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15 <br /> 1 Slide #8 <br /> QUESTIONS? <br /> ORANGE COUNT <br /> 2 n Rrt iCke LLwn <br /> 3 Commissioner Greene said this is the second year the Manager is recommending the <br /> 4 county absorb the increased cost of health insurance. She asked how the reserves work and how <br /> 5 confident they can be in how long that can go on. <br /> 6 Brenda Bartholomew said as the pool grows, that will help sustain the funds. She said that <br /> 7 last year there were two very high claim costs that could have hurt the renewal. She said one of <br /> 8 the reasons the county joined the pool in the first place is that you can look at the plan over the <br /> 9 years and that between 2018-2023 there has only been at 10% increase, while other <br /> 10 municipalities and counties have seen double digit increases each year. She said the target for <br /> 11 reserves is 1.5-2 million and they are at $1.1 million right now. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 A motion was made by Commissioner Richards, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to <br /> 14 approve an increase of 5% to the Health Insurance Premium Equivalents for both active and pre- <br /> 15 65 retirees and the amount of the increase to be fully paid by the County; approve an increase of <br /> 16 Health Insurance funding of$659,108; approve the County's continued participation as a member <br /> 17 in the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool (NCHIP); approve continuation with Delta Dental with <br /> 18 no increase in rates or funding; and approve the County implementing UNUM Behavioral Health <br /> 19 as a benefit to all employees at a cost of$89,000. <br /> 20 <br /> 21 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 22 <br /> 23 7. Reports <br /> 24 <br /> 25 a. Child Welfare Updates and Planning <br /> 26 The Board received an update on child welfare services provided by the Department of Social <br /> 27 Services (DSS) including current system challenges and plans for the future. <br /> 28 <br /> 29 BACKGROUND: North Carolina's child welfare program is county administered and state <br /> 30 supervised. Child welfare services, including child protective services, foster care and adoption, <br /> 31 are legally mandated to be provided by departments of social services in all North Carolina <br /> 32 counties. Counties are responsible for staff and management of the program while the state <br /> 33 supervises the counties based on state law and policy. The rules, policies and procedures are <br /> 34 predominantly established by federal and state legislation and by the North Carolina Department <br /> 35 of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Most of the costs for staff and for services to these <br /> 36 children and families are paid through federal and county dollars. <br /> 37 <br />