2024-02-15 Agenda Review
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 36
FEBRUARY 15, 2024 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING PAGE 130
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met on February 15, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. for Agenda
Review in Conference Rooms 138-139 at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center
Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina.
Members present: Chair Bill Rivenbark; Vice-Chair LeAnn Pierce; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.;
Commissioner Dane Scalise; and Commissioner Rob Zapple.
Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; Clerk to the Board Kymberleigh G. Crowell; and County
Attorney K. Jordan Smith.
Chair Rivenbark called the Agenda Review meeting to order and announced that the purpose of the meeting
is to review and discuss the agenda items for the February 19, 2024, Regular Meeting. However, the Board will first
hear a staff update.
STAFF UPDATE
Staff Update on Community Assistance Response and Engagement. 911 Director Hope Downs, Health and
Human Services (HHS) Clinical Therapy Manager Jodi Walker, and HHS Clinical Therapy Supervisor Mary Mack
provided the following information:
Community Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE):
Mental health clinicians embedded in the 911 center: assess needs; connect resources; collaborate
with public safety agencies; de-escalate situations; provide support; and follow up after a crisis
Components of the CARE program:
Call referrals from 911 telecommunicators and field responders: returning calls, providing
support, and connecting resources
Joining live calls in the 911 center: assisting in de-escalation and stabilization; follow-up with
continued support; and connecting resources
Potential of expanding the program to include field response
Stages of responding to a 911 crisis call: behavior crisis event; 911 contact; telecommunicator
response; telecommunicator dispatch and CARE connection; and post-dispatch outcome
Examples of CARE calls: mental/behavioral health issues, i.e., dementia, bipolar, schizophrenia,
delusions; feelings of loneliness or isolation; anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD; suicidal; domestic
violence, verbal or physical abuse, sexual abuse; substance abuse; experienced trauma; grief
support; homelessness; need for medication, food, housing; lost possessions due to fire or
burglary; parent-child conflict, family issues; and individual lacks prosocial skills and/or protective
factors
The CARE team will:
Connect callers to programs and services to address identified needs
Provide active listening to callers
Monitor and respond to caller's level of distress
Provide ideas and strategies to cope
Provide liaison to needed treatments and support where applicable
Engage caller to broaden caller options for managing future adverse events and experiences
Promote a sense of connection and inclusion via caring callbacks and support
Assess for suicidal ideation as needed
Total interventions provided to date: 195
A brief discussion ensued regarding the work being done and the benefit this brings to the citizens. There
being no further discussion, Chair Rivenbark thanked Ms. Downs, Ms. Walker, and Ms. Mack for the presentation.
Consent Agenda Item #2: Approval of Quitclaim Deed to Town of Carolina Beach. County Attorney Smith
stated that this action is to avoid the County being brought into a litigation matter with the Town of Carolina Beach.
The County owns 42.7% of the property, has never used the property, and the Town of Carolina Beach owns the
remainder. It is possible that the County may still get involved in litigation, but this action will decrease the possibility.
Deputy County Attorney Kemp Burpeau stated in response to questions that the total tax value is about $40,000,
but since it is an exempt public property, there is no actual value.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 36
FEBRUARY 15, 2024 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING PAGE 131
Consent Agenda Item #3: Adoption of Budget Amendments. Staff provided the following information in
response to questions regarding budget amendments (B/A) 24-049, 24-050, and 24-058:
24-049: Chief Financial Officer Eric Credle stated that the B/A records funds from the American Rescue
Plan (ARP).
24-050: Parks and Gardens Director Tara Duckworth stated in response to questions that the B/A
budgets federal grant funds awarded by the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO)
to construct the North College Road trail, which connects Gordon Road to Northchase Parkway, a
project that is two years in the making.
24-058: HHS Business Officer Karen Graham stated in response to questions that all the vendors have
signed up for direct deposit and the state will issue payments. There are no changes in citizens’ service.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Chair Rivenbark adjourned the meeting at 4:34 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kymberleigh G. Crowell
Clerk to the Board
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting. The entire proceedings
are available online at www.nhcgov.com.