Albemarle County social services

Transcription

1 Albemarle County social services 27 Annual Report presented to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors by the Department of Social Services Advisory Board

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Albemarle County Department of Social Services seeks to serve our community by promoting selfsufficiency, family well being, and quality of life. ADVISORY BOARD LETTER AND HIGHLIGHTS 3 AGENCY KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 4 SERVICES AUXILIARY GRANTS 5 FOOD STAMPS 5 GENERAL RELIEF 6 ENERGY ASSISTANCE 6 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) 7 MEDICAID 7 UVA MEDICAID 8 ADULT SERVICES 8 COMPANION SERVICES 9 LONG-TERM CARE 9 CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES 1 FOSTER CARE 1 ADOPTION SERVICES 11 CHILD CARE SERVICES 11 EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 12 VIRGINIA INITIATIVE FOR EMPLOYMENT NOT WELFARE (VIEW) 12 CAREER CENTER 12 BRIGHT STARS 13 FAMILY SUPPORT 13 BUDGET AND FINANCE 14 VIRGINIA BUSINESS MAGAZINE SPQA ADVERTISEMENT 15 This FY 27 Annual Report was designed, developed, and produced solely by the Staff and Advisory Board of the Albemarle County Department of Social Services. 2

3 LETTER FROM THE ADVISORY BOARD We are pleased to present the annual report to the Board of Supervisors for the Albemarle County Department of Social Services (ACDSS) for FY 27. We appreciate this opportunity to share some of the results of the public services provided to the citizens of Albemarle County. It is indeed an honor to serve our citizens through the work of this board. Of primary note is the significant effort by ACDSS to attain the U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award (SPQA) for Virginia, culminating in the department receiving the 27 Certificate for Performance Excellence. The process used by ACDSS staff during the past year has been rigorous and we have been impressed with the commitment to improve the services and adhere to the quality standards set by the SPQA Board as well as by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program. While this year was the application year, we know the department has been on a steady course over the past decade in pursuit of performance excellence. This recent award is an example of their dedication and passion for quality, symbolized by the use of the SPQA quality seal found on the cover and the letter Q the reader will see throughout this report. Pictured (Left to Right) Front Mary Lou Fowler, Lincoln Lewis Back Carlton Gregory, Kate Rosenfield, Brenda Doremus-Daniel, Bryan Elliot pictured Claude Foster This past year, we have met with the Director of ACDSS monthly and used that time to broaden our knowledge about the work of the department and work with the Director in accordance with our established roles: 1) to be an advocate for human services issues with the community, the Board of Supervisors and the State and Federal governments; 2) to be a liaison with the Board of Supervisors and the community; 3) to seek knowledge about departmental services and the needs of the community; and, 4) to set broad policies that would help the Department focus energy on specific opportunities. In our work to fulfill these roles and responsibilities, our accomplishments during Fiscal Year 27 include, but were not limited to: Heard presentations on specific topics such as foster family recruitment, strategic plan goal group reports, child care, Energy Assistance Program, child protection, legislative impacts on programs, and SPQA; Reviewed and discussed informational items provided by Department staff; Hosted a meeting of the Friends of Albemarle DSS, an advocacy arm of the Advisory Board. Participated in a retreat resulting in the identification of a priority project for the board to address this year. The project, to increase the number of children/families assisted with child care subsidies, has been the primary focus of the board this year. Activities that the board has been involved in include joining and supporting a statewide coalition to advocate for increased child care subsidies and advocating locally with area legislators. The Advisory Board is glad to play a part in the current mission of ACDSS and is encouraged that the department continues to focus on strategic goals to accomplish its mission. We can report that the strategic plan is alive and well, with more than 4 staff members participating in the achievement of the goals by serving on the four goal groups. We are honored to work with staff of the department. Especially in this year of our SPQA award, we are reminded of the challenge that the staff faces in achieving such high performance standards and at the same time confronting growing caseloads in terms of number and complexity. In the following pages, we are pleased to share an overview of the Department s programs, the changes we have made in our continuous effort to improve the quality of our services, as well as individual stories of hope, respect, opportunity, and selfdetermination that the Albemarle residents we serve share with us throughout the year. The ACDSS Advisory Board 3

4 THE REPORT OF THE OFFICE OF PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY ACDSS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS The ACDSS Office of Program Accountability monitors, evaluates and reports progress on all unit and overall agency performance goals. Each unit in the agency establishes specific indicators every three years to enable this process. The Leadership Team then assesses each of these unit indicators (currently numbering 35) using established criteria to determine which are critical for the agency to meet or exceed mandates and achieve high performance. These twelve selected goals (seen below) are referred to as the ACDSS Key Performance Indicators (KPI s). e that several of the current KPI s continue measurements established for the agency in 23 as they remain critical indicators of performance. Additional measures were developed and implemented for the cycle. This process of evaluation through methodical data collection, analysis and program improvement using the ACDSS KPI s ensures that the agency moves toward measurable, high performance in order to achieve superior customer service. Key Performance Indicators Standard FY Target FY 23 Results FY 24 Results FY 25 Results FY 26 Results FY 27 Result Parents of Bright Stars children report progress on goals NEW GOAL FY 7-9 8% 81% CPS cases will meet number of monthly contacts required by Structured Decision Making protocols based on Risk Assessment 9% 58.8% NEW GOAL FY 7-9 External customers, who complete a survey, indicate overall satisfaction 9% 94.4% NEW GOAL FY 7-9 Medicaid renewals are completed in a timely fashion NEW GOAL FY % 86.8% Local dollars spreadsheet completed within 1 days of close of month 92% 92% NEW GOAL FY 7-9 Food Stamp applications are processed in a timely fashion New Target FY 7-9: 97% (State Standard) Vulnerable adults accepting APS will have their risk reduced within one year. 97% 84% 91% 93.5% 85% 99.1% 1% 84% 91% 93.5% 85% 87.9% New Target FY 7-9: 1% Child Protective Services cases meet response times New Target FY 7-9: 9% VIEW participants will remain employed 3 months after initial employment 9% 81% 83% 86.5% 82% 85.8% 75% 57% 68% 84% 79% 79.5% New Target FY % (State Standard) There are no more than 2 foster care placements in 12 months per case. Medicaid applications are processed in a timely fashion New Target FY 7-9: 97% (State Standard) Out of home placement of primary child receiving Family Support services will not require out of home placement 86.7% 88.2% 83.4% 83.2% 75.2% 86.6% 97% 88.5% 79.5% 8.6% 94.3% 86.1% 98% 99% 99.6% 99% 99.1% 98.9% Conditionally safe or unsafe children become safe or conditionally safe by the time of case closure 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 4 Goal Concluded

5 AUXILIARY GRANTS Auxiliary Grants are a supplement to income for recipients of Supplemental Security Income and other low-income aged, blind, or disabled individuals residing in licensed assisted living facilities or approved adult foster care homes. The grant amount received by eligible individuals includes a small personal allowance plus the difference between their own income and the State reimbursement rate for assisted living level of care. Auxiliary Grant (AG) recipients also receive medical assistance through the Medicaid program. The Auxiliary Grant Program is a state (8%) and locally (2%) funded financial assistance program administered at the local level. Seeking Improvements in Resources - This fiscal year, the AG rate increased from $982 to $148 and the personal allowance increased from $7 to $75 a month. Improvements are still needed, however, because the number of available AG beds in our area did not increase. Very few Adult Living Facilities participate in the program as the reimbursement rate continues to lag behind the actual cost of care. In this Auxiliary Grants: Average Cases Under Care difficult environment our Long Term Care Coordinator and Adult 4 Social Workers serve customers, and work with adult homes to make assisted living financially feasible for Medicaid recipients. In addition, Albemarle County continues to subsidize Mountainside Senior Living so Albemarle residents can live in our community. These small gains improve the quality of life of the residents 1 while we partner with the adult homes for safe living arrangements for fragile and vulnerable poor. Disabled Ag ed Caseload FOOD STAMPS Food Stamps is a program that provides benefits to eligible persons for the purchase of vital food items. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is the process that the Virginia Department of Social Services uses to deliver Food Stamp Program benefits. Food Stamp households use the card to make food purchases at retailers authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A public assistance (PA) Food Stamp case is any case in which all household members receive or are authorized to receive income from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Maintenance General Relief (GR) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Programs. Any case that contains at least one member who does not receive TANF, GR or SSI is a non-assistance (Non-PA) Food Stamp case. Improving Partnerships to Ensure Access - ACDSS has joined forces with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to improve outreach efforts designed to increase the participation rate among eligible households in the county. Our two agencies meet every two months to review the results of this outreach effort and explore other ways to reach families in need. The Food Bank has also been actively assisting their patrons with submitting the Food Stamp application online. A growing effort between our organizations is improving these services for the customers with limited English. Participation Rate Food Stamps: Average Participation Rate 51.5% 44.5% 5.% 37.% 35.6% 37.2% 4.% 3.% 2.% 1.%.% Cases Food Stamps: Average Cases Per Month PA Non PA

6 GENERAL RELIEF General Relief is a program designed to provide assistance, either maintenance or emergency, which cannot be provided through other means. General Relief is the only non-mandated benefits program administered through ACDSS. Albemarle County provides limited General Relief assistance (62.5% state funding and 37.5% local funding) under the General Relief-Unattached Child component, which provides ongoing assistance for a child who is not living with a relative eligible to receive TANF, and the General Relief-Burial component, which provides a maximum one time payment of $5 when there are no other available resources to provide for burial. Improving Partnerships to Meet a Unique Need - ACDSS continues to partner with local funeral homes to provide final arrangements for deceased indigent county residents. This is achieved by establishing one-time, flat-rate fee. This partnership was recently strengthened as our staff not only handled the application processing, but also worked very closely with the funeral home with final arrangements for an agency Foster Care child. 15 General Relief: Average Caseload 14 Cases Unattached Child Burial ENERGY ASSISTANCE Albemarle County operates three federally mandated Energy Assistance Programs with heating and cooling components for all citizens with economic need. During the summer, the Cooling Assistance Program provides for the purchase of window air conditioners and fans, or for repair of cooling equipment and/or payment for electricity for households containing a vulnerable individual who is aged, disabled, or under age six. The Fuel Assistance Program helps with home heating fuel and related charges. Benefits are determined and authorizations for deliveries or service are sent to vendors in December. Crisis Assistance is intended to meet a household s emergency heating need. Crisis assistance offers heating equipment repair or purchase and/or a one-time only heat security deposit. Purchase of home heating fuel or payment of heat utility bill is available beginning January 1st. Eligibility for Crisis Assistance requires a heating emergency in addition to income and a residency requirement. Expanding Resources to Improve Services - An important improvement effort this past year for the Energy Assistance Program was securing a new vendor for the Crisis component of the Program. This growing service has historically experienced a gap in the repair and/or replacement of heat pumps, leaving a number of vulnerable Albemarle citizens who were eligible for services still in need. Due Energy Assist ance: Program Request s to the cost of these systems, it was nearly impossible for 1 other vendors to provide this repair service. Albemarle Housing Improvement Program joined the program as a vendor and is able to secure additional funding to assist 6 in the repair or replacement of these costly heating systems Cases Cooling Heating Crisis 6

7 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES TANF - Temporary Assistance to Needy Families provides temporary financial assistance to income-eligible families. The TANF program was designed to dramatically reform the nation s welfare system by helping recipients become self-sufficient, and turning TANF into a program of temporary assistance. A monthly cash payment is distributed to eligible families to meet their basic needs. The program is based upon the principles of personal responsibility, time-limited assistance, and work in exchange for benefits. TANF is the cash assistance component of the Virginia Independence Program (VIP) that helps families work toward their goal of total independence. The number of families receiving TANF-UP, the Unemployed Parent category, is also reflected in the data. TANF-UP provides assistance to families in which both parents are unemployed and in financial need. Both parents are evaluated for participation in the VIEW employment program. A component of TANF that has assisted families is the Diversionary Assistance Program. It is intended to prevent potential TANF recipients from becoming ongoing TANF recipients. If immediate intervention with short-term aid will resolve a crisis situation and prevent the need for ongoing TANF, this component is available to some applicants. Improving Partnerships for TANF Families - The TANF program is dedicated to helping families achieve success. This requires that we constantly improve partnerships designed to provide families support resources, ensure children TANF: Average Cases Under Care receive necessary services, and that open avenues to employment and self sufficiency. ACDSS works extensively with net working partners such as the Department of Rehabilitative Services, Worksource Enterprises, Region Ten, and other surrounding social service departments to ensure the TANF client 1 receives these resources, referrals, and information. 5 Cases MEDICAID Medicaid is a joint Federal and State program designed to provide essential medical and medically related services to the most vulnerable populations in our community. This vital program is the third largest source of health insurance after employer-based coverage and Medicare. It provides medical coverage to eligible low-income families, women, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. In addition, the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan (FAMIS) provides Medicaid-like benefits to uninsured children including dental services, the Smiles for Children program. This program encourages good dental health and provides children with regular dental check ups. Children receiving Medicaid are also eligible to receive free vaccinations under the Virginia Vaccines for Children Program and other comprehensive health and mental health services. The FAMIS/PLUS & FAMIS Moms program provides health care coverage for pregnant women and provides prenatal care and comprehensive health care benefits for two months after delivery. Improving Processes to Ensure Access to Health Care - ACDSS eligibility workers meet on a regular basis to review cases that are due and work on meeting timeliness standards for applications. We have a newly established F&C management team that meets monthly and reviews caseload information that includes outreach, processing time frames Medicaid: Average Enrollees Per Month and overdue reviews. We are trying to establish better communication with the LEP customer by adding forms in other languages, training in the use of forms, applications and renewal processing Average Cases

8 UVA MEDICAID UVA Medicaid provides Medicaid benefits to medically indigent inpatients and indigent clients treated in specified outpatient clinics at UVA. The UVA Medicaid Unit is the result of a contractual agreement among the State Medical Assistance Program, the Virginia Department of Social Services, the University of Virginia Health System and the Albemarle County Department of Social Services. The Medicaid Unit served 3564 indigent individuals in FY 7. Of those, applications for Medicaid were taken on over 14 patients. The Medicaid Unit has surpassed their previous records from the past 5 fiscal years for the approval rate on applications taken. Improving Timely Customer Service - Federal regulations require every applicant for Medicaid to provide proof of identity and citizenship by submitting an original photo ID to Social Services. The Medicaid Unit has been working to eliminate barriers for clients in providing Identity documents and worked with the state to grant anyone employed by a Federally Qualified Health Center, who would have access UVA Medicaid: Referrals to patient records, authorization to copy and certify the viewing of an original ID. We have worked with the admissions department to scan into the patients records the Drivers License of every patient so once the personal belongings have been sent home with family members, we still have access to 3345 the originally viewed documentation proving identity. This 34 has saved countless hours and weeks of time resulting in significantly improved customer service. Also as a result of our efforts, others throughout the state will also be able to utilize hospital staff to obtain proof of Identity. Referrals ADULT SERVICES Adult Services is a program that enables adults to remain in the least restrictive setting and function independently. This program provides long-term care, prevention services, nursing and adult home screening and placement services, guardianship oversight and adult protective services. One key program in Adult Services is Adult Protective Services (APS), which investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults over 6 years of age and incapacitated adults over 18 years of age. The goal of APS is to protect a vulnerable adult s life, health, and property without a loss of independence. When this is not possible, APS attempts to provide assistance with the least disruption of life style and with full due process, protection, and restoration of the person s liberty in the shortest possible period of time. Partnerships are key to prevention and to maximize risk reduction and self-determination. We are partners in a multi-disciplinary team grant funded by the University of Virginia s Institute on Aging to research and respond to the increasing incidents of neglect and abuse in adult facilities. Improving Partnerships for Safety - A committee of the Adult Division, the Commonwealth s Attorneys Office and Albemarle County Police worked for over a year to establish a formal agreement to ensure a safe and protected community for the disabled and the elderly through collaborative investigations Adult Protective Services: Referrals of suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation and appropriate criminal prosecution. Because many individuals who are financially exploited lack capacity, criminal prosecution is rarely pur sued because of lack of evidence. An APS investigation that was staffed by this collaborative this past spring resulted in the 3 prosecution and conviction of an individual who had obtained thousands of dollars from an elderly victim now suffering from severe dementia and residing in a nursing home. Excellent work by the team of social workers, police and prosecutors made this accountability for criminal behavior possible. Referrals Year Totals Facility Referrals 8

9 COMPANION SERVICES The Companion Services Program assists elderly and/or disabled adults who are unable to care for themselves without assistance. The Companion Services program supports the philosophy that an individual should be empowered to maintain independence in the community as long as possible. Home-based care minimizes institutionalization of elderly and disabled residents. Individuals can remain on the Department s caseload for many years; some individuals are served well into their nineties. The improvement in the quality of life and the low cost of the service are a win/win for individuals and the community. Improving and Expanding Services- The Adult Services Companion Services program has expanded use of agency approved providers over the last year through a policy clarification. This clarification has allowed our program to approve client-selected providers (e.g. family and friends) to help provide services. This is a significant advantage over the historical, sole use of home health agencies as some home health agencies charge significantly more for Companion Services, allowing us to serve more individuals. More importantly, this improvement has allowed for, in many Cases Companion Services: Adults Receiving Sevices Under 6 Y ears-old Over 6 Years-Old Total LONG-TERM CARE cases, the staffing of companion cases more quickly and for the agency to meet the specific cultural and ethnic needs of the people we serve. By clarifying the individual choice policy, we have been able to staff select individual cases with a family member or friend who has an understanding of the importance and significance of respecting and honoring dietary needs and ethnic customs. It ensures excellent customer service in the provision of this valuable service in a manner that respects the individual needs of all our clients as well as allowing them to remain in the community. As Albemarle s population ages, many county residents are becoming concerned about Long-Term Care. Elders and their families need help determining whether and how they can gain access to funding support for an adult home, a nursing home, or inhome care. ACDSS serves individuals who meet eligibility for Long-Term Care Medicaid with the Auxiliary Grant Program and with payments for Community Based Care and Nursing Home Care. Social workers at ACDSS do assessments to decide the level of care needed. When a person is assessed as needing an assisted living level of care and meets financial criteria, an Auxiliary Grant supplements other income in an effort to meet the cost of care in an Assisted Living Facility. After evaluation, financially eligible individuals approved for nursing home level of care can receive that care either in the community or in a nursing home. Improving Home-based Services for the Elderly and Disabled - Agency efforts to help individuals remain in their own homes using Community Based Care (CBC) has resulted Long Term Care: Average Cases Per Mont h in improved customer service. As the personal allowance for CBC has increased, more citizens have been served by this program, growing from 95 cases on July 1, 26 to cases on June 3, 27. The number of these elderly or disabled customers served by one of the seven Medicaid waiv ers has increased by 3% over the course of the fiscal year ending June 27. This represents more people who are 25 able to stay in their homes and avoid institutional placement. There has also been a significant increase in the number of disabled children utilizing the Elderly or Disabled/ 2 Consumer Directed (EDCD) waiver as they wait for slots to Monthly Average of Long Term Care Cases open in other waiver programs. Cases 9

10 CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES Child Protective Services identifies, assesses, and provides services to children who have been abused or neglected and to their families. It is designed to preserve families whenever possible, yet protect children and prevent further maltreatment. The CPS program is non-punitive in its approach and attempts to enable families to provide adequate care for their children. CPS utilizes a Differential Response System, allowing us to respond much of the time using a Family Assessment process, which is service oriented and strength based. CPS in Albemarle County also utilizes a research-based protocol, Structured Decision Making (SDM), to guide critical decisions during the life of a case, ensuring a greater level of consistency to reduce reoccurrence of child maltreatment. ACDSS is piloting this program which may be used state-wide in the future. The CPS unit also provides foster care prevention services to families referred by the community and by Court Order. In addition, the CPS unit attempts outreach to prevent child abuse or neglect by addressing risk issues before they result in child maltreatment. Number CPS: Reports and Valid Complaints Referrals Received Valid Complaints FOSTER CARE Improving Information for Decision Making The CPS Unit has long recognized the need to translate the wealth of data available to the unit into clear information designed to enable real time improvements in decisionmaking. As the state data systems are limited in their flexibility, CPS developed its own database of information. This data set has included, for example, a comprehensive review of the timeliness of response to referrals. This information has allowed the unit to identify gaps that exist between the standard for response and our actual performance enabling a review by the unit on how and where improvements, including additional staff, are needed. The Foster Care Program provides services, substitute care, and supervision for a child on a 24-hour basis until the child can return to his or her family or be placed in an adoptive home or another permanent foster care placement. In the Foster Care program, assistance is given to children and families in an effort to prevent removal of a child from his or her home. When parents are unsuccessful in changing conditions in the home, it may be necessary to place the child in foster care. In that case, the Foster Care Program provides services to enable the child to return home. If that is not possible, the program tries to find another permanent home. Foster Care is intended to be temporary response to a difficult family situation, not a long-term solution for the family. 384 Improving Planning & Service Delivery - Since 24, the Foster Care/Adoption program has instituted a case work practice called Concurrent Planning. This is a model defined as working towards family reunification while, at the same time, developing an alternative permanent plan. The desired outcomes from concurrent planning are: 1) a decreased length of stay in foster care; 2) fewer placement moves; 3) fewer children in long-term foster care; and, 4) and increase in the number of voluntary relinquishments. Additionally, two years ago, Tri-Area Foster Families began using a curriculum for training foster parents called PRIDE and began dually approving all families for foster care and adoption. All three of these program initiatives have resulted in our ability to achieve permanency more quickly for children entering care. Children Fost er Care: Children Ent ering Care Children Requiring Regular Placement Children Requiring Specialized Placement Children Foster Care: Total Children in Care

11 ADOPTION SERVICES The purpose of Adoption Services is to help children who have been permanently and legally separated from their birth parents become permanent members of a new family. If a child cannot be returned to his or her parents or placed with relatives, the planning goal becomes adoption. Adoption is a social and legal process that establishes the relationship of parent and child between people who do not have this relationship by birth. It provides the same rights and obligations that exist between children and their biological parents. Improving Training for Post-Adoption Families - ACDSS, in partnership with the Charlottesville Department of Social Services, has sponsored a training for our post-adoption families entitled Pathways of Healing in Maltreated Children. This training is offered by the faculty of The Mary D. Ainsworth Child-Parent Attachment Clinic. This is an 8- session course that focuses on methods for identifying children s attachment patterns, areas of resilience, and emotional and behavioral habits stemming from their earlier maltreatment. The course then addresses particular strategies for shaping children s behavior and interaction patterns. We have supported several of our families attendance through adoption subsidy assistance. Adoptions: Finalized Children CHILD CARE SERVICES Child Care Services is a program that provides low-income families with funding to enhance the quality, affordability, and availability of child care. Child Care services assist low-income parents who are working and/or are attending school and whose children have child care needs. Child Care services are also provided to families who are receiving TANF and are working towards economic self-sufficiency. With welfare reform's increased emphasis on employment, many of our single parent households often become our low-income working families. These services are designed to help parents locate affordable quality care to support their efforts toward greater self-sufficiency. Improving Training for Child Care - Over the past year the Child Care team in collaboration with Charlottesville DSS has initiated a number of quality improvements focused on our child care providers. In response to the new state Children Child Care: Average Number Per Mont h mandated training requirements for providers, the team has developed and implemented a process for offering a low- cost, quality skills training workshop annually; has partnered with Children Youth and Family Services to expand offerings and access to additional training; and has developed a tracking mechanism for accountability to insure providers are successfully meeting these requirements. In response to feedback from a child care financial audit statewide, the team developed and implemented a plan to provide intensive training and hands-on assistance to providers in understanding and accurately completing the invoicing process. These efforts have resulted in fewer errors and increased efficiency in reducing the amount of worker time spent processing financial paperwork. 11

12 EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Employment Services provide employment education, training and support services to TANF recipients who qualify for the VIEW (Virginia Initiative for Employment Welfare) Program. VIEW, Virginia's welfare reform program, is designed to encourage self-sufficiency through a "work first" philosophy. VIEW offers recipients the opportunity to work and continue to receive some TANF benefits and supportive services. VIEW also encourages personal responsibility. In addition to employment, other VIEW work activities can include on-the-job training or community work experience for at least the minimum federally required hours per week. VIEW participants can also participate in optional transitional services such as child care. Increasing Self-sufficiency through Partnerships - VIEW is successful because of partnerships with key agencies in the community. With organizations like the Piedmont Workforce Network, Piedmont Virginia Community College and the Department of Rehabilitative Services, VIEW constantly improves resources that help customers find and retain % of VIEW Participants 88.% 83.% 78.% 73.% VIEW: Participants Employed 3 Mont hs Past Hire Dat e 81.% 71.% 84.% 79.% 8.% employment. We share a vision with these partners that employment at a self-sufficient wage over a long period is key to self-sufficiency and family stability. The program also measures the success of these efforts by maintaining a long-term trended picture of our customers wages and length of employment. 68.% CAREER CENTER The Career Center s mission is to provide the general public with career resources and services in order to prepare a work force that is informed, capable, and ready for work. The services available at the Career Center, a satellite operation of the region s one-stop system, include internet-ready computers, resume services, cover letters and job searches, interviewing techniques, fax, phone, a copier, resource library, educational videos, newspapers, magazines, computer tutorials, and career counseling. Job seekers can also open e- mail accounts to correspond with potential employers. The Center is open to the public. Improving Employment Opportunities - Employment is essential to self-sufficiency, family stability, and long term success. To help support these values, ACDSS operates a Career Cent er: Usage Career Center for all residents designed to identify community-based employment resources, assist in the job search process and improve job readiness. One very successful improvement effort this past year has been increasing access of customers with limited English profi- ciency. This involved developing employment resource information in other languages, providing access to interpretation services and welcoming customers with new bi lingual signage Customers 6 12

13 BRIGHT STARS The Bright Stars Program is an early intervention preschool program for four-year-old children and their families. Bright Stars seeks to increase learning opportunities by addressing risk factors that affect school performance such as low income, illiteracy or limited education of the parents, limited English proficiency, developmental delays, mental or physical health problems and substance abuse. The major goals of the program are to provide age-appropriate education and enrichment opportunities for children, to help families access community resources necessary to sustain safe and stable family life, to facilitate family involvement in their child s education and to serve as a model of collaboration among the Department of Social Services, County schools and community agencies. Improving Partnerships for At-Risk Children - Bright Stars has been actively pursuing the coordination of services with other key entities as part of our long-term quality improvement efforts. In our case, "key entities" refers to other Participants Bright Stars: Program Participation FAMILY SUPPORT preschool programs managed through the Albemarle County Schools, Head Start and the private sector. 27 saw a tremendous advance in these efforts. Partnership agreements are now in place with all of these entities; workgroups comprised of staff from these organizations are meeting regularly to develop common mission statements, goals, and processes and procedures; state funding has been shared to increase staff learning opportunities, and to augment classroom equipment and supplies. The Bright Stars program is now expanded to serve more than 145 children through these coordinated efforts. Family Support is a pre-placement prevention program based in eleven Albemarle County elementary schools and two middle schools. Family Support staff provides case management services including assisting families with access to health, education, legal, housing and social services, improving the safety and security of their family members; helping families move toward self-sufficiency and ensuring parents and school staff work together for successful school performance outcomes. At the middle school level there is also an emphasis on improving school attendance and locating after-school enrichment opportunities that engage children in 1-13 year age range. Improving School Performance - In a school served by our Family Support Program, additional instruction time for specific students was identified. The Family Support Worker spoke to a church group that wanted to participate in the lives of children in need. As a result, Saturday Tutoring was conceived and developed. The students who need extra instructional time are picked up and taken to the church to receive instruction as well as social time every other Saturday Family Support: Average Cases Per Month throughout the school year. The program has been so successful that students who have attended the program have asked to continue even though they are now in the middle school Cases

14 FINANCE The Finance Department serves as a key support resource for all ACDSS operations. This work includes budgeting and financial planning, developing agency strategic and operational initiatives, complying with all federal, state and local financial requirements, ensuring the integrity of all operations, and ongoing financial management. A central component of Albemarle County s objective to strengthen the Loc al $ Spent Federal & St at e $ Spent local economy is to make investments in human services that result in jobs, tax revenue, and increased economic activity. Through ACDSS, the County ensures a focus on the development of self-sufficiency, safety and stability for some of the County s most vulnerable citizens. The mission of the Finance Unit at ACDSS is to ensure that we promote this objective by being excellent stewards of agency resources. We track two primary outcome measures: managing fiscal resources prudently and ensuring that all federal and state dollars are maximized while minimizing the use of local funding. We adhere to the highest standards of integrity in our business practices, including our financial controls and reporting. Improving Timely Customer Services In 27, the Finance Unit, in seeking to continuously improve its customer service standards, recognized that the timely processing of checks was a key Perc ent age of Budgeted Funds for Social item. To improve services, the unit undertook a comprehensive review of Services the processes needed to authorize checks and instituted a series of 3.6% changes that included revisions to how invoices are processed and approved. Significant improvements in the timeliness of check issuance resulted. Using a ten-day issuance standard, the unit made strides toward the stretch goal of 9% by processing 83% of checks within ten days. This indicator remains a unit key performance measure for customer satisfaction in % Local $ Budgeted Federal & State $ Budgeted Federal/State/Other Funds * Local Funds* Food Stamps $ 3,34,521 Local Match $ 2,785,152 Medicaid $ 3,27,78** Family Support School Fund Transfer $ 125, TANF $ 362,611 Bright Stars Transfer - Schools $ 91,613 Energy Assistance $ 184,794 Bright Stars Transfer - General $ 672,681 Cooling Assistance $ 29,424 CSA Local Government Transfer $ 2,517,79 Crisis Energy Assistance $ 33,66 CSA Schools Transfer $ 1,4, Other Federal $ 4,55,663 UW Local Government Transfer $ 94,936 Other State $ 2,12,51 UW City of Charlottesville Transfer $ 95,13 V.P.A. Refunds/Recovered Costs $ 6,456 Americorps Grant $ 1,998 Bright Stars $ 24,727 Family Treatment Court Grant $ 12,167 Americorps Grant $ 9,563 Process Improvement Plan Grant $ 13,65 Child Care Quality Inititative Grant $ 28,297 TOTAL $ 7,45,9 Family Treatment Court Grant $ 18,832 Process Improvement Plan Grant $ 45,571 UVA Medicaid $ 465,659 UVA Medicaid Generated Revenues $ 22,23,818 Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) $ 2,878,11 United Way (UW) $ 122,177 Central Service Cost Allocation $ 213,618 TOTAL $ 66,369, % Percentage of Actual Expenses for Social Services 3.4% Albemarle DSS Federal, State, and Local Funds including Direct Financial Assistance for Albemarle Cit izens 1.1% *Please note that figures represented are un-audited. **Medicaid revenues are indicative of amounts received in FY26. Department of Medical Assistance (DMAS) has not released figures for FY27. Federal/St at e Local 89.9% Contact Albemarle County Department of Social Services Phone: (434) Information: 16 5th Street, Suite A FAX: (434) Charlottesville, VA 2292 Website: Sources: Virginia Department of Social Services Financial LASER System and Website, Albemarle County Department of Social Services Trends and Analysis, Albemarle County Financial Management System, Albemarle County Department of Social Services Leadership Team and Agency Staff 14

15 Ad appeared in November 27 issue of Virginia Business Magazine 15