The Boulder County Human Services Strategic Plan

The Boulder County Human Services Strategic Plan

Steering Committee appointed 12/06 by Human Services Coordinating Council to create a countywide plan: Robin Bohannan, Director of Boulder County Community Services; David Bolin, Chair, Boulder County Human Services Alliance and Executive Director of Center for People with Disabilities; Barbara Pingrey, President, Foothills United Way; Karen Rahn, Co-Director, City of Boulder Housing and Human Services; Morgan Rogers, Director, The Civic Forum (a program of the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County) Karen Roney, Director, City of Longmont Community Services Department; Jane Uitti, Boulder County Commissioners Office (retired)

Additional members added to ensure a more inclusive process: Jorge De Santiago, Executive Director, Centro AMISTAD; Donna Lovato, Executive Director, The Inn Between; Kelli Rucker, Vice President of Community Impact, Foothills United Way; Michele Seipp, City of Lafayette Community Life Director; and Megan Davis, Boulder County Commissioners Office joined our effort after Jane Uitti s retirement.

Our Mission was BIG: Using an inclusive and broad collaborative process, our purpose is to develop a plan that will result in a dynamic, accessible, coordinated, community-wide human service delivery system.

Guiding Principles: Our human services system maintains a safety net of services for Boulder County s most vulnerable residents, while remaining flexible enough to identify and respond to emerging needs Our human services system honors and respects the rich diversity within Boulder County and, with the involvement of the various communities, strives to make all our services accessible, timely, and culturally relevant Our human services system recognizes, respects, and builds on the strengths of individuals, families, and communities;

Our human services system values moving people along the continuum toward self-sufficiency or stability, while providing ongoing support to those who need it in a manner that promotes maximum independence Our human services system is responsive and accountable to the public for the best use of available resources in providing quality services, and Our human services system values and promotes collaboration and coordination on every level including among local governments, private funders, non-profit community organizations, and our residents and consumers.

2007 Planning Process Overview JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Planning Process & Consultant Chosen Boulder/Longmont Public Meetings Future Search Systems Planning By Action Groups Funder Nonprofit Retreat Action Planning Groups Work Reviewed by AAE,HSA, SVCC, Grantmakers, And 2 Public Meetings In Longmont/Lafayette Additional input Received by HSA HSCC Update C of C Update Steering Committee Updates BOCC Services Plan

2008 Planning Process To Date JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Services Plan Reviewed by AAE, HSA Services Plan Reviewed by SE Latino Coalition Services Plan Reviewed by SVCC, HSA BOCC Public Hearing Consortium Of Cities Review Longmont City Council Review Boulder City Council Review Lafayette City Council Review HSCC Review

Future Search a process to determine common ground

so that we might learn about the future We created a greater shared understanding of our past and present

Identified trends and forces having an impact on human services and caring, livable communities in Boulder County

Assessed stakeholder responses to those trends

Agreed on shared goals for human services

And made a commitment to develop strategies to implement those goals.

Building Caring and Livable Communities: The Boulder County Human Services Strategic Plan

Each Plan includes: an overall plan definition topic areas a vision for each topic area, a consolidated list of evidence of need (identified through the 5 Year Retrospective Needs Report) broad goals strategies suggested community action steps a consolidated list of what might change if we reached our goals

THE SYSTEMS PLAN Creating a comprehensive, coordinated human service system in Boulder County that utilizes an integrated and coordinated funding and delivery model based on evidence-based service and funding strategies to ensure maximum public benefit.

I. COORDINATED FUNDING SYSTEM FOR HUMAN SERVICES Vision: To create a coordinated, simplified method for grant applications, reporting, and accountability that frees up more resources for direct service provision. Evidence of Need: Boulder County funders (county and city governments and private entities) invest over $26 million in human services annually that are not formally coordinated or leveraged Funding policies and procedures are unique to each funding agency No standard measures exist to collectively measure the impact of these investments Funding entities are not able to collaboratively identify needs and strategically coordinate their funding

Goal: Ensure predictable and sustainable funding for human services Strategies: Create ongoing mechanism to capture all levels of funding and support for human services in Boulder County Create a coordinated strategy to anticipate future needs, maintain existing funding sources and develop new funding sources Goal: Provide maximum accessibility and accountability related to funding Strategies: Create a common application process Establish countywide accountability criteria Demonstrate the impact of human services funding

II. INTEGRATED AND COORDINATED DELIVERY OF HUMAN SERVICES Vision: Human Services in Boulder County are delivered via a system that ensures effective and equitable access to services, efficient use of resources, and effective communication between clients, organizations, and the community at large. Services are prioritized through a unified strategic plan that emphasizes best practices. Evidence of Need: More than 100 human services agencies operate in Boulder County Awareness of available services and resources is not always thorough nor accurate Not all eligible individuals are enrolled or participating in programs, particularly those in special-needs group Consumers are required to complete different, and sometimes duplicative, applications at each agency they contact No formal referral system among agencies exits

Goal: Create a coordinated continuum of care for human services Strategies: Create a comprehensive referral system among providers Create mechanisms to gather data on consumer needs, service utilization, and outcomes Create mechanisms that identify and respond to ongoing and emerging human services needs in Boulder County Goal: Increase the effectiveness and sustainability of human services agencies through collaborative support Strategies: Explore a mechanism for technical assistance that provides affordable capacity building services to local agencies Promote cross-agency collaboration to improve service delivery and sustainability

III. INCLUSIVENESS IN SERVICE DELIVERY AND DECISION MAKING Vision: All members of the community, especially clients and consumers, are represented and engaged in policy and decision-making, developing resources, and delivering services. People involved in human services are aware of, and willing to confront, issues of racism, sexism, classism, ableism, ageism, homophobia and all forms of oppression Evidence of Need: Boulder County s population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse Boulder County s senior population is growing Boulder County communities value diversity, inclusivity and social equity as evidenced by inclusivity task forces and proclamations and are increasingly concerned about ensuring inclusion and access Diversity and inclusiveness contribute to the vibrancy and economic development of a community

Goal: Increase inclusive representation on local boards and decisionmaking bodies to better represent and serve the community Strategies: Assess representation and gaps on boards and decision-making bodies Identify and address barriers to participation Support individuals in underrepresented groups who want to become involved Increase recruitment of and participation by, a more diverse applicant pool Goal: Improve inclusivity within the human service delivery system Strategies: Coordinate or leverage existing services and programs to educate and build awareness within the community on the value of inclusiveness Provide technical assistance to non-profit agencies and businesses to implement best practices in service delivery to diverse populations

IV. INCREASED ADVOCACY FOR HUMAN SERVICES Vision: Human services rank among the top priorities at all levels within Boulder County Evidence of Need: Human services receives over 17 million in tax dollar support, much of which must be reallocated on an annual basis by county and city officials An increase in legislation and policies that restrict the delivery of human services leave too many Boulder County residents without services The number of residents living below poverty levels is increasing Support from other levels of government (state and federal) is not keeping pace with the increase in demand for services at the local level

Goal: Build public support to ensure human services is a top priority for policy makers and the general public. Strategies: Make it easier for community members and consumers to engage in advocacy efforts for human services related issues Educate the public and policy makers on the need for, and social and economic impact of, human services in Boulder County Goal: Advocate for policies and legislation at all levels that ensures equitable access to human services for all Boulder County residents Strategies: Begin by advocating for improved health and mental health care access for all people in Boulder County with an emphasis on wellness and overall health Advocate for policy and legislation changes that allow human services agencies to serve anyone in need regardless of their immigration status

V. COORDINATING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Vision: Human services are integrated with education to align opportunities that support, encourage, and empower continuous learning throughout everyone s life. Evidence of Need: Opportunities for academic and life skill development for postsecondary and beyond Need for accessible, culturally competent service providers Lack of adult education opportunities that support self-sufficiency Need for a safe and structured array of activities for youth Need to connect students, families, and community members to educational system

Goal: Ensure all children in Boulder County (0-5) are provided education, early intervention, and/or developmentally appropriate services to maximize health and readiness to learn Strategies: Implement Early Childhood Education Council of Boulder County Strategic Plan Goals, including: Ready Children: the child arrives ready for school healthy, welladjusted and exposed to the fundamentals of learning Ready Family: The family is empowered to nurture, grow and advocate for their children, as their child s first and best teacher Goal: All children in Boulder County have sufficient support to succeed in school Strategies: Provide youth with the support they need to be successful in school Ensure youth successfully navigate key transitions between grades and levels Ensure students leave school ready to succeed as positive, productive and engaged citizens in the 21st century

Based on current needs in our communities as defined by the Five Year Retrospective Needs Report (data from existing needs assessments, surveys, and quantitative data on prevalence and trends generated by state and local agencies). THE SERVICES PLAN

I. MEETING BASIC NEEDS OF FOOD AND SHELTER Vision: Any Boulder County resident needing food and shelter will know where to find assistance, be able to request it, and will have these basic needs met. Evidence of Need: The number of families who are not economically self-sufficient is increasing There has been a significant increase in the percentage of households with children and elderly that are receiving food assistance Over 40% of families eligible for food stamps do not receive them Demand for affordable, quality rental housing exceeds the supply Waiting lists exist for affordable housing that is accessible, transitional, or with supportive services for populations with special needs

Goal: Provide Boulder County s most vulnerable residents with access to adequate and nutritious food Strategies: Reduce food insecurity for individuals and the agencies that serve them Improve general knowledge of nutritional food options Goal: Provide Boulder County s most vulnerable residents with the support and resources necessary to live in safe, wellmaintained, affordable housing Strategies: Provide emergency and transitional housing for individuals who are homeless Increase access to affordable home ownership opportunities for low-income households Offer services and resources that help people retain housing

Goal: Support Boulder County s most vulnerable residents efforts to enter and maintain a continuum of self-sufficiency and stability Strategies: Provide a safety net of integrated services needed by the most vulnerable individuals Provide a continuum of options for transportation access

II. IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE Vision: Boulder County s most vulnerable residents will have access to health care with an emphasis on wellness and overall health. Evidence of Need: The number of families who are not self-sufficient is increasing while health care costs also are increasing Need for increased access to subspecialty care The County s population is aging The need for multi-lingual, culturally competent services outpaces the providers ability to offer it The number of personal caregivers is increasing significantly, creating a new category of need for support and resources

Goal: Increase the ability of Boulder County s most vulnerable residents to access affordable health, dental health, and mental health services Strategies: Increase the availability of low-cost or sliding-scale medical care aligned with people s ability to pay Support access to medical care, including dental, and mental health services, for those least able to afford it Goal: Improve healthy behaviors and reduce health risks among Boulder County s most vulnerable residents Strategies: Embed wellness care, physical activity, nutrition, and positive life choices in all health care activities and strategies Provide convenient locations for families to obtain information about children s health Provide services to build resiliency and reduce risk for youth in Boulder County

III. PROMOTING ECONOMIC WELL-BEING & SELF-SUFFICIENCY Vision: Boulder County s most vulnerable residents have adequate financial resources, employment, and assets to support their growth along the continuum toward selfsufficiency and economic stability. Evidence of Need: The number of county residents living in poverty is increasing The number of homeless families is increasing Foreclosure rates within the county continue to increase There are waiting lists for affordable homeownership opportunities Affordable home ownership programs are not realistic for low and moderate income populations There has been an increase in the percentage of two parent households with both parents working

Goal: Provide Boulder County s most vulnerable residents with the support and resources necessary to obtain, maintain, and advance in employment Strategies: Provide wrap-around services to help people obtain and retain employment Support those who are ready to advance within the workforce Goal: Provide tools and mechanisms that empower low-income individuals to save and build assets that support their economic stability Strategies: Provide programs that encourage savings and the development of longer-term assets Reduce the percentage of income (at or below 30%) that is devoted to housing within low-income households

IV. COMMUNITY SAFETY Vision: Human Services support safe and stable communities in partnership with the criminal justice system. Human Services Evidence of Need: Reports of crime targeting seniors, especially financial exploitation, are higher than expected The number of youth responding on the YRBS that they feel unsafe at school has increased Report evidence of link between domestic and substance abuse Report evidence of link between child abuse/neglect and factors of domestic abuse and substance abuse

Goal: Cooperatively address human service issues related to residents safety in their communities Strategies: Create collaborations among the criminal justice system, emergency service providers and human service providers Support alternative dispute resolution efforts that offer education, prevention and intervention Strategies (cont.): Develop outreach, education, prevention, and intervention programs to encourage home safety Reduce the number of youth affected by, or involved in, criminal activities

Plan Implementation: Additional work is essential Redraft and fine tune the goals Prioritize strategies and action steps Define outcomes that are realistically achievable Choose indicators that can be used as benchmarks and measurements Begin to integrate the plan with County services

Through 15 public meetings, we heard common feedback: concern that its implementation will require moving funds from direct service provision capacity building, technical assistance, shared training is needed concern that funders will no longer fund general operating support goals aren t prioritized, actions aren t measurable hopes that the plan will support consolidation and an integrated service model that will decrease duplication, and competition for resources coordination means easier and improved access for clients differences in opinion about how inclusion goal should be applied tracking countywide indicators and outcomes will help us tell the impact of human services to taxpayers and donors reduce the administrative burden of nonprofits applying and reporting to local funders

Next Steps: Presentations to Consortium of Cities, Longmont, Boulder, and Lafayette City Councils Presentation to Human Services Coordinating Council Presentations to Foothills United Way Board, Community Foundation Board Convene small cluster groups to continue to work on implementation Support existing projects that came out of planning process (unified grant application and reporting forms; case management training; shared client database)

Thanks to: Boulder County Commissioners Boulder County Human Services Alliance Center for People with Disabilities Colorado Foundation for Families and Children City of Boulder City of Lafayette City of Longmont Community Foundation El Centro AMISTAD Foothills United Way Inn Between St. Vrain Community Council And to the hundreds of community members who participated in the Future Search, our Action Planning Groups, and provided input along the way!