09-08-1986 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

journer shelters, and Jobs for Families. The program was funded by Hennepin County, Community Action for Suburban Hennepin, Federal Emergency Management Administration and Minneapolis Com- munity Action Agency. Demand for these services continues to be high, and economic constraints on people who are using the programs seem to be more difficult. West Hennepin Human Services provides coordination and technical assistance to the four _meroer;cy ser- vice programs in order to assist the program in being more effective. We continued to provide publicity for local commodities food distribution programs. As part of our efforts to meet emergency Beds we actively parti- cipated in a County task force on emer- gency needs. �a �N..a.. In cooperation with Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council and South Henne- pir Human Services Council, we spear- headed advocacy for a Community Action Agency for Suburban Hennepin County. Once Community Action for Suhi,•r,an Hennepin (CASH) was recognized, Hennepin Human Services organized efforts to select west Hennepin area representatives to the Board. .S^0 low income people voted from a slate of 20 candidates for their 3 represen- tatives. 3 private sector representa- tives were selected from a slate of 22 candidates by a committee of WHHS. Before selection of staff, WHHS sup- plied staff assistance to th,- .%SH Personnel Committee and helped to or- ganize initial Board meetings. CASH has provided financial assistance to WHHS for helping support our uecentral- ized energy assistance services and for our housing coordination project. WHHS has provided CASH with informa- tion on needs C low income people and senior citizens. Community Action of Suburban Hennepin has recently funded a joint project of the three suburban human services councils. The project, Housing Re- sources Coordination and d,.ocacy Pro- ject, is a 6 month ef` .t funded at $19,000. West Hennepir. staff under the supervision c` '.he three council directors will be responsible com- pleting the project. The project is to lay the ground work for a low income housinq coordination and advocacy system in suburban Hennepin County. Goals include developing recommend- ations to the C.A.S.H. regarding di- rection and role it should take, iden- tifying resources and services which suburban agencies may use, identify- ing and documenting housing needs, and establishing an on -going forum for addressing the low income housing problems in the suburban area. A Sub- urban Low Income Advisory Committee composed of 30+ individuals repre- senting the low income, housing advo- cacy groups, housing service providers, local housing and redevelopment author- ities, governmental units and local community groups has been formed to ass.st in this effort. In an effort to understnad broader human services needs, WHHS monitors State and Federal human services legi- lation. As part of this, the Board of Directors approved a legislative agenda which provided the bads for advocacy at the State level. This included support for maintaining levels of funding for economic assistance programs. WHHS staff has been involved in organizing a statewide conference in May on welfare reform to develop proposals for change. ,he West Hennepin Chemical Abuse Committee i:, a new committee Ahich conducted a survey of over 80 c., mical health professionals to identify current and gather ideas for better ways to prevent . -,emical abuse. In September 1985 the committee presented its findings and recommenda- tions for further study/action to the WHHS Board in a written report. In an attempt to pull together west suburban area resources t' committee recently sponsored a breal t meeting to discuss its work ..nd present the first annual "Pioneers in Preven- tion" awards to six west suburban people who have done outstanding work in chemical dependency/abuse prevention. Ingrid Choin Nemcek Lois Gunderson Bruce Larson Mary Ann McFarland Ann Rollins Marcy Shapiro Energy Assistance Staff: Bernice Eicher Esther Hull Kristine Roe Gail Sweet Linda Terrell