Agenda - 02-10-2009 Early - Laserfiche WebLink

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Social Services Proposed Plan and Action Steps 1. Utilize Temporary Staff and Reassigned Staff to manage workload until June. • Allow reassignment of staff time from non-mandated program areas to assist in other areas while maintaining current services. (e.g. Veterans' Services, Justice Partnership, Skills Development Center) • Allow extension of current temporary staff through June 30th utilizing temporary funds from Human Resources budget or critical needs fund. • Waive all DSS positions from hiring delays and extra paperwork. 2. Prepare for increased population and new programs by creating new time-limited positions • Create one position effective immediately for the current increases in Food and Nutrition Services and Health Choice using critical needs funding. • Create an additional time-limited position to handle ongoing cases effective July 1, 2009 with an option to create additional positions for each 500 new cases added in public assistance programs. At the current rate, we estimate that to be 1 new position every 6 months. Stimulus provisions could alter that number and provide administrative funds. 3. Designate $100,000 in critical needs funding to supplement the agency's current fiscal year budget for emergency assistance services. Add an additional $300,000 to the FY2009-10 budget for emergency assistance. 4. Solicit Volunteers to assist agency and families and develop networks to assist families in stress. 5. Prepare and disseminate public information on available services, eligibility criteria, and alternative ways to access them. Work with other human services organizations to conduct outreach and education. Utilize county website. Complete electronic file program so that staff can share information on clients among agency programs and sites. 6. Prioritize IT funding for Human Services' needs that improve service delivery and increase worker effectiveness. 7. Work with the county and nonprofits to effectively allocate resources to target populations most affected by economic crises. • Organize a meeting with relevant nonprofits to look for ways to meet demand and combine resources. • Assist the county in determining related nonprofit funding allocations to eliminate redundancy and increase program effectiveness for targeted populations. 8. Streamline any agency or county procedure that affects issuance of emergency or ongoing benefits for clients. 9. Find additional interviewing space at Whitted and Southern Human Services until new building is available. 10. Work with Food Bank on possibility of onsite food distribution. 2/5/2009