B04172012 New Hanover County
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Board of Social Services
Meeting Minutes
Multipurpose Room A
10:00a.m. — 11:00 a.m.
The New Hanover County Board of Social Services met in open session on Tuesday, April 17.
2012 at 10:00 in Multipurpose Room A of the New Hanover County Government Center.
ATTENDING: John Craig. Chairman: Patrick Riley. Vice Chairman: Evelyn Bryant: Diana
Woolley and Jonathan Barfield Jr.
ALSO ATTENDING: LaVaughn Nesmith, Secretary to the Board: Stephanie Monteath.
Administrative Support Specialist
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. Mr. Craig asked for a motion to approve
the agenda. Ms. Bryant moved for approval of the agenda. The motion was seconded by Ms.
Woolley with the addition of the action item "Child Care Subsidy Plan" and an additional
request to add a "Board Comments- section to the agenda and passed unanimously.
Mr. Nesmith led the invocation.
Ms. Bryant led the pledge of allegiance.
CONSENT AGENDA
Mr. Craig asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda. Ms. Woolley moved to approve the
consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Ms. Bryant and passed unanimously.
INFORMATION AGENDA
Ms. Woolley noted referrals for Child Protective Assessments are up. the number of children in
Foster Care placements are down and services to adults are up. Mr. Nesmith noted the agency
will be taking on adult guardianship cases (approximately 15) from Mental Health. Caseload
standards are I social worker to 22 adults. but the social workers are currently carrying loads of
over 30 guardianship cases before the additional mental health cases. Department of Health and
Human Services deemed that mental health serving as guardian and receiving Medicaid dollars is
a conflict of interest with them also serving as treatment providers. Mr. Riley asked if there is a
contract in place to provide face to face visitation with the adults placed in Buncombe County.
Ms. Marino explained NHCDSS must make that face to face contact 6 hours away to make sure
needs are being met. There are not enough residential placement options available for adults
needing guardianship for mental health near New Hanover County.
Karen Graham reviewed the budget expenditures.
Director Nesmith updated the Board on the progress of several information technology
initiatives. Leslie Chaney of IT is on board. Approximately S40.000 will be needed, some of
which will be taken from the current budget and some will come out of next year's budget by
shifting priorities.
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Director Nesmith shared with the Board. that training for all supervisors and managers took
place concerning American with Disabilities Act. confidentiality. discipline and discharging
employees. Family Medical Leave Act and Title VI/Limited English Proficiency updates.
No action was taken by the Board.
STRATEGIC ACTION AGENDA
Annual Percentage of Vacancies Filled within 40 Working Days
Patricia Robinson introduced the LBR indicator. Stephanie Monteath explained there are several
factors that affect the length of time it takes to fill a position, some of which are out of the
control of DSS such as freezing positions, appeals periods for terminated employees with
property rights. length of time it takes to get criminal background checks and driver's licenses or
problems with applications/drug screens. Sonic things the agency is doing right is supervisors
are actively participating in retention measures, getting justifications into the personnel office on
time and using trainee positions to quickly fill vacancies in Economic Services.
Annual Percentage of Fully Automated Programs
Christine McNamee gave a brief history of document management through information
technology. Currently the agency is waiting to implement the Northwoods Partners document
management system. but it was delayed. The agency is not satisfied with the current scanning
process as it is not user friendly. NCFAST hopes to have a program that will allow for a
federated interface of all counties' local document management systems. Northwoods will he in
the agency April 18. 2012 to kick off the program. The Child Care Subsidy and Medicaid units
are fully paperless with the Medicaid Unit is now scanning everything before closing their cases.
Patrick Riley is willing to get his board packets electronically as Commissioner Barfield does
currently. Ms. Woolley would like her packet to remain paper so she can make notes. Ms.
McNamee will check into getting laptops for the Board members to use during Board meetings.
Foster Care Awareness Proclamation
Mr. Riley read the Foster Care Awareness Proclamation. Commissioner Barfield made a motion
to support the proclamation. The motion was seconded by Ms. Woolley and passed
unanimously.
Board Member Announcement and Application
Mr. Craig asked for a motion to approve the announcement. The applications will he given to
the Board in May 2012 for a decision by the Board for the 5'1' member to be made in June 2012.
Mr. Riley moved to support the announcement. The motion was seconded by Ms. Bryant and
passed unanimously.
Child Care Program Local Policies
• Mary John Brantley discussed proposed changes to the child care policy. On page 3. the agency
is deleting transportation as the State will no longer pay for the service. The Community Child
Protection Team's recommendation to continue giving families child care subsidy support after
the family is reunited. was added as an amendment. Ms. Woolley moved to delete the
transportation services. The motion was seconded by Ms. Bryant and passed unanimously. Ms.
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Woolley moved to pass the amendment to the Child Care Waiting List and Service Reduction
• Policy. The motion was seconded by Ms. Bryant and passed unanimously.
Mr. Nesmith thanked the Board for supporting the amendment.
Board Comments
Ms. Woolley asked from where the money for the Foster Care dinner comes. Ms. Marino
explained that adoption goals were met that entitled the agency to receive Adoption Incentive
funds. which pays for the dinner and other recruitment efforts.
Ms. Woolley discussed a telephone call asking about a merger between DSS and the Health
Department to be under authority of the County. Commissioner Barfield said this will most
likely pass. Ms. Woolley asked Commissioner Barfield if the move would affect the budget.
Mr. Barfield explained that the biggest change would be the Directors of DSS and Health would
be under County supervision and all employees would be under County regulations instead of
State mandates.
Next Meeting Objectives
Significant Service Delivery Indicator Analysis
Review of Board Applications
Additional Items
Ms. Marino invited the Board to attend a Flower Launch at the Henrietta in support of National
Child Abuse Prevention Month. As well, the Board was invited to the Foster Care appreciation
dinner. Board Chairman Craig will attend the Foster Care dinner.
As there were no further items to discuss as provided in G.S. 154A-98 to consider information
that is confidential pursuant to G.S. 108A-80 and or G.S. 154A-98, the board by consensus
adjourned at 11 :15 AM
Respectfully submitted.
LaVaughn Nesmith.
Secretary to the Board
;
Yohnti
John E. Craig.
Chairman
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