2001 Outstanding Award Winners

Reverse the Cycle
Buncombe County

Since its inception in 1995, the Buncombe County Department of Social Services Work First Program, which implements federal and state welfare reform legislation, has greatly reduced the level of cash payments and numbers of clients on welfare roles. The “Reverse the Cycle” program was initiated in June 2000 to offer a wide range of services to address the needs of families applying for welfare assistance. The program’s goal is to make the method of accessing services as easy and efficient as possible and to meet the clients’ needs in the most appropriate ways possible.

The program operates on an annual cost of $468,690, which is grant money used primarily to contract with two local agencies for service delivery. As a result of the program, there were substantial savings in annual cash welfare (more than $300,000) and the Child Welfare system (more than $140,000). In addition, staff time needed to process and maintain cash assistance applications was reduced significantly.

In FY 2000, 309 families were served and 399 families were screened. Of these, 120 families were diverted from entering the welfare system, and Work First Cash Applications were reduced from 150 to 75 a month. Buncombe County was the only North Carolina county in 2000 to meet and exceed all federal performance expectations for the Work First program. Nearly 30 community agencies are involved in the “Reverse the Cycle” program.

For more information on the “Reverse the Cycle” program, contact Jerome Jones at (828) 250-4100.

Interim Assistance Program
Forsyth County

The Interim Assistance Program (IAP) takes advantages of existing Social Security Administration regulations to allow the DSS to use local funds for financial aid to clients in immediate need of assistance. The SSA then reimburses the DSS from the first lump sum payment to the client. According to officials with the SSA, Forsyth County is the first locality in North Carolina to take advantage of these regulations.

The program does not require additional funds or new money. It is a win-win for the SSI recipient, whose needs are met and whose stress level is reduced while the SSI application is in process, and for the county, whose funds are returned when the client begins receiving the SSI income.

The DSS also saves a lot of time because it no longer has to locate community resources and private agencies to help the clients while they await their SSI payment.

For more information on this program, contact Dr. Ann Hamilton, Director of the Forsyth County Department of Social Services, at (336) 727-2248.

Using Tax Policy for Low-Income Families
Forsyth County

The “Using Tax Policy” program is a cooperative endeavor with the Internal Revenue Service to help low-income families use tax policies to improve their income. Very low income families are not required to file income tax returns, but these families can benefit from filing a return to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Code, which is the primary public policy directed to reward low-wage earners. The EITC is the most significant program in America for lifting families with children out of poverty, but it is underutilized by public welfare agencies.

The Forsyth County DSS devised a strategy to address this issue by forming a partnership with the IRS, which provided free training to DSS employees to help them file tax returns for DSS clients and low-income families. The partnership was formed in 1999 and expanded significantly in 2000. During the 2000 tax year, 26 people were trained to complete tax returns, including 15 DSS employees and two other Forsyth County employees, as well as volunteers from the community. The group prepared 202 tax returns and in some cases, re-filed returns from previous years to claim the EITC and other credits and deductions that had not been claimed on the original returns. In one case, a family received a total refund (counting monies from previous returns) of more than $3,000.

Several agencies in the county – including public libraries, Goodwill and DSS offices – made space available as sites for the tax preparation. According to the IRS, Forsyth County’s DSS is the only one in the state to have such a program and partnership with the IRS.

For more information on this program, contact Dr. Ann Hamilton, Director of the Forsyth County Department of Social Services, at (336) 727-2248.

Legacy Development Guide
Forsyth County

The Legacy Development Guide was developed from a community-wide planning process initiated by the City-County Planning Board in 1995. The board appointed a 21-member Legacy Citizens Steering Committee to oversee the planning process and develop a common vision for the community’s future. The county and its eight municipalities adopted “Forsyth County Tomorrow” in 1997.

The steering committee then used this vision statement to begin drafting the Legacy Development Guide, a comprehensive plan that seeks to translate smart growth principles into the development of more livable communities. One of the unique features of the guide is the use of benchmarks, which have been used by private industry to measure products and services against competitors who are recognized as industry leaders. The benchmarks in the LDG are designed to set targets and measure the community’s progress and success in achieving the goals and objectives of the plan.

The Citizens Steering Committee consisted of representatives from the county, the eight municipalities in the county and other major stakeholders. Drafts of the vision statement “Forsyth County Tomorrow” were presented to numerous community organizations, including neighborhood and civic organizations, environmental, real estate, homebuilders and developers, business, youth and other interest groups.

As a result of this extensive community-based effort, an overflow crowd attended the Winston-Salem Board of Alderman’s public hearing on Feb. 20, 2001. Of the 41 speakers, 40 spoke in favor of adopting the plan. A similar turnout and support occurred at the March 21, 2001, Board of Commissioners meeting.

For more information on the Legacy Development Guide, contact Forsyth County manager Graham Pervier at (336) 727-2797.

Work and Ride
Catawba County

In May 1997, a group of local clergy contacted Catawba County Social Services to see if they could help provide some services for the poor in light of the welfare reform. The Work and Ride program came out of this partnership between faith-based agencies and local government. In May 1998, a small committee from the Faith Community Task Force began researching a car donation program for Catawba County.

The partners of this program are the Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministries, Social Services and the Faith Community. The program is designed to connect donated, roadworthy vehicles with low-income families who need reliable transportation in order to maintain employment. The Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry receives and stores the vehicles until they are awarded to families. A mechanic inspects each car at no cost to the county.

A screening committee interviews applicants to ensure the program’s goals are met. The applicants must show financial need, prove transportation is a significant barrier in maintaining employment, have a valid N.C. driver’s license, a good driving record and commit to attending a budget and basic car repair class.

The original goal of the program was to award 10 vehicles per year. From May 1999 through November 2001, the Work and Ride program awarded 35 vehicles to low-income families, well above the stated goal.

For more information on the Work and Ride program, contact Karen Heffner, Catawba County Work First Program Manager, at (828) 695-5625.

Library Youth Partners
Durham County

The Library Youth Partners program operates in partnership with the Durham County Public Schools, the Durham County Public Library and Durham’s N.C. Museum of Life and Science. The program began in September 2000 and is funded through December 2002 by grants with the Library Services and Technology Act ($28,622) and Institute and Museum and Library Services ($248,070).

The program provides a meaningful, community-based extracurricular and employment opportunity for potentially at-risk teens. Twelve students from Durham Hillside and Durham Southern High schools are selected as partners, and they spend several hours each week at the school media center, the library and the museum learning about these agencies and potential career opportunities. After successfully completing the required volunteer training hours, the Youth Partners are awarded stipends or payment for the work they do for the organizations.

The Youth Partners develop story time programs with science themes to present to children in the first, second or third grades. The program helps the teens learn good work habits and responsibility and fosters self-esteem. The teens also serve as positive role models for the elementary children by displaying an enthusiasm for science, books and learning. The first story times were presented in March and April 2001 to 432 students in seven schools. By the end of the academic year, programs will have been presented to more than 2,000 elementary students.

For more information on the “Library Youth Partners” program, contact Durham County Library Director Dale Gaddis at (919) 560-0160.

Automated Support Obligation Determination
Guilford County

When Guilford County tried to determine child support obligation payments owed by separated parents, it was a cumbersome, tedious process. Many variables were involved in figuring out how much child support a parent owed, including the number of children involved, the parent’s total income, who paid for the child’s insurance, etc.

The caseworkers had to figure all this out on paper, frequently in the halls outside the courtroom. They ran a number of scenarios to present to the judge and to the participants while in the courtroom. Occasionally, they would be asked to run another scenario during the court appearance.

Guilford County wanted to find a way to speed this process up and automate it. Staff in the Guilford County Information Services Department worked together with the Tax Department and Child Support Specialists to develop an automated system that could be stored on a Palm Pilot. Now, the caseworkers can enter the variables into the program, and it will automatically figure out the payment amount. The program can handle multiple scenarios, making the entire process run much more smoothly and quickly. If a judge asks for an adjustment, the results are available immediately.

Darlene Yudell said she and Anne Blais, Web Development Programmer, began working on the software in December 2000 and were finished by April 2001. They used the Code Warrior for Palm OS development tool.

For more information on the “Automated Support Obligation Determination” program, contact Darlene Yudell at (336) 641-4836.

Just a Dollar
Halifax County

In November 2001, a “Just a Dollar” store opened in Weldon, N.C., in Halifax County, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in North Carolina. The store is collaboration between the Halifax County Department of Social Services’ Weldon Adult Learning Center (WALC) and a private entrepreneur, Bobby Edmonds.

Not only did the opening of the store create jobs for Halifax County residents, but also the WALC, which is located in the back of the store, provides job training for prospective employees. Students go through an eight-week class and are taught business skills in a laboratory setting, then get to put into practical use the lessons they learned in the classroom by going to work at the store.

Students don’t just work at the store, however. They are actively involved in managing the business as well, including making decisions on which kind of products to carry in the store.

Edmonds, who is a supervisor at International Paper in Roanoke Rapids, is the owner of the store. He provided the initial $38,000 investment to open the store as well as any funding needed since. Edmonds has long been an advocate of helping Halifax County citizens develop the types of skills they need to land better-paying jobs.

For more information on the “Just a Dollar” program, contact Evelyn Dawson at (252) 536-6444.

Scouting for Dangers in the Home
Mecklenburg County

The program was developed by the Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Medic) because local data showed that senior citizens suffered a significant number of serious injuries each year due to falls in their home. Medic designed a program for scout troops and youth groups (with adult supervision) to offer home safety inspections, which would identify and remove potential dangers in the homes.

The groups attend a two-hour training session taught by specially trained Medic staff members. The groups are then given the appropriate paperwork and safety materials to conduct the inspections. Since the program began Oct. 1, eight scout troops or youth groups have gone through the training, and they have conducted about 50 home inspections. Medic hopes to reach 200 homes by July 2002.

The program was funded with a $4,000 grant from the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance Endowment. The funds were used to purchase safety materials like flashlights, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and safety mats to be distributed during the inspections. In addition, a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store has signed on as a sponsor and provides the merchandise at a discounted rate while also allowing Medic to conduct monthly safety seminars at the store.

For more information on the “Scouting for Dangers in the Home” program, contact Paige Sheehan at (704) 943-6160.

Deconstruction
Orange County

After Hurricane Fran and several other storms damaged an Orange County building beyond repair, the Orange County Public Works department decided to “deconstruct” the building instead of demolishing it. Work began on the project March 7, 2001, and was completed in about two months.

Deconstructing the building meant that more materials could be salvaged for use in other projects, such as the flooring and framing lumber, which was used to replace damaged flooring and erect walls at a building recently acquired to house the Purchasing and Central Services Department. Bricks from the deconstruction will be used in the construction of a new retaining wall at the Whitted Building in historic downtown Hillsborough.

Another benefit was that less waste was deposited into the county landfill. The project resulted in the recycling of more than one ton of white goods and nearly six tons of metal. The value of the materials recovered was $37,130. The entire project cost was $37,929. It would have cost an estimated $50,000 to demolish the building. The project resulted in a net savings of more than $12,000, not including the value of the reusable materials.

For more information on the “Deconstruction” program, contact Orange County Director of Public Works Wilbert McAdoo at (919) 245-2625.

Veterans Fair
Randolph County

Since its inception in 1998, the Randolph County Veterans Fair has been a rousing success. The fair is an educational experience that brings veterans to the forefront in the community and gives the public the chance to learn more about the men and women who risked their lives to preserve our freedoms.

The fair also provides veterans with an opportunity to learn about the kinds of services and benefits that are available to them. State and federal representatives from the Veterans Administration cemetery, medical and nursing home facilities, the N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs and the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources (Archives Division) are on hand to assist and provide advice. Recruiters from the different branches of military service are also available to talk with interested young adults.

The fair is held at the Asheboro branch of the Randolph County Library. The library donates its facilities, and the state and federal agencies provide liaisons at no charge. In addition, many local businesses donate items, such as flags, posters, pens and coloring books.

For more information on the “Veterans Fair” program, contact Terry Van Vliet, Randolph County Veterans Service Officer, at (336) 318-6909.

Pharmacy Assistance
Richmond County

The “Pharmacy Assistance Program” is designed to help senior citizens in Richmond County who cannot afford to purchase prescription drugs. The project began March 1, 2001, and 169 seniors are enrolled in the program, receiving more than $219,000 in prescription drugs.

The initial start-up cost was $81,100, which was funded by a grant from the Cole Foundation. The estimated annual cost for continuing the program is $50,000 annually, and officials estimate that the program can dispense more than half a million dollars in prescriptions annually. The Richmond County Health Fund, a non-profit foundation, has established a restricted fund that will permanently fund the program. Grants from the Cole Foundation and the Foundation for the Carolinas have been received to fund the project for years two and three.

The health department provides space, equipment and supervision, and three local pharmacies – Ellerbe Pharmacy, Medical Center Pharmacy and Mabry’s Pharmacy – dispense the medications to the clients enrolled in the program. The following pharmaceutical companies provide the medications for free – 3m, Abbott, Astra-Zeneca, Bayer, Bertek, Boehringer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dupont, Forest, Glaxo Wellcome, Eisai-Janssen, Lily Cares, Merck, Monarch, Novartis, Parke-Davis, Pharmacia-Upjohn, Pfizer, Schering, Smith Kline Beachum, Takeda, Tap and Wyeth-Ayerst.

For more information on the program, contact Linda Hardison, Richmond County Pharmacy Program Coordinator, at (910) 417-4909.

Ob-Litter-Raider
Richmond County

The intention of the “Ob-Litter-Raider” program is to educate children and adults to properly dispose of solid waste in Richmond County. The education program began in October 2001 and specifically targets fourth-grade students.

The program lasts approximately one hour. After talking to the students about litter and recycling, the students are divided into teams and collect litter from a targeted area on the school property. Then they analyze and categorize the collection and identify recyclable and non-recyclable materials. Afterwards, they hold a discussion of local ordinances concerning solid waste disposal.

By providing the students with take-home information regarding recyclables and waste disposal, the program also educates the adults.

The resources for the program came from local agencies and industries, including Uwharrie Environmental, Inc., the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority, Keep Richmond County Beautiful, Richmond County Government and the N.C. Department of Transportation.

For more information on the program, contact J.D. Wells, Richmond County Solid Waste Management Officer, at (910) 417-8215.

The Cape Fear Regional Growth Team
Pender, New Hanover, Columbus and Brunswick counties

The Cape Fear Regional Growth Team was created in November 1999 to facilitate discussion of growth related issues from elected officials in the region. The program evolved from an event originally sponsored by UNC-Wilmington that involved all the elected officials in the four counties and the City of Wilmington. The officials liked the idea of getting together regularly, and the Cape Fear COG took over the task of coordinating the monthly meetings and soliciting topics to be discussed.

Projects embraced by the team include improvements on Highway 130, A US 17/I-40 Outer Loop, a Regional Heritage Tourism map of sites and an Economic Development Network involving all four counties.

“Immediately following our lobbying efforts as a group, suddenly the improvements were moved up on the schedule,” said May. “Highway 130 is scheduled for improvements this spring and summer. And the I-40 project is moving its way to the top. Showing the unity made it easier for the legislature and for the DOT officials to get behind it and approve it.

“This has enhanced a greater understanding of each other’s counties and has reinforced the commonalities that we all have.”

For more information on the “Cape Fear Regional Growth Team” program, contact Chris May at 910-395-4553.