AGENDA #8

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: Human Services Advisory Board

SUBJECT: 2000 Needs Report

DATE: January 24, 2000

INTRODUCTION

Each year the Human Services Advisory Board presents a Needs Report to the Town Council to identify the most important human service needs in Chapel Hill. Local human service agencies apply for funding from the Town to provide services to meet these needs. The Board assesses the applications in the context of the Needs Report and recommends to the Council which services to purchase from local nonprofit human service agencies.

BACKGROUND

The Chapel Hill Human Services Advisory Board was created in 1981. The Board is charged with the responsibility of keeping the Town Council informed about human service needs and issues that affect Chapel Hill residents. The Board also recommends to the Council funding levels for local human service agencies that offer effective programs to address these needs. Other duties of the Board include working with agencies to coordinate delivery of services and advocacy for residents with human service needs.

The Human Services Advisory Board works cooperatively with Orange County government and the Town of Carrboro to utilize a combined application process for human service agencies. Joint hearings with the Town of Carrboro permit service providers to present proposals to both towns simultaneously.

The 1999 Orange County Community Assessment was recently completed and released. The assessment, partially funded by the Town, provides current information from telephone surveys, focus groups, interviews with key community leaders and numerous other secondary data sources. This Needs Report is based on the information contained in the Orange County Assessment, and other sources such as the Human Services Advisory Commission Forum, media and community reports.

SUMMARY OF 1999-2000 PRIORITY NEEDS

Last year the Board identified four major areas as priority needs for Chapel Hill. The areas included services for high-risk youth, parent and family support, substance abuse treatment/prevention and services to senior citizens. The Board also requested that agencies provide information describing their services to Spanish-speaking residents.

Following the hearings for agency proposals, the Council approved Town allocations totaling $178,200 to meet the identified human service needs. This allocation, an increase from the previous fiscal year, provided funding to a total of twenty-five agencies. The Board appreciates the support the Town Council provides to these programs and believes the services benefit Chapel Hill residents.

RECOMMENDATIONS 2000-2001

This year, the Human Services Advisory Board agreed that the four areas of human service need identified last year continue to be priorities for Town support. These areas, equal in importance, include the following:

· Parent and family support - Programs that provide childcare, health care, prenatal care, support people with disabilities and special needs, education and employment are especially important.

· Substance abuse treatment and prevention.

· Services for high-risk youth - The Board is particularly concerned about juvenile delinquency, crime prevention, school dropouts and academic support for youth.

· Support and resources to senior citizens who need assistance.

The Board recognizes that affordable housing continues to be an important issue that faces our community. The Board views this as beyond the scope of the needs we can address directly, but supports the Town and other groups' continued work on this problem.

The Human Services Advisory Board urges the Town and local human service providers to strive to equally assist and support all members of our community. The Board recognizes the important needs of the growing population of Spanish-speaking residents, particularly related to problems of communication and health care. As noted in the Orange County Assessment, the traditionally under-represented minorities continue to struggle in our community and should not be overlooked in our efforts to serve new emerging groups.

2000 Human Services Advisory Board Members

Terri Tyson; Chair

Sarah Kogut; Vice-Chair

Lew Borman

Mildred Council

Harriet Crisp

Stephen Frank

Bryan Lange