a recent topic at a work session as well. <br /> <br />Ms. Wilkerson asked whether there have been staff complaints about diversity or discrimination. <br />Ms. Coston responded that there have been some but none that have been substantiated. <br /> <br />4. Directors Report <br /> <br />The agency held its biannual job fair last Wednesday, October 2nd at University Place in Chapel Hill. <br /> <br />Staff are negotiating with UNC about a basketball game. UNC has provided a few options, the best <br />of which is probably the Ohio State game on December 4th. Sharron Hinton will send out a calendar <br />with all the dates and times for various events. <br /> <br />VII. Announcements <br /> <br />Tamara Dempsey-Tanner moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:10 pm . Jamezetta Bedford seconded the motion. <br />The motion was carried without dissent. <br />Submitted by: <br /> <br /> Nancy Coston, DSS Director <br /> <br /> Tamara Dempsey-Tanner , Chair