AGENDA #4b

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            Human Services Advisory Board

SUBJECT:       Recommended 2000-2001 Human Service Performance Agreements

DATE:             June 26, 2000

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this memorandum is to present the Human Services Advisory Board’s recommendations for 2000-2001 human services funding.

The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to develop performance agreements with human service agencies as recommended by the Human Services Advisory Board.

BACKGROUND

Each year the Human Services Advisory Board presents a Needs Report to the Town Council. The purpose of the annual report is to identify priority areas of human service needs for Chapel Hill residents. In January 2000, the Board presented the report that identified four priority areas for this year's human service funding. These areas are parent and family support, substance abuse treatment and prevention, services for high-risk youth, and resources to senior citizens. The Board also noted the importance of addressing the needs of the growing population of Spanish-speaking residents and traditionally under-represented minorities. On April 10, the Human Services Advisory Board submitted to the Council a recommendation for the total human service allocation for 2000-2001.

In response to a published request for proposals to address human service needs, the Human Services Advisory Board received and reviewed 33 applications from nonprofit agencies. Funding requests totaled $262,709.

SUMMARY

The Chapel Hill Human Services Advisory Board, Town of Carrboro and Orange County government coordinated their application process again this year. Agencies requesting funding are asked to complete an application form. The Town of Chapel Hill also requires a one page addendum related to the annual Needs Report presented by the Board. Agencies are required to identify the priority human service needs addressed by their proposal. Each agency is required to attend a hearing to present its proposal and respond to questions from the Human Services Advisory Board. The Chapel Hill and Carrboro Human Services Boards held joint hearings for the 28 agencies applying to both towns. The combined Boards met March 27, April 3, 10, 17 and May 1. The Chapel Hill Human Services Advisory Board also met May 8 to hear proposals from agencies only applying to the Town of Chapel Hill. 

The Human Services Advisory Board held two meetings to formulate recommendations for the 2000-2001 performance agreements. One agency, the Middle School After School Program, is in the second year of a three-year contract with the Town. In January the Town Council requested that advisory boards and agencies be apprised of the difficult budget situation and notified that any increase in funding was unlikely. Recommendations for funding this year total $178,200, remaining at the level allocated last year. The attached appendix provides brief information on each agency and the service that the Board recommends for Town funding.

RECOMMENDATION

Human Services Advisory Board’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Manager to develop performance agreements with human service agencies as recommended by the Board.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Appendix (p.4)

A RESOLUTION APPROVING 2000-2001 FUNDING FOR PERFORMANCE AGREEMENTS WITH HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD (2000-06-26/R-3)

BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby approves the following appropriations for performance agreements with human service agencies in 2000-2001 to address the community’s human service needs identified by the Human Services Advisory Board:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council hereby approves, and authorizes the Manager to execute on behalf of the Town, agreements with the above agencies for services described in the Human Services Advisory Board’s report on June 26, 2000.

This the 26th day of June, 2000.

APPENDIX

HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS

A HELPING HAND

A Helping Hand is a program that supports the elderly and disabled with services such as companionship, transportation, meal preparation and respite for caregivers.

Recommendation: No funding this year.

ALLIANCE OF AIDS SERVICES

The Aids Service Agency's mission is to provide comprehensive support and services to people with HIV/AIDS and their families, friends and caregivers. The agency also provides prevention education.

Recommendation: Funding of $1000 to the Aids Service Agency this year.

ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING

Orange and Chatham Alternative Sentencing is a Community Penalties Program which targets nonviolent prison-bound offenders and develops individualized written punishment plans to be presented to the sentencing Judge.

Recommendation: Funding of $2500 for services to Chapel Hill residents.

CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO RESIDENT'S COUNCIL

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Residents' Council mission is to advocate for the rights of all public housing residents, to ensure that residents are treated fairly and consistently and to give residents a voice in decision-making processes. The Resident Council is requesting funds to create and implement a Youth Council.

Recommendation: No funding this year. 

CHARLES HOUSE

Charles House is a private nonprofit agency that offers daytime care for older adults of our community as an alternative to in-home or institutional care.

Recommendation: Funding of  $5500 to subsidize services for Social Services clients from Chapel Hill this year.

CHILD CARE SERVICES ASSOCIATION

Child Care Services is a nonprofit agency that promotes affordable, accessible high quality childcare for all children and families.

Recommendation: Funding of $9,500 for day care scholarships for Chapel Hill children.

COALITION FOR BATTERED WOMEN

The mission of the Orange/Durham Coalition for Battered Women is to work with agencies and individuals in the community to prevent and respond to domestic violence.

Recommendation: The Board recognizes the importance of services to victims of domestic violence and believes those services need to be available to Chapel Hill residents. Service providers in Orange County have expressed concerns that many of the needs of victims of domestic violence are not currently being met. The Task Force on Domestic Violence has recommended that direct services should be provided on a county-specific basis. In their funding application, the Orange-Durham Coalition for Battered Women made a commitment to work with a developing agency in Orange County, the Family Violence Prevention Center (FVPC), with the goal of shifting the provision of domestic violence services to this Orange County-based agency. The FVPC is not yet operational.

The Board recommends that these two agencies work together to ensure the provision of services to Chapel Hill residents during the transition. The Board also recommends funding in the amount of $10,100 be allocated to the Coalition for Battered with the stipulation that the performance contract clearly outline specific services that must be provided to Chapel Hill residents. The Board also recommends that the services be closely monitored and receipt of Town funds be contingent on clear demonstration of direct services.

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS IN ORANGE COUNTY

The Communities in Schools of Orange County coordinates the delivery of services to youth and their families to help children learn and stay in school. The objectives are to increase academic achievement of youth by linking service providers, tutor/mentors, and educational and cultural enrichment programs with the young people.

Recommendation: Funding of $5000 to provide services to Chapel Hill youth in the CIS program.

COMMUNITY CUISINE

The mission of Community Cuisine is to promote self-sufficiency by providing culinary and job readiness training opportunities for disadvantaged adults, at-risk youth and youth with disabilities.

Recommendation: No funding this year for Community Cuisine.

COMMUNITY SCHOOL FOR PEOPLE UNDER SIX

The Community School for People Under Six is a day school offering a multi-cultural community-based program to families in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area.

Recommendation: Funding of $9000 to provide day care services to low income Chapel Hill families.

DISPUTE SETTLEMENT CENTER

Dispute Settlement Center is an agency whose mission is to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes and to prevent the escalation of conflict through mediation, facilitation, conciliation, and training.

Recommendation: Funding in the amount of $6500 to serve Chapel Hill residents in conflict management training (RESOLVE) for parents and teens, ParentResponse and for juvenile victim-offender mediations.

EL CENTRO LATINO

The mission of El Centro Latino is "to improve the quality of life for Latinos in North Carolina through the development, administration, coordination and provision of educational, social, cultural and other resources and services to the Latino community.

Recommendation: In the view of the Board, the opportunity for adults to have English as a Second Language classes, the Acceso program which collaborates with existing agencies and the Leadership Development program are important components of the agency services and should be emphasized.  The Board recommends funding of $4000 to El Centro Latino to serve Chapel Hill residents. 

FAMILY COUNSELING SERVICE (CHANGE)

The mission of Family Counseling Service is to restore, support, and promote healthy human relationships and social and emotional well being of families throughout our community. The CHANGE program is a state certified treatment program for domestic violence offenders.

Recommendation: The Board recommends funding in the amount of $2000 to serve participants from Chapel Hill.

FREEDOM HOUSE

Freedom House provides quality, cost-effective, extended care and transitional living to promote recovery from the disease of addiction.

Recommendation: Funding of $12,500 for substance abuse treatment services for Chapel Hill residents.

HOPELINE, INC.

Hopeline, Inc. provides caring, non-judgmental listening and resource information in an effort to improve the overall well being of people in the community. These services are provided through a 24-hour telephone hotline program.

Recommendation:  Funding of  $500 for telephone crisis services this year.

IGLESIA UNIDA DE CRISTO -AFTER SCHOOL

Iglesia After School program is designed to offer Spanish speaking youth academic assistance in their native language.

Recommendation: Funding of $5000 for academic assistance to Spanish speaking youth. 

INTER-FAITH COUNCIL

The Interfaith Council for Social Service provides services to combat issues of poverty, hunger and homelessness. The primary purposes are to address the unmet needs of low-income individuals and families in the community, to advocate for social change and to coordinate the efforts of IFC volunteers and other groups and individuals to meet these needs.

 Recommendation: No funding this year.

KIDSCOPE

The KidSCope program is an early intervention program whose mission is to address specialized services to young children who are experiencing social, emotional, and/or behavioral difficulties.

Recommendation: Funding of $4000 is recommended.

MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN ORANGE COUNTY

The mission of the Mental Health Association is to promote positive mental health among the citizens of Orange County through advocacy, education, collaboration and service.

Recommendation: Funding of $5350 for the Compeer program to match volunteers with adults with severe and persistent mental illness.

MI ESCUELITA SPANISH PRESCHOOL

Mi Escuelita Spanish pre-school is a half-day Spanish Immersion program that serves Hispanic/Latino children as well as other children from the community. This program helps build bilingual and bicultural families. A goal of the program is to enable Spanish-speaking pre-school children to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in school.

Recommendation: No funding for this program this year.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM (CIS-OC)

Communities in Schools of Orange County is the fiscal agent that manages the Middle School After School program in Orange County. The mission of the program is to provide quality after school programs with positive educational, social and recreational alternatives for middle school students.

Recommendation: Last year, the Board recommended a three-year contract with CIS-OC for $35,000 for the Middle School After School programs located in Chapel Hill schools. The Board continues to urge the program to use the contract period of fiscal stability to pursue diverse sources of funding.

ORANGE COUNTY DISABILITY AWARENESS COUNCIL

Orange County Disability Awareness Council is a nonprofit, volunteer citizens action group dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities in Orange County.

Recommendation: Funding of  $500.

ORANGE COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL

The mission for the Orange County Literacy Council is to achieve 100% adult literacy in Orange County in order to help adults achieve their employment, community and family goals.

Recommendation: Funding of $8000 for literacy services to Chapel Hill residents.

ORANGE COUNTY RAPE CRISIS CENTER

The Orange County Rape Crisis Center dedicates itself to ending sexual violence by providing educational services to promote the awareness and prevention of sexual violence and by supporting its victims.

Recommendation: Funding of  $12,000 for services this year.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Planned Parenthood of Orange and Durham Counties provides educational and health care services aimed at reducing the incidence of unwanted pregnancy, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections especially among teens and low income men and women.

Recommendation: Funding of $1500 for education services for Chapel Hill teens and low-income clients.

STREET SCENE TEEN CENTER

The mission of the Teen Center is to provide a safe, alcohol and drug free environment for Chapel Hill teens where they can learn, be creative, develop positive social skills and have fun. The Center serves the needs of teens by providing supervised activities during their out of school time.

Recommendation: Funding of $6000.

THE ARC

The Arc works with and for people who have or are at risk for developmental disabilities to promote full participation in all areas of life in our community. The Arc works toward this mission through advocacy, education, and collaboration and quality supports.

Recommendation: Funding of $9000 for respite care services and the youth summer internship program for Chapel Hill residents.

THE WOMEN’S CENTER

The Women’s Center is a nonprofit agency whose mission is to provide a supportive community where women can inspire each other to grow, share strategies for self-sufficiency, build problem-solving skills and find information and referral services. The Center provides educational, financial and career counseling, legal information, support services and information and a pregnancy and violence prevention program for at risk adolescents.

Recommendation: Funding of $10,000 for services to Chapel Hill residents.

TRIANGLE FAMILY SERVICES

The mission of Triangle Family Services is building a stronger community by strengthening the family. Triangle Family Services requested funding for the Consumer Credit Counseling Service.

Recommendation: Funding of $500 for Consumer Credit Counseling Service for Chapel Hill residents.

TRIANGLE HOSPICE

Triangle Hospice, Inc. improves the quality of life for persons facing death in Durham, Orange and Granville Counties by providing medical, psycho-social, spiritual and bereavement care for the terminally ill and their loved ones.

Recommendation: Funding of $4000 for services to low income Chapel Hill citizens.

TRIANGLE RADIO READING SERVICE

The purpose of Triangle Radio Reading Services is to provide help blind, visually impaired, elderly and print impaired residents of the Triangle and surrounding counties to overcome the sense of isolation and lack of information they suffer because of their inability to read.

Recommendation: Funding in the amount of $2250 for services to Chapel Hill residents.

TRIANGLE RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSERS (TROSA)

TROSA’s mission is to assist in the changing lives and increasing law-abiding behavior by providing a two-year, residential, self-help community serving substance abusers and offenders at no cost to the individual.

Recommendation: Funding of $1500 to provide substance abuse treatment services to Chapel Hill residents.

VOLUNTEERS FOR YOUTH

Volunteers For Youth, Inc. is a youth serving organization, meeting the needs of delinquent and high-risk youths in Orange County through a one-on-one volunteer program, a community services program and a youth and family counseling program.

Recommendation: Funding of $5500 to Volunteers for Youth.