Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: April 4, 2000 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~^ <br />SUBJECT: NC Health Choice Coordinator Position--Conversion from Time Limited to <br />Permanent Status <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): None Marti Pryor-Cook, Director <br />Ext. 2802 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 958-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider converting the existing time limited Health Choice Coordinator position to a <br />regulaz permanent position. <br />BACKGROUND: The Health Choice Coordinator position currently is vacant. It is important that this <br />position be filled as soon as possible to insure that children continue to get enrolled and re-enrolled in the <br />program on a timely basis. The implication of not filling this position is that many eligible children will <br />not be enrolled nor re-enrolled in the Health Choice program in a timely manner. They will also not have <br />the resources to secure non-emergency health raze services. Since the position is presently time limited <br />through July 2000, it is difficult to recruit and fill this position. Therefore, the Boazd of Commissioners is <br />asked to approve converting the position from atime-limited status to a permanent status. <br />In 1998, the NC General Assembly approved state funding to draw down federal dollazs to provide health <br />insurance for children up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. A local Planning Committee, <br />representing over 24 agencies and organizations, guided the development of the Health Choice program in <br />the Orange County. The Committee recommended that the program be staffed with afull- time permanent <br />case manager and atime-limited Coordinator. This level of staffing was recommended as a pilot initiative <br />to provide staff an opportunity to determine the number of children eligible for the program, the <br />requirements necessary to assist children to remain insured, and the resources needed to maintain the <br />program. <br />Since implementation in November 1998, Orange County DSS has enrolled 590 children in Health <br />Choice. During this same period, approximately 650 additional children have been certified and enrolled <br />in the Medicaid program. This means that over 1200 new children are now able to visit a health care <br />provider and receive needed health services in Orange County. Applications are taken at various sites in <br />the County, including DSS and the Health Department. <br />