AG 2006 11 20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Jehn Day, Ceunty Manager Sandy Russell, DSS Interim Directer 10/30/06 Werk First Demenstratien Grant With the Deficit Reductien Act .of 2005, states that de net reach the federally established rate .of Werk First clients participating in jeb related activities will be subject te reductien .of T ANF funding. In Cabarrus Ceunty, TANF funds ($1.7 millien) are used mainiy te suppert child weifare services. Less .of these funds ceuld impact the agency's ability te protect and previde services te children. In an effert te increase the'statewide participatien rate, the Divisien .of Secial Services made grant funding available te qeunties te develep demenstratien prejects .offering newer expanded services te Werk First clients te bring the participatien rates abeve the Federal level .of 50%. James Peik, program administrater .of Adult and Family Services Divisien, in cenjunctien with his staff submitted a prepesal, Career Skills fer Success, fer the Werk First Demenstratien Grant (see attached). This prep.osal invelved werking with RCCC te enrell all Werk First clients inte the RCCC Career Readiness pregram. Other cempenents .of the prepesal included reductien .of caseiead sizes threugh the use .of a temperary secial werker. With the reduced caseleads, secial werkers weuld be more actively invelved with their clients including centacts several times a week te men iter pregres~. Secial werkers will alse be mere preactive in identifying jebs available threugh persenal centacts with businesses in an effert te enceurage the businesses te hire .our clients. Secial werkers will alse werk with the clients te reduce the chances businesses take when hiring .our client!; by assuring that emergency plans are in place sheuld transpertatien .or child care arrangements breakdewn allewing the empleyee te werk regularly. Grant funds will be used te pay fer educatienal expenses, shert-term day care t.o allew fer mere preductive jeb searches and transpertatien fer evening classes .or after heurs empleyment. The prepesal alse included securing secbnd medical epiniens when the client's physician reperts that the client is physically net abl~ te werk. Our grant prepesal was appreved (see attached letter frem Esther High with the Divisien .of Secial Services) and the agency was appreved te receive $178,164 funds fer FY07. As feur menths .of FY07 has already passed, we need te act immediately te implement the preject's cempenents. Appreval .of the attached budget amendment will allew us te de se. We are cenfident that this multilev~l appreach will be successful in assuring that clients will be able te progress tewards self-suffiGiency through full empleyment. Attachment 1: Werk First Demenstratien Grant prepesal Attachment 2: Letter .of Grant Appreval Attachment 3: Budget Amendment and Agenda Item Request \=-- \~