AGENDA #5a
|
TO: |
Mayor and Town Council |
|
|
|
|
FROM: |
Human Services Advisory Board Larry Daquioag, Chair |
|
|
|
|
SUBJECT: |
2007 Human Services Needs Report |
|
|
|
|
DATE: |
January 8, 2007 |
Each year the Human Services Advisory Board presents a report to advise the Town Council on human service needs for Chapel Hill residents.
The Chapel Hill Human Services Advisory Board, created in 1981, is charged with the responsibility of assessing human service needs of Chapel Hill residents, identifying service gaps and ways to fill them, and advising the Town Council on funding needs at the beginning of the budget cycle.
The Board facilitates a request for proposals process and invites local human service agencies to apply for Town funds to serve Chapel Hill residents. The Board reviews agency proposals and prepares recommendations to the Town Council on funding levels for local human service agencies. Last year, the Council approved Town allocations totaling $225,000 for 43 nonprofit agencies to address human service needs.
Members of the Human Services Advisory Board have discussed a number of community issues that are relevant to this year’s human service needs. The Board strives to carefully evaluate the requests for funds to ensure that Town funds are being used to address the most critical needs with the best outcomes.
The Board supports the efforts of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness. The Partnership, which is sponsored by the governing bodies of Orange County, is charged with developing a plan to prevent and end homelessness in 10 years. Crisis services, literacy, shelter/food assistance, child care and substance abuse treatment are examples of human services provided by agencies the Town funds. In the view of the Board, resources the Town allocates to human service agencies are consistent with the goals to end homelessness. The Board plans to evaluate funding requests again this year within the context of the shared goal of the Town’s commitment to this effort.
Since the events of September 11, 2001, there has been a decline in available funding for human services. In light of the decline in funding for services for the poor and issues such as the rising costs of medical care, the Town’s support continues to be critical.
The Board also continues to explore ways to support agencies beyond or in addition to funding allocations. Members of the Board recognize that agencies experience the same high administrative costs as businesses in our area without the opportunity for profit. In response, the Board submitted a proposal again this year for a UNC Master in Public Administration student project that would provide research on feasible options for sharing resources among agencies.
In the view of the Board, local human service agencies provide valuable programs that are necessary to the residents of Chapel Hill. The Town support helps ensure that those services are available to low income Chapel Hill residents. The Board recommends that the local human service programs be evaluated for ability to document needs, capacity to address those needs and demonstration of successful outcomes. This year, the Board will focus on:
Larry Daquioag, Chair
Glenn Gerding, Vice-Chair
Lisa Armstrong
Virginia Brown
Norm Fieleke
Ernie Roberts