MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            Human Services Advisory Board

                        Glenn Gerding, Chair

SUBJECT:      2009 Human Services Needs Report

DATE:            January 12, 2009

INTRODUCTION

Each year the Human Services Advisory Board presents a report to advise the Town Council on human service needs for Chapel Hill residents.

BACKGROUND

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.

Each year, 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. For fiscal year 2008-2009, the Council approved Town allocations totaling $250,000 for 39 nonprofit agencies to address human service needs. For fiscal year 2007-2008, the Council approved allocations totaling $250,000 for 41 nonprofit agencies.

DISCUSSION

The Board appreciates the Town Council’s support of the human services agencies and believes that these programs benefit the Chapel Hill community. The services provided by these agencies are vital to the health and quality of life for our community.

The Board recognizes that current economic conditions create challenges for the Town in the upcoming budget season. Many of our residents are experiencing increased difficulty as well. The typically underserved and low income residents have an even greater need for access to human service programs during this time.  Board members believe that reductions in federal and state funding continue to impact the nonprofit agencies serving the Town’s needy residents. In addition to the services they provide, the agencies also provide employment for a number of our residents.  We urge the Town Council to assist these groups as much as possible as municipal funds are often the last refuge for many agencies and their clients.

On October 27, 2008 the Town Council accepted a recommendation to consolidate the process by which outside agencies seeking Town support are reviewed. The Board anticipates that a number of agencies previously included in the Town budget will approach the Human Services Advisory Board this year. It is expected that a minimum of four of those affected agencies whose Town support last year totaled $107,900 will request support through the Board’s application. The Board requests that the Town Council transfer those funds to the human services budget.  

The Board recommends that programs that support those residents most likely to be affected by the current economic conditions and high cost of living be given priority this year. We continue to support the Town’s participation with the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness and will review favorably programs that are consistent with the goals of preventing and ending homelessness. Mental health reform continues to affect resources locally and these programs deserve support.

Recommendations for 2009-2010

The Board will continue to recommend allocations to those agencies that can effectively address:

• at-risk youth programs
• mental health services
• self-sufficiency programs
• programs that are aligned with the efforts to address homelessness
• programs focused on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro public housing and low income communities

The Board will review agency proposals based on documented needs, agency capacity, program goals and the evaluation of outcomes for Chapel Hill residents.  

2008-09 Human Services Advisory Board members

Glenn Gerding, Chair

Lew Borman, Vice-Chair

Barbara Hall

Pat Richardson

Ernie Roberts

Arthur Whittle