[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6645683,"mediaKeyId","3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879","parentId",3633177,"title","Durham DSS warns of cascading impacts if federal funding for SNAP, TANF and block grants is cut","audioSeconds",2220,"startMs",15288000,"endMs",17508000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879&start=15288&end=17508","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879/thumbnail_15288000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6645683/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-DSS-warns-of-cascading-impacts-if-federal-funding-for-SNAP-TANF-and-block-grants-is-cut","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645683-f021a203b5be32ac3e28a56a69c6ad70/orig.mp4?Expires=1770553335&Signature=SbQuXnHC-McLPQiyxpLnbSydDm7ZBfv~V~YFLMH00RWL1fcYJX8p4RkAwezQ0zYIHEnH14m~~~NsqQG21gdJ90ARSV1GC5nhFWydtMEfaSSP7wypG3T6-tXtm-mokaiUm68gPsKSrfHHQdiSGxYYbhR1fgUDGPX2dQVxvlSlHXJHjyy44Nk2~tfm3fI8Rq4xmqcR-HPN8b6bX6hEGrjcGDYeEg3ClbSnmKGLAiFaOXMyvXKYvwb3q~mvRfiqUOdXEePOvmjiCn-kx9HxswyH3vlfJQnx1jBchq4cSGdwJUYbvcTk8NQWIaDQdiXzvqqRHqgrotX6XZC27nCW~7-dCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Durham County","date","2025-05-30T17:54:46.727Z","article","Durham Department of Social Services (DSS) Director Maggie Clapp told the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday that proposed federal and state changes to several assistance programs could erode the county’s social-safety net and increase demand for county-funded services.

Clapp described a series of federal proposals and state-level actions that she said would have widespread downstream effects on families and county operations. She highlighted potential reductions in federal Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funding and changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, referred to in county materials as Food & Nutrition Services). Clapp and deputy Contessa Sawyer also reported program-level pressures such as the end or reduction of seasonal energy assistance and the near-term exhaustion of a local SIP allocation for crisis energy support.

DSS is requesting continued county support to meet growing needs and described internal steps the department has taken to strengthen capacity: the agency reorganized and reclassified positions to create better supervision in long-term care and child-welfare units, reduced reliance on temporary staff (from roughly $1.1 million to $530,000 in temporary staffing costs year to date) and implemented new case‑management and document workflows.

Clapp described program-specific pressures: the county’s homeowner relief program (LIHR) had received about 767 applications to date and recommended applications be limited seasonally to August–January because DSS staff will not continue year-round case management; the department also asked commissioners to be prepared to reconsider LIHR if demand rises due to shifting tax rates or other local conditions. She also reported that prison and detention center health costs, including pharmacy spending for HIV and psychiatric medications under the Wellpath jail health contract, have grown and that some court orders have required DSS to pay costs the agency does not ordinarily cover.

On federal programs, Clapp said the department is watching proposed policy changes closely and has begun contingency planning. \"We will get through this together,\" she told commissioners, but added that any federal rollbacks to Medicaid expansion, SNAP, TANF or SSBG would have substantial fiscal and human consequences.

Commissioners asked for more detailed local impact numbers. Clapp and staff committed to provide additional breakdowns for the board and to coordinate with state-level partners and local service providers on contingency plans.

Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the potential for widespread consequences if federal funding is reduced and asked DSS to return with additional impact analyses and specific budget scenarios; county staff said they would monitor state and federal developments and present options before final budget adoption.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Durham BOCC Budget Work Session May 29th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Durham Department of Social Services director Maggie Clapp told commissioners that proposed federal changes to SNAP, TANF and the Social Services Block Grant could sharply reduce benefits, child-care supports and other services; she asked the board to prepare contingency plans and noted internal efficiency gains already achieved.","taxTitle","Durham County, North Carolina","taxId",5765,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6645688,"Durham County ABC Board projects $63.4M in sales, proposes flat nonprofit grants allocation for FY26",422,13974000,14396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879&start=13974&end=14396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879/thumbnail_13974000.jpg","/articles/6645688/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-County-ABC-Board-projects-634M-in-sales-proposes-flat-nonprofit-grants-allocation-for-FY26","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645688-93feeb3906cdb5864a00da477405a774/orig.mp4?Expires=1770553335&Signature=lWJQhtZrrAkutZQ7U9TzLjYF4Vsk2zohgNn6pxCF492O~uv-fuUweNUWOniBPKCxGvbdjXqniB~BjJDZ5IpHOTP6gCpSrHv0IUJhJaJVxuDmlLHJUVJ1PkJD7dbig~k-qkPk1z7-KY92m453Ua75W-~KLN71N0j27rvColjLtP5uKUSbfrlbKQbOO76aPJThO1bXRW3PenTGBRBZcg8mb08EiE7WtMCIwVY3WOFAS6lgE3ruTEwHwFLcTLTTi~SRbUd~Hs6TA5Brp6yGv2xuZWWEG34aBt7ZLYm97AdcsBmqhz075ohOuh17f67Zy59F7576qoQokAnRpcc-xx88HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Durham County Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board presented its fiscal outlook for 2025–26, projecting roughly $63.4 million in alcoholic beverage sales and outlining store modernization and grant distributions.

Lou Sordell, general manager of the Durham County ABC Board, told the Board of County Commissioners the board is budgeting top-line sales of $63,490,418 and estimating a required tax distribution and operating costs that will leave a working capital cushion for next year. Sordell said the board expects to distribute $2,182,966 to Durham County and $242,551 to the City of Durham as required profit distributions under state law.

Sordell said the ABC board will maintain $525,000 in nonprofit grant awards and noted the board’s historic practice of site visits and vetting grantees. The board’s grants committee recommended the same total grant allocation as the prior year and listed recipients that included local organizations and county departments providing substance‑use, youth and community services.

The presentation reviewed store investments: a recently opened store on Leasburg (Lehi School Road), an upcoming finish of a store near T.W. Alexander (estimated completion late 2025), and plans to relocate the warehouse and administrative offices to Hoover Road to consolidate wholesale and mixed‑beverage services. Sordell said capital investments have reduced short‑term grants available for county distribution, but those investments should support stronger, longer‑term revenue.

Commissioners asked about grants, distribution formulas and the ABC board’s fund balance. The county manager and ABC staff said the ABC budget is included as a separate ordinance in the overall fiscal package and noted the board historically provides distributions above a conservative baseline; staff said the current recommended county budget assumes the ABC distribution at $2.75 million for FY2025–26.

Ending: The commissioners thanked the ABC board for its work and indicated they would review the separate ABC ordinance alongside the county budget process. No vote was taken during the presentation.","Durham County ABC Manager Lou Sordell presented a FY2026 revenue forecast of $63.4 million and said the board will keep nonprofit grant funding flat at $525,000, while continuing capital projects including a new store and a planned warehouse relocation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6645693,"Durham begins spending opioid settlement funds on harm reduction, peer supports and post‑overdose response",470,6365000,6835000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879&start=6365&end=6835","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879/thumbnail_6365000.jpg","/articles/6645693/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-begins-spending-opioid-settlement-funds-on-harm-reduction-peer-supports-and-postoverdose-response","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645693-8da84a5b8612e689b288e20f9e8e8555/orig.mp4?Expires=1770553335&Signature=djsLWEWONvGqqp-TzaqqiJ5oW8Fx9QZH03iz4LWK5PLqXUaR-exi4K9FYeSaKEXGYsmBFuSWbv6ejeeZzGtfbAM23nXwxhLklh~yLDFTN4hsbqbNRxJ8zaf6oqzlUuJwAdDDmXjIrf32CZjJkEhHB7zqcUupgVBS6F4Bt33ponUCslxkLKy-rZPXScI5f6EgwcIEX6Dp34LOE3uHhTDPRdwQloEUZwIuX2xeRw7xqsOpd0cF-hu3tJzK23oPPc-WoEoR2shbk9a5Kd~ps11pnq-D5VXxdge3JugmjOvGdlWmnBnJZREeYDYSVsIvHHn--b3KsTzacX02EmXPP5~itQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham County’s inaugural opioid settlement program manager, Jason Smith, briefed commissioners on Tuesday on the county’s multi-year opioid settlement and a recommended spending plan for fiscal 2025–26.

Smith said Durham’s settlement payments will be spread over many years and must be used for strategies that address opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance-use disorders or related mental-health conditions. \"These funds must directly support strategies that address opioid use disorder, co‑occurring substance use disorders, or mental health conditions,\" Smith told the board.

For FY2025–26 Smith presented a near-term package of approximately $1.3 million that focuses on five state-approved Exhibit A strategy areas: collaborative strategic planning and advisory work; naloxone distribution and associated training; sterile syringe outreach; recovery support services (the county’s community linkages-to-care peer support program); and a post‑overdose response (PORT) team that performs rapid follow-up after nonfatal overdoses.

Smith and public-health staff said initial achievements include building a public dashboard to track monthly progress, filling a specialized harm-reduction outreach role, distributing more than 3,300 naloxone kits through vending machines and community partners, expanding mobile syringe distribution and adding community-paramedic capacity to respond rapidly after overdoses. The Community Linkages to Care program reported hundreds of outreach contacts and dozens of treatment linkages; Smith said 75 people entered treatment during the reporting period, including many for opioid use disorder.

The presentation also described an open planning process: the county will form a community-based advisory committee and publish a public dashboard that staff plan to update monthly; the committee’s input will be used to align spending with state-exhibit guidance and local needs.

Commissioners asked about how long the settlement runs and how much remains in fund balance. County staff said Durham has received multi‑year payments; staff later provided a fund-balance number in the meeting of about $4.6 million as of the end of fiscal 2024, with additional receipts and the planned FY2026 spending to be reflected in annual ordinance reports.

Smith emphasized priorities for next year: expand outreach staffing, sustain peer support positions, and plan for FY2027 if federal or other grants lapse; he also invited the board and community to an input session the following week to review the public dashboard and hear partner updates.

Ending: Commissioners said they would consider the FY2026 opioid settlement ordinance, which is separate from the main county budget ordinance, and welcomed the advisory process and public dashboard for tracking outcomes.","County opioid settlement program manager Jason Smith outlined a roughly $1.3 million FY2025–26 spending plan focused on naloxone distribution, syringe services, peer recovery supports and a post‑overdose response team, and described a community advisory process to guide future spending.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6645697,"Durham County Public Health warns of federal grant cuts, requests $27.97 million for 2025–26",3580,5955000,9535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879&start=5955&end=9535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879/thumbnail_5955000.jpg","/articles/6645697/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-County-Public-Health-warns-of-federal-grant-cuts-requests-2797-million-for-202526","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645697-71856d7f6cb76f0fed6cb22348286b43/orig.mp4?Expires=1770553335&Signature=kvXlEeilXCDMr429iWca476VZyJsM27iIqiZP1KLNucgxh~THeF8FPVxMHS00yClxxta8M8R4Wfquw55gOOwnoMuBkQScaBkDK1eRd5bD6SwVfScvW1M8DRXaOOJECKmfJO-Ex~khrvUiqjgfNszDly-Sk9znNX-n4gO3blYE9hDsrW4DcZH~RKclYyjhMyfwwbDBPoLxGQ6cNScqeUsBPYgc1qaQg0HjfrmourN4BdMdrL1go4360epyrpmY4UF6y6u42g162kQ2RrIsZDXhMiN~7dEK31NyojAQ79X~QSkeIzJ6dAadPGv~TBDXin0-B2R4aXuHOtQyLwFdh4ICg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham County Public Health Director Rod Jenkins told the county’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday that the department is requesting $27,967,434 for fiscal year 2025–26, an increase reflecting personnel and operating cost growth and the winding down of pandemic-era grants.

Jenkins outlined both recurring needs and short-term revenue shifts, and he cautioned that recent federal and state actions and proposed cuts could force reductions in core public-health services. \"We strive to spend, no less than 90% of our county funding, year over year,\" Jenkins said as he described how federal COVID-era grants had temporarily inflated program capacity and how those funds are sunsetting.

Public health leaders identified about $3.15 million in net changes to their budget request, including roughly $1.9 million in personnel costs and $1.2 million in operating increases. Jenkins said the department expects growth in Medicaid-reimbursable laboratory revenue but also described a series of recent federal funding curbs and stop-work orders that have already affected local programs — notably an interrupted NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials) grant intended to expand pediatric vaccination outreach.

Jenkins and his team drew special attention to the county’s contracted health services at the detention center (the Wellpath contract), noting a proposed increase to cover staffing, expanded youth-home costs and rising pharmacy expenses. Pharmacy costs for certain widely used medications, including HIV treatments, have risen sharply, Jenkins said; the department reported medication and pharmacy costs at the jail that have climbed year over year. Jenkins also highlighted the public health laboratory’s new capabilities and noted the department has begun billing Medicaid for additional tests such as hemoglobin A1C, which will generate additional revenue.

Commissioners pressed Jenkins on outreach to immigrant communities, vaccination supply and the department’s capacity to absorb grant reductions. Jenkins said the department’s lab performs services for neighboring counties and that public-health staff are pursuing revenue-cycle improvements. He also asked for continued advocacy to state and federal officials about the impact of proposed cuts.

Jenkins warned that program areas at risk include HIV/STI testing and tobacco prevention (both cited as having stop-work orders or funding reductions), and he described the local nutrition education program (DINE) as particularly vulnerable to reduced federal support. \"It would be devastating to the 13 full-time employees,\" he said, noting the program’s reach into schools, preschools and community sites.

Commissioners and public-health staff discussed next steps, including more detailed briefings on aging initiatives, detention-center health services and potential contingency plans. Jenkins told the board the department will continue to pursue revenue improvements, such as better billing and credentialing, but said the department expects a tight and uncertain fiscal outlook as pandemic-era federal supports disappear.

Ending: Public health officials asked the board to consider the department’s requested increase and continued efforts to protect services amid federal and state funding uncertainties; commissioners said they would consider the request alongside other county priorities.","Public Health Director Rod Jenkins asked commissioners to support a 9.3% budget increase driven by personnel and operating costs, while detailing looming federal and state grant reductions that could force cuts to testing, nutrition education and tobacco prevention programs.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6645702,"Durham Public Schools asks Durham County for $15.98 million in local funding, cites bus driver shortages and facilities backlog",4596,1327000,5923000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879&start=1327&end=5923","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3633177-549110c92191e38cba350491ddbd4879/thumbnail_1327000.jpg","/articles/6645702/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-Public-Schools-asks-Durham-County-for-1598-million-in-local-funding-cites-bus-driver-shortages-and-facilities-backlog","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645702-d78fc25fa2111e13f7cb2b6e85fafc5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770553335&Signature=W4eat2SbSIG4fSy4-cMaPGQ1A2GQDirWfVW1FYNJZHW4MDUOmB3F4FyhMj4mI~GSzDtd3z6tt4Ufz71FS-b4Kt33WYugyZqkPcnOgcUXwbud8V-CfutKNGXk4urtaL9LFH~A0ISfAPeVMSvMGhbJOtyuy2UZWWCiu~9nYU97cmNvRXzuHtnvqsjBZUOQsJGMPlA9WLzoUP30wpOn5qBoVF2mVeYWKP8R7M2RJi-VRyUWoVwZVYkUxOIc9VeXbPSwWKs2p5TVa5rdo55MAsbZ6m-6qJf8omMRJZD6Dr6gi~~8A6-Md4qnG8Alo3Pqkk8UpF2vwVttrTKKo6RBvCGk5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Lewis urged the Durham County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to provide additional local funding to help stabilize staffing and address aging school facilities as the district finalizes its 2025–26 request.

Lewis said the district’s request includes about $15.98 million in local ongoing and expansion items and asked the county to continue an $8 million capital outlay allocation. \"Rebuilding trust within the community\" and improving transportation, he said, were recurring themes from public listening sessions the district held during Lewis’s first 100 days in office.

The request breaks into three categories, Lewis and Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Teeter told commissioners: continuation costs for operating (their estimate of what it will cost to run the district next year), expansion items for targeted investments and a separate capital outlay ask. Teeter said the district assumed a 3% statewide raise for budget planning, then described how competing state proposals would affect that assumption. \"We were dealing with a budget potential budget deficit of almost $34,000,000,\" Teeter said of conditions the district worked through after arrival of a permanent CFO.

Key local items Lewis and Teeter highlighted include a proposed $700-per-year increase to the local teacher supplement (to keep Durham competitive with nearby districts), a $2,000-per-year supplement for bus drivers to improve retention, continuation of local master’s pay and step funding to close a gap in Exceptional Children (EC) funding. The district asked the county for roughly $1.1 million this year to partially close an EC funding shortfall caused by the state’s 13% cap on EC funding; Teeter said Durham’s EC population is about 16.4% of enrollment and that full state funding of that count would have yielded roughly $5.5 million.

Lewis and Teeter described short-term measures the district has taken to stabilize finances, including a hiring freeze on nonrequired positions, temporary use of one-time resources such as a prior private donation, and a reduction in central-office positions. Teeter said state “trues up” payments tied to enrollment helped in the current year, but he warned county leaders that state budget outcomes sometimes are not finalized until after the county fiscal year begins.

Commissioners asked a range of questions about prioritization if county funding falls short of the full request. Commissioners and district leaders discussed trade-offs and the district’s contingency plans — for example, smaller supplements or phased implementation of some programs — and emphasized that any additional county funding must be shared with charter schools under state law.

Looking ahead, the district said it will continue the board-level prioritization exercise it used earlier this spring to rank expansion requests, and it expects to deliver more complete answers to several commissioner questions before next week’s deadline. Lewis also said the district is pursuing partnerships — including efforts to expand before- and after-school care with community organizations — to reduce transportation pressure and support families.

The commissioners did not take a formal vote on the school request during the session. County staff said the manager’s recommended budget includes a partial increase for the school system and that commissioners will continue to weigh additional options during the budget process.

For now, district leaders stressed maintenance and staffing concerns that they say are already affecting operations: bus routes that require more drivers, school buildings with HVAC systems beyond expected life cycles, and the need to fund a staggered approach to EC and other long-running cost pressures. \"Retention is the new recruitment,\" Lewis said, describing investments intended to hold existing staff and address hard-to-fill roles.

County and school officials agreed to follow up with written answers to outstanding technical questions and to reconvene as the state budget process clarifies obligations that affect local planning.

Ending: Durham Public Schools officials asked the county for a mix of ongoing and one-time local funding next fiscal year, with commissioners saying they would continue to weigh the request alongside competing county funding demands and uncertain state and federal developments. The Board of Commissioners did not take a formal vote on the request during the meeting.","Superintendent Anthony Lewis and Durham Public Schools officials presented a request for $15,978,335 in local operating increases and asked the county to maintain an $8 million capital outlay allocation, stressing transportation, teacher pay and long-term facilities needs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Durham DSS warns of cascading impacts if federal funding for SNAP, TANF and block grants is cut

Durham County ABC Board projects $63.4M in sales, proposes flat nonprofit grants allocation for FY26

Durham begins spending opioid settlement funds on harm reduction, peer supports and post‑overdose response

Durham County Public Health warns of federal grant cuts, requests $27.97 million for 2025–26

Durham Public Schools asks Durham County for $15.98 million in local funding, cites bus driver shortages and facilities backlog