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MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br /> August 21,2023 <br /> Jane Garrett shared she attended the DSS Institute held in Hickory earlier this month. She shared <br /> that she learned a lot about Medicaid updates and enjoyed the workshops offered for Board <br /> members. <br /> 5. Director's Report <br /> Nancy Coston shared the next Board meeting will be her evaluation. She will send the materials to <br /> Board members. <br /> Ms. Coston shared staff went through Narcan training offered by Orange County Emergency <br /> Management Services (EMS). There are plans to have EMS train staff on CPR. <br /> Ms. Coston provided an update on Medicaid Expansion. She explained until a State Budget is <br /> passed there will be no expansion. She also shared we are continuing to work on data for childcare <br /> subsidy outreach by identifying all four-year-olds receiving Medicaid but not childcare subsidy. <br /> Oscar Fleming shared during a recent Orange County Partnership for Youth Children meeting they <br /> had a good discussion about promotion of the benefits of early childhood care. <br /> Ms. Coston thanked our guests for attending. Pat Garavaglia asked if they had any questions. Chris <br /> Barnes asked how many board seats are open. Chair Garavaglia shared one seat is open. Denise <br /> Ferrada asked about engagement with the Hispanic community in DSS programming. Ms. Coston <br /> explained we have a large number of individuals in the Latinx community we work with and we <br /> partner with the Health Department too in engaging the Hispanic community. Jamezetta Bedford <br /> stated Orange County has over 65 languages spoken and the County tries to recruit bilingual staff <br /> in addition to offering software to assist with interpretation. Oscar Fleming asked if we have any <br /> sense of how well the Hispanic community is being served in the County. Nancy Coston shared the <br /> closest assessment of this would be the Community Health Assessment led by the Health <br /> Department. Jamezetta shared Justice United has been very active in the County, Freedom House <br /> now has a bilingual therapist, and the Refugee Center does a lot of work with the Burmese <br /> population. Jamezetta thanked the guests for applying for the open board position. <br /> VII. Announcements <br /> Ann Wilkerson moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:13 pm. Oscar Fleming seconded the motion. The motion <br /> was carried without dissent. <br /> Submitted by: <br /> Nancy Coston, DSS Director <br /> Pat Garavaglia, Chair <br /> 3 <br />