07-28-1986 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Working with human service• providers located in the Westonka area, staff has established the Westonka Coordina- tion Committee. The purpose is to promote a greater level of coordination among service providers in the western suburbs and to incrcaG� accessibility of the area's population to Hennepin County human services through the de- centralization of these services. Several community wide meetings were held from which a working committee evolved. This committee has under- taken an inventory of available ser- vices and identified gaps and accessi- bility issues. Efforts will now be targeted at addressing these issue.:,. WHHS plays an active role in providing a fo—im and networking group for the Wes nnepin Youth Service providers. In Lion to coordination, WHHS has reci ted speakers from the Humphrey Institute's Center for the Study of Youth Policy, The Juvenile Code Ro- vision Task Force and Hennepin County's new in -home i,�7ily services management. staff. �.r nrr• It wl.0 n I W I.1 1_ emol yment hug O 1'he Unemployment Committee has con- tinued to be pleased with the success of "Basic Tools: Survival Skills for ,he Unemployed and Underemployed". Distribution cunt-nues with many of the requests coming from outside of the west Hennepin service area. Fol- lowing up on the wi6e appeal this pub- lication has generated, staff is cur- rentiy working with an executive from :'illsbury to identify and solicit publishers who wot-ld be interested in publishing and marketing it. Other ;projects hive included Board and staff par, cpation on the Employment Action Center's Advisory Council, leadership in JoUs Now and very active support of State Legislation to con- tinue the MEED State Jobs Program. In addition, the Chairperson of this committee participates on the Hennepin County Private industry Council, the group responsible for reviewing pro- jects funded 1_, the Jobs and Training Partner Act. Staff has also worked with Dowsat, a local cable TV station, and community organizations producing video programs addressing issues of emergency assistance and unemployment. "�nl_al Health continues to be an area of primary focus of WHHS. We l..rovided staff assistance to the Wert Hennepin Mental Health Aftercare Providers. During the past year this group has expanded to include from "•'' y1„ en l `l * providers ,vice the Northwest and South Hennepin areas. The Aftercare Providers have monitored County mental health decisions, State legislation and reports from the WIUIS continues its commitment to health Governor's Mental Health Commission. issues. In September, the committee They developed a resource directory prepared and presented testimony at of their members and are currently the Hennepin County Community Health organizing a mental health resource Department's public hearing. The tes- fair. WHHS also has a Mental Ilellth '-imony reiterated our concerns re- Crisis Intervention Cc.rn:nittee which garding health needs, access to ser- is l-oking at potential models and vices and the Community Health Depart - advocating for mental health crisis rile nts planning process. Publicity services. WHHS met regularly with about the hearing and a pre -meeting mental health advocates to work on to explain the hearinq for the general obtaining accurate mental health needs pal-lic were also organized by WHHS. information and analysis of funding. We followed up on the testimony with In addition we have advocated f.)r meetings with representatives from county mental health recreation fun funds. both the Community Health Department A video taps of a presentation on and Metropolitan Visiting Nu.se Asso- mental heal•,h res,dental programs elation regardintt recommended changes. was produced with Northwest Human, rr, add iI ion, committee members serve Services Council and the Mental Hca] t h on the Hrnnep r n Corn t y Community Health Association in Hennepin County. WHHS and Aria• i:;ory Cr min, t tr 1" ie 14HHS staff participated in rht? Ilrnnc:l„r, ll,.,iI , C(Immi+t"C' al�� tivc.ly sup- County Task Force on Consent rat ,-�n urtck, Il()mt, H(,a1th Cate l,censure leg - of Croup Homes and on the: count y �r.,� lr s l a' I. *I. in February, we planner! Force on Homeless Mentally Ill. ,rriCl,: r,_ ; ,,;t.,,..,,,rhd a second conference t