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26 <br /> 8. What concerns or emerging issues does this board/commission anticipate for the <br /> upcoming year that it plans to address or wishes to bring to the BOCC's attention? <br /> 1. Sustainable Funding for Food and Nutrition Services and Other DSS Programs <br /> The Board of Social Services is concerned with the numbers of Orange County <br /> residents in need of services and potential impacts on vulnerable and <br /> disenfranchised residents. The Board and staff are concerned about potential <br /> impacts to human services funding and programs at the national level. The Board <br /> wants to be certain that the critical programs and services provided by the <br /> Department of Social Services can continue to operate and that residents of <br /> Orange County are able to access the services they need. These funding concerns <br /> are especially relevant in the federal reimbursement changes in Food and Nutrition <br /> Services. The Board wishes to ensure that this program remains funded at its <br /> current level so the department can provide this mandated service to our <br /> community. The Board is concerned that funds to make up for this revenue loss <br /> are not taken from other DSS programs and services that help meet critical needs <br /> for Orange County residents. <br /> 2. Behavioral Health Services and Placement Access <br /> For children in DSS custody, the new Child and Family Services Specialty Plan <br /> was awarded to Blue Cross Blue Shield NC and rolled out in December of 2025. <br /> This will transition health care management for youth in foster care to one <br /> managed care plan statewide. There continues to be difficulty finding appropriate <br /> placements for children in DSS custody, particularly teenage youth and children <br /> with complex behavioral health challenges. We will continue our local recruitment <br /> efforts, continue to prioritize kinship placement and support, and continue to focus <br /> on programming that supports and keeps families intact to avoid entry into the <br /> foster care system. <br /> We currently partner with Alliance Healthcare for our Adult Protective Services and <br /> Adult Guardianship cases with Medicaid coverage. We will continue to expand our <br /> collaboration with Alliance Healthcare in 2026 to have a dedicated Alliance liaison <br /> for Adult Services. We also plan to continue regular Adult Protection <br /> Multidisciplinary Team meetings to work collaboratively with other community <br /> partners in addressing challenges seen with this vulnerable populations. <br /> 3. Emergency Management and Sustainability <br /> The Board is concerned about the increased demands placed on Social Services <br /> staff and would like to explore sustainable plans for emergency response. In <br /> 2026, the agency plans to work with other County human services departments <br /> and non-profit organizations to develop a framework to respond to emergencies <br /> and increase the depth of emergency supports for human services. <br />