012698January 26, 1998
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special session at 6:00 p.m. in the
Commissioners Meeting Room, County Office Building, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, NC.
Commissioners Frye, Davis, Holmes, and Mason were present. Commissioner Kemp was absent.
The purpose of this meeting was to consider for adoption the Work First Plan for Randolph County.
Commissioner Harold Holmes, who chaired the Work First Planning Committee, advised the
Board that his committee had a very short period of time in which to meet and develop a Work First
Plan for the Commissioners' consideration. He said the committee relied heavily of Social Services
staff to draft a plan for the committee's approval.
Lisa Royal, Social Work Program Manager, reviewed the proposed Work First Plan being
recommended by the Work First Planning Committee and made the following points:
• The areas identified as most in need of attention are lack of transportation, appropriate and
adequate child care resources, and substance abuse in families.
• Vision Statement - Randolph County is committed to using all available resources in the public
and private sectors to promote economic self-sufficiency for its citizens. Randolph County
promotes the importance of work for all its able-bodied citizens. The goal of Work First is to
reduce the public welfare rolls in Randolph County.
Statewide Work First Goals for Randolph County:
1. Reduce the caseload by 15%.
2. Put 203 adults to work from the Work First caseload.
3. Keep 85% of cases that go to work off the Work First caseload.
4. Achieve a participation rate of 35% for employment services and activities which will lead to
full-time employment.
5. Meet two-parent participation rate of 90%.
6. Divert 7 cases from the Work First caseload.
7. Increase child support orders and collections by 10%.
8. Implement protection plans for 100% of Work First children who are also active in the Child
Welfare system.
• Appeals Process: Local hearings will continue to be held by DSS Hearings Officer. After the
DSS hearing, the client may request a county hearing, which will be conducted by a committee of
persons appointed by the county board of commissioners.
Changes/Additions to Current Policies:
1. Sanctions - will apply when the family does not comply with their Mutual Responsibility
Agreement. The first violation will reduce the monthly benefit by $100 or 25%, whichever
is greater, for 3 months; second violation would mean ineligibility for 3 months. Third and
subsequent violations would mean ineligibility for 6 months.
2. Application Process - will include registration for work (First Stop program with ESC) and
connection with Child Support. Failure to register with First Stop or to cooperate with
Employment Services will result in denial of application. Applicants determined to need
substance abuse treatment must comply with such treatment or application will be denied or
on-going case will be terminated.
3. Job Quit Policy - Unless exempt, all adults receiving Work First cash assistance/applying
for Work First cash are expected to actively seek employment, accept employment when it
is offered, work the number of hours specified by the employer, and maintain employment.
The Job Quit penalty will apply to clients/applicants who do not comply.
4. Substance Abuse Testing/Treatment - Mutual Responsibility Agreements will include testing
and treatment requirements for clients with substance abuse problems as identified by the
Substance Abuse Counselor stationed at DSS.
5. Mutual Responsibility Agreement - has been revised and will be used with every application
and ongoing case.
6. Benefit Calculation - Implement a "grace" period --income would not be counted for 3
months to give the family time to adjust to work without the immediate loss of benefits.
7. County Transfers - When a participant moves to another county, the case will be terminated
due to differing eligibility criteria from county to county.
• The budget component of the Work First Plan has not been completed at this time.
Chairman Frye suggested that the appeals committee include an attorney. He then asked if
anyone present had any questions or comments concerning the proposed Work First Plan.
Paula Settle, Coleridge Road Apartments Chaplin, asked how the County intends to inform
clients of all these changes so that they will understand them.
Lisa Royal stated that during an applicant's initial visit, the worker will explain in detail all that
the applicant is expected to do and will explain the mutual responsibility agreement.
There was a brief discussion of the role and involvement of JobLink for Work First clients.
On motion of Holmes, seconded by Mason, the Board unanimously approved the Work First
Plan as submitted by the Work First Planning Committee.
The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Darrell L. Frye, Chairman J. Harold Holmes
Robert B. Davis
Alice D. Dawson, Clerk to the Board
Robert O. Mason