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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br />January 16, 2024 <br />2 <br /> <br />Ms. Shewmaker shared she will provide the Board with another update next month. She explained <br />DSS will conduct targeted outreach, if needed. Ann Wilkerson asked for an example of targeted <br />outreach. Ms. Shewmaker stated if we see numbers are low geographically, we can aim outreach <br />toward Northern Orange County. Nancy Coston, Director, stated the State is going to do a media <br />campaign over the next couple of months. <br /> <br /> <br />3. Annual Board Work Plan <br /> <br />Lindsey Shewmaker stated the Board Work Plan will go to the Board of County Commissioners <br />(BOCC). The Board Chair, Jane Garrett, will be invited to speak. The Annual Board Work Plan <br />covers the key issues DSS will be dealing with over the next year. Sally Green informed the Board <br />members of the BOCC process. Ann Wilkerson made a motion for the Board to accept the Annual <br />Board Work Plan for submission to the BOCC; Sally Green seconded the motion. The motion was <br />carried without dissent. <br /> <br />4. Quarterly Data Presentation <br /> <br />Lindsey Shewmaker provided the Board with a review of data elements for DSS program areas for <br />Quarter Two (October-December 2023). Current and longitudinal data was given to the Board <br />members. Ms. Shewmaker highlighted 5122 Food and Nutrition cases in December 2023. This <br />serves approximately 9542 participants. DSS continues to see a slight decline in participants since <br />the unwinding of COVID rules. Chris Barnes asked for clarification between cases and participants. <br />Ms. Shewmaker explained a case is a household and a participant is a household member. In <br />Medicaid, we had 19,675 participants in December 2023. While we have seen a decline since <br />recertifications started back in the summer of 2023, we do expect these numbers to increase with <br />Medicaid Expansion. <br /> <br />WorkFirst is experiencing consistent numbers with 76 participants in December. There is low <br />enrollment with WorkFirst across the state. In November, there were 562 children receiving a child <br />care subsidy. <br /> <br />There were 106 Child Protective Services (CPS) reports in December. The number of children in <br />foster care is steady with 86 children currently in DSS custody. There were 12 Adult Protective <br />Services (APS) reports in December. Jane Garrett inquired about the spike in APS reports for <br />November. Ms. Shewmaker explained most of those reports were self-neglect and the holidays <br />tend to bring more people into contact with adults who may need assistance. The Adult <br />Guardianship numbers have remained consistent with 49 adults in guardianship in December 2023. <br />Eight of those adults are under a guardianship contract. Sally Green asked for clarification on <br />guardianship contracts. Lindsey Shewmaker explained this is when DSS contracts out to private <br />companies for guardianship services. Nancy Coston added the State has a couple of statewide <br />contracts we can access. Sally Green asked for a timeline when this happened and Director Coston <br />stated this occurred when OPC (Orange Person Chatham mental health) dissolved and DSS <br />became the only public guardian. Ms. Coston explained the Clerk of Court has to approve any <br />guardianship. <br /> <br />Lindsey Shewmaker stated we will bring more data to the Board for the budget process. <br /> <br />5. FY 2024-25 Budget Process <br /> <br />Nancy Coston informed the members that the DSS Board, by statute, has an advisory role for the <br />budget. She explained the Board will recommend a budget to the County Manager who then