Introduced by the Human Services and Finance Committees of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

WHEREAS, Ingham County is a major site of refugee settlement; and

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Health Department and other human services agencies cooperate to support newly arriving refugees in an effort to allow refugees to adjust quickly and to become independent persons and families, and to protect the permanent Ingham County population from any health problems that may exist within the refugee populations; and

WHEREAS, the Refugee Services Program of Catholic Social Services/St Vincent= s Home for Children is a major partner with the Health Department in the effort to support refugee settlement; and

WHEREAS, Ingham County contracts with Catholic Social Services/St. Vincent= s Home for Children to assure that resources are available to support refugees and health care providers in the community to attend to the health care needs of refugees; and

WHEREAS, the State of Michigan has since 1984 provided some funding to support the Ingham County Refugee Settlement initiative; and

WHEREAS, the State funding has historically been channeled through the Michigan Department of Public Health and its successor agency the Michigan Department of Community Health, in both cases the funds have been made available through the Comprehensive Plan Budget and Contract process; and

WHEREAS, the State of Michigan has moved the State focal point for these funds to the Michigan Family Independence Agency which has offered a contract for the period October 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000, with the intent of amending the agreement to extend it through the twelve month period, July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001; and

WHEREAS, the Health Officer has advised that the State funds are anticipated in the County= s FY 2000 budget and already committed through a subcontract with Catholic Social Services/St. Vincent= s Home for Children, and the Health Officer recommends that the Board of Commissioners authorize the agreement with Family Independence Agency.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners authorizes a Refugee Services agreement with the Michigan Family Independence Agency for the purposes of implementing services to support the successful settlement of refugees in the Ingham County area, including health screening and linking refugees with the health care system.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the period of the agreement shall be October 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000 and that the Family Independence Agency shall provide Ingham County with $22,500 to support refugee settlement services during the period of the agreement.

Agenda Item No. 26

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners authorizes an amendment to the agreement to extend for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001 with the State making available to the County up to $30,000 to support refugee settlement services during the twelve month agreement extension period.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board Chairperson is authorized to sign the agreement and the amendment after review by the County Attorney.

HUMAN SERVICES: Yeas: Czarnecki, Smiley, Grebner, Schmidt, Severino

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 6/5/00

FINANCE: Yeas: Bernero, Grebner, Czarnecki, McDonald, Schafer, Minter, Juall

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 6/7/00