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Description
Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services recently had their Grand Opening Ceremony to recognize the great work done in the renovations, and the hard work it took to make it a reality. This Buncombe Update highlights the presentations given and has footage of the new additions to the facility. It is now the one-stop shop Buncombe County has always envisioned it to be, and leading the way nationally for all Social Service Departments to follow.
Speakers highlighted include Bill McElrath (Health and DSS Board Member), David Gantt(Chairman, Board of Commissioners), Carol Peterson(County Commissioner), Mandy Stone(Director, Department of Social Services), and Bill Stanley(County Commissioner).
For more information check out buncombecounty.org/dss
A
B
Real
vision
for
this
was
my
first
retreat
as
an
assistant
county
manager
for
the
county.
Commissioners
set
a
vision
that
said
we
want
streamline
access,
it
should
plain
talk.
They
said
in
a
very
cold
day
at
the
crest,
where
we
were
all
freezing
and
huddled
around
a
fireplace
it
shouldn't
be
this
hard
for
citizens.
B
We
want
you
to
figure
out
a
way
to
streamline
how
citizens
we
touch
the
lives
of
citizens
and
they
access
our
services
and,
as
we've
moved
forward
with
this
and
tried
to
travel
across
the
nation
and
look
at
other
models,
we
found
that
we're
way
ahead
of
everybody
else.
I
will
stand
here
today
and
tell
you
with
ninety-nine
point
nine
percent
confidence.
This
is
the
most
integrated
health
and
human
service
system
in
the
nation
today
and
when
we
began
reaching
out
to
learn
how
other
people
do
things,
they
came
back
to
us
and
said.
B
Tell
us
how
you
all.
Did
it
and
I'm
going
to
tell
you
that
it's
about
a
board
of
commissioners
who
understand
sir
role
is
to
sell
abroad
vision
and
to
give
you
the
tools
to
do
the
job.
It's
about
a
county
manager
who
understands
that
she
hires
you
for
your
your
your
specific
program,
expertise
in
your
ability
to
align
us
for
the
future
and
gives
you
the
freedom
to
design
systems.
One.
C
Of
the
most
important
thing
government
does
and
what
county
government
is
built
for
is
take
care
of
people.
When
you
say
what
does
Buncombe
County
do
I'll
say
we're
in
the
people
business
when
people
have
health
problems,
Buncombe
County
takes
care
of
when
they
have
financial
problems.
We
take
care
of
them
and
we're
smart
enough
to
partner
with
people
like
ABC,
CM
and
scott
rogers
and
Evelyn
charities
and
bill
murdock,
who
are
both
here.
We
have
a
system
and
we
have
a
history
and
culture.
C
D
B
D
And
one
of
the
concepts
we
put
in
place
here
is
that
we
want
to
have
a
warm
friendly
handshake
when
people
walk
in
the
door.
So
this
is
one
of
our
greeters
Beverly,
who
will
greet
people
and
help
get
them
directed
that
might
be
sending
them
somewhere
directly.
It
might
be
answering
a
question
or
making
a
call
for
them
or
it
might
be
taking
them
over
and
actually
introducing
them
to
one
of
our
kiosks
in
the
building.
D
We
are
using
some
new
technology
in
the
building
so
that
an
individual
can
come
up
and
touch
our
kiosk
and
make
some
choices
about
what
they're
doing
today
and
based
on
what
they're
here,
for
they
will
answer
one
or
two
questions.
Maybe
just
touch
one
or
two
screens
and
they're
going
to
get
a
ticket
that
tells
them
what
to
do
either
have
a
seat
and
wait
to
be
called
or
or
you
need
to
go
to
the
second
floor
and
wait.
E
To
be
called,
this
is
something
that
I'm
going
to
take
home
and,
and
you
you
might
think,
I
don't
have
a
scrapbook
it
up,
but
I
actually
have
some
mementos
from
my
county
government
service,
and
this
is
the
ticket
that
the
folks
who
come
into
our
new
building
here
will
receive
and
they
will
be
treated
as
as
fine
as
any
people
could
be
treated
in
that
the
services
that
they
need
to
get
they
are
going
to
get,
and
this
is
new,
its
innovative.
It's
it's
a
wonderful
thing
to
work
with
Buncombe
County
folks,
Mandy
stone.
E
A
Proud
of
the
fact
that
I
have
been
able
to
see
it
occur
because
I
can
just
see
now
a
person
coming
into
this
group
into
this
Lobby,
not
knowing
what
they're
going
to
see
not
knowing
what
to
do
and
in
a
minute's
time.
Somebody
will
greet
them.
You'll
find
that
out
tonight
and
and
things
will
move
on.
Oh.
A
A
Must
say
that
this
could
not
be
done
without
the
commissioners
doing
what
they
did
in
order
to
assist
us
and
set
an
example
of
what
they
would
like
to
see
happen
and
then
for
the
administrative
staff
to
turn
around
and
just
make
sure
that
the
dream
team-
true
now
folks
I'm
here
to
tell
you
this-
is
something
else
and
I'm
real
proud
to
know
that
I
was
around
to
watch.
Buckland
County
be
the
first
and
be
involved
like
they
are.
It.
B
Felt
appropriate
to
us
for
this
first
opening
of
our
building
to
be
with
our
community
partners,
because
we
know
we
could
not
have
made
this
journey
without
our
partners.
Our
partners
allowed
us
to
expand
services,
improve
quality
and
access
throughout
the
community,
which
led
us
focus
on
those
services
that
counties
have
to
directly
deliver,
and
so
tonight
really
was
our
touchstone
for
this
building.
As
we
talked
about
what
do
we
want
to
drive
every
decision?
We
make
every
action
we
take
as
you
matter
to
me.
The
you
matter
to
me
is
about
the
people.
B
We
serve
it's
about
the
taxpayers
who
fund
our
services,
it's
about
our
community
partners,
it's
about
our
community
as
a
whole,
and
we
want
to
take
the
opportunity
to
first
say
thank
you
to
our
partners,
because
this
would
not
have
been
possible
without
our
partners.
They.
Thank
you
very,
very
much.
You
make
us
better
and
you
make
us
stronger
as.
C
You
see
you
come
in
here
we're
going
to
try
to
merge
technology
with
the
human
touch
when
people
come
in
and
they
have
financial
trouble
we're
going
to
take
care
of
them,
but
they
also
have
health
trouble
we're
going
to
take
care
of
at
the
same
time,
because
you
have
been
willing
to
work
together
and
blend
both
human
services
and
health
services.
Dss
Health
Department.
All
of
us
we're
trying
to
do
the
same
thing
and
let's
just
take
care
of
people
that
are
having
a
tough
time,
I
think.
F
A
That's
all
going
to
go
away
because
of
the
fact
that
there
has
been
a
program
that
is
unbelievable,
set
up
by
the
staff.
I
can't
tell
you
what
about
the
staff
I've
been
with
them
now
at
on
the
board
for
over
20
years
and
I'm
amazed
at
what
they've
been
able
to
do
and
to
bring
this
particular
process
in
front
of
you
today.
B
B
You
can
imagine
and
still
continue
to
see
citizens,
and
yet
you
have
to
in
that
same
period
of
time,
we're
piloting
NC
fast,
we're
one
of
the
six
counties
in
North
Carolina,
piloting
a
new
case
management
eligibility
system
where
we
have
put
on
the
ground
at
the
very
same
time,
a
new
Lobby
flow
system,
we've
also
put
on
the
ground.
At
the
very
same
time,
a
document
imaging
system
and
we've
combined
our
front
desk
functions
or
int
a
card
reader
functions.
B
They
are
staff,
have
not
only
lived
through
that
experience,
they've
thrived
that
the
energy
in
this
building-
and
they
will
tell
you
as
hard
as
the
first
is
Tim
reminded
me
today
when
I'm
pushing
for
all
these
outcomes.
It's
been
eight
days,
maybe
eight
days
that
all
that
they
faced
in
those
eight
days
and
the
energy
and
passion
they
still
feel
I
feel
it
when
I
walk
in
this
building.