Minutes-12-04-2023-Business Meeting

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5 • Review, comment on, and monitor the implementation of the contract deliverables between area authorities and NCDHHS, • Identify service gaps and underserved populations, • Make recommendations regarding the service array and monitor the development of additional services, • Review and comment on the area authority budget, • Develop a collaborative and working relationship with the area authority's member advisory committees to obtain input related to service delivery and system change issues, and • Submit to the State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee findings and recommendations regarding ways to improve the delivery of mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, substance use disorder, and traumatic brain injury services, including statewide issues. The attached Annual Report for FY 2023 describes the Orange County CFAC's goals and accomplishments. Carol Conway defined IDD (intellectual and/or developmental disabilities); AFL (alternative family living); ICF (Intermediate care facility), and; SSI (Supplemental security income). She said that her request to the Board today is for their support of the creation of deeply affordable housing for adults with IDD. She said that she is the mother of a 36-year-old with a very rare genetic disorder. She said that she also runs a group that has 300 families in a similar situation. She said there is no standard data collection mechanism for the IDD community, but there are estimates. She said no one collects the data. She said that 1% of those born in the US have a developmental disability. She said that 75% of adults with intellectual disabilities still live in a family home because there is nowhere for them to go. She said there are few services for people with IDD after high school. She said that there are 17,000 on a waitlist across the state for the Innovations Waiver. She said there are 225 in Orange County and the legislature gave the whole state 350 and Orange County might see 1-2 spots. She said while waiting, there is an eligibility for a program, but it is not enough hours to be helpful for caretakers. She said there is a lack of DSPs---people are going without services because no one is willing to work for$11.50 an hour in these conditions with no benefits. She said the Legislature gave the DSPs a slight wage bump, but it is not meeting the target of$18 an hour but that will not solve the problem. She said transportation for Orange County is pretty good but statewide it is a problem. She said that IDD is lumped in with all other disabilities and gets lost in the affordable housing conversation. She said that current options do not work and summarized why. She said typical affordable housing providers target people earning above 60% AMI, not those with less than 30% AMI. She said group homes are okay, but they have to have the innovation waiver to live in the group home to provide the support. She said ICFs are designed for the severely affected ID population but there is a huge waitlist, and they are being criticized for being too old school. She said that adults with ID need permanent stable housing. She said that AFLs are like foster care, but that was designed to be temporary care. She provided the following recommendations: give extra points for people with disabilities, especially IDD. She asked that schools educate families about the innovation waiver and be added to the waitlist as early as possible in the child's life. She asked them to advocate with other state and local leaders about IDD. She asked the Board to grant some publicly owned land to mixed-use housing for IDD and others with housing needs. She asked that schools create vocational tracks to train more direct care workers. She said that the state supports this. She said that the immigrants need to be welcomed. She said that they are in a population crash and that once her generation is gone, there will be much fewer people and that immigrants will likely be those that work in the fields that are needed. She said that Forsyth County spent