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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 18, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Authorize Expansion of Contract far Social Work Services Between Orange <br />County Schools and Orange County Department of Social Services <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Proposed Revised Contract Nancy Coston, 245-2802 <br />PURPOSE: To amend the current contract between the Orange County Schools and Orange <br />County to expand the number of Department of Social Services social work positions from four <br />to seven in the schools and to approve three new sacial work positions and one new social work <br />position to be funded through the contract. <br />.BACKGROUND: Last year, the Orange County School system identified a need far additional <br />social workers to expand services to at-risk students within the district. To address that need, in <br />October 2004, Commissioners authorized the creation of four County Social Worker positions to <br />provide these services for the Orange County Schools. While these positions are employees of <br />the County, Medicaid reimbursements along with a contribution from the Orange County <br />Schools cover 100 percent of their costs. Recently the Orange County School System <br />identified a need to amend the existing contract and increase the number of positions to a total <br />of seven positions. The seven staff from Social Services in addition to the existing school <br />personnel would provide one position for each school. <br />The Department of Social Services is eligible to receive federal Medicaid funding through the <br />At-Risk Case Management program by meeting certain criteria - (1) local department of social <br />services staff, not employees of the school district, must provide the services for at risk children <br />and families and (2) a local funding match must cover a portion of the positions cost. <br />Therefore, it is necessary for the local social services department to provide the services <br />through a contractual arrangement. <br />In accordance with the contract, the sacial workers serve at risk children. Services provided <br />include identification of family, economic and social issues impacting the ability of students to <br />have successful academic outcomes, provision of counseling to children and families with <br />certain risk factors, and provision of other supportive services to address the identified <br />