Orange County Department of Social Services to Implement NC FAST Software System

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Release Date: September 17, 2012

Contact: Lindsey Shewmaker, Orange County Department of Social Services, 919-245-2817

HILLSBOROUGH, NC – In an effort to better serve the residents of Orange County, the Department of Social Services will begin implementing a new software system this week called NC FAST to administer the Food and Nutrition Services Program (formerly known as Food Stamps).

The NC FAST system — which stands for North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology — introduces technological tools that will allow workers to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time assisting families.

The NC FAST program improves workers’ ability to track cases, share information and coordinate services across programs. The program will provide comprehensive data for evaluating outcomes and ensuring accountability across programs once it’s fully implemented.

Clients will benefit significantly from the NC FAST system once it is fully implemented. When the system is fully functional, families only need to tell their story once, and a social services staff member will be able to determine their eligibility for all available benefits. The new system does not affect eligibility guidelines for client services.

The NC FAST system is currently being implemented in social service departments across the state. The Orange County Department of Social Services will begin transitioning to the new program on September 17th, and NC FAST officials expect that it will take eight to 12 weeks until the NC FAST transition is complete. NC FAST should be installed and operational in all 100 county departments of social services by March 2013.

Counties that have already begun transitioning to NC FAST have experienced some slowness in benefit processing as staff learn how to navigate the new system. Clients may experience some delays initially as workers learn and adapt to the new system.

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David Hunt

Deputy Clerk/ Information Specialist

Orange County, NC

919-245-2126