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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 07091996 - C77 C.77 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on July 9. 1996 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Bishop, DeSaulnier, Torlakson, Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: Grand Jury Report 9609 IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that Grand Jury Report 9609, "Put the Community Back into The Community Services Department Programs" , is REFERRED to the County Administrator and Family and Human Services Committee. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: July 9, 1996 PHIL BATCHELOR, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator By ,Deputy cc: County Administrator Family and Human Services Committee Grand Jury Community Services A REPORT BY THE 1995-96 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY 1020 Ward Street Martinez, California 94553 (510)646-2345 Report No. 9609 PUT THE COMMUNITY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS r Approved by the Grand Jury: Date: ....... -- - . _ ___RAMM010WSEMENA -- - ti GRAND JURY FOREMAN Accepted for Filing: Date: JOIN-P^F. VAN DE POEL _ JDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT 6 . 77 SECTION 933 (C) OF THE CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE §933. Comments and Reports on Grand Jury Recommendations. (c) No later than 90 days after the grand jury submits a final report on the operations of any public agency subject to its reviewing authority, the governing.body of the public agency shall comment to the presiding judge of the superior court on the findings and recommendations pertaining to matters under the control of the governing body,and every elective county officer or agency head for which the grand jury has responsibility pursuant to Section 914.1 shall comment within 60 days to the presiding judge of the superior court, with an information copy sent to the board of supervisors, on the findings and recommendations pertaining to matters under the control of that county officer or agency head and any agency or agencies which that officer or agency head supervises or controls. In any city and county, the mayor shall also comment on the findings and recommendations. All such comments and reports shall forthwith be submitted to the presiding judge of the superior court who impaneled the grand jury. A copy of all responses to grand jury reports shall be placed on file with the clerk of the public agency and the office of the county clerk, or the mayor when applicable,and shall remain on file in those offices. One copy shall be placed on file with the applicable grand jury final report by, and in the control of the currently impaneled grand jury,where it shall be maintained for a minimum of five years. Leg.H. 1961 ch. 1284, 1963 ch.674, 1974 chs.393, 1396, 1977 chs. 107, 187, 1980 ch. 543, 1981 ch. 203, 1982 ch. 1408 §5, 1985 ch. 221 §1,effective July 12, 1985, 1987 ch. 690 §1, 1988 ch. 1297. Cross-References _ Admissible evidence. Penal Code§939.6. "Grand jury"defined. Penal Code§888. Grand jury report to be based only on own investigation. Penal Code§939.9. 6.77 PUT THE COMMUNITY BACK INTO THE CON AUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS BACKGROUND Since 1989, the Community Services Department of Contra Costa County has systematically assumed control of three(3)Head Start programs previously operated by community based non- profit organizations. Since that time, administration of the federally funded Head Start program in Contra Costa County has been placed at risk. The federal government continues to closely monitor and is demanding the County reform the program administration. FINDINGS 1. The Community Services Department has grown from 30-plus employees and a budget of $4.5 million in 1989 to a department of over 400 employees and a current annual budget of$14.2 million. 2. The Federal Head Start program contracts in Contra Costa County total $6.5 million. 3. Two (2) major Head Start programs have been removed from control of the Community Based Non-Profit organizations and one(1) Community Based Non-Profit organization voluntarily removed itself from providing Head Start services. If 4. Administrative overhead of the Community Services Department operated Head Start programs is considerably higher than Community Based Non-Profit organizations administrative overhead, based on salaries and benefits. 5. Community Based Non-Profit organizations did not receive appropriate guidance from the management of the Community Services Department to remain in compliance with the regulations of the Head Start program. 6. Technical assistance from the Community Services Department for writing grant applications was not provided to the Community Based Non-Profit organizations. Some federal grant applications were then denied,resulting in a loss in excess of$400,000 of revenue to the Contra Costa County Head Start programs. 7. Technical support from the Community Services Department was not provided to Community Based Non-Profit organizations causing them to be out of compliance when federal Head Start programs were reviewed by auditors in May of 1995. 8. Because of a lack of a functional organizational chart,Community Based Non-Profit organizations are unable to identify which department employee will provide assistance. 9. Community Services Department managers were.instructed by department administration 1 not to provide assistance to the Community Based Non-Profit organizations. 10. Contracts from Community Services Department were not received by the Community Based Non-Profit organizations for-timely review and approval by the Local Parents' Council prior to established deadlines. 11. In the May, 1995 federal Head Start audit, Community Services Department operated Head Start programs had the same noncompliance issues as the programs run by the Community Based Non-Profit organizations. 12. In February 1996, Federal Head Start auditors returned to find 13 major managerial issues still unresolved by the administration of the Community Services Department. Major non- compliance issues cited in the May 1995 federal Head Start audit were not resolved in the prescribed twelve month period. Federal auditors placed the continued Contra Costa County program control in jeopardy. 13. The Community Services Department made arbitrary demands of Cominunity Based Non- Profit organizations. Demands were made orally without written follow-up. Demands changed without notice. 14. Other County departments, e.g,, Health Services and Social Services, maintain cooperative contractual relationships with these Community Based Non-Profit organizations. 15. Since late 1994, the County Administrator's Office has provided additional management support to the Community Services Department with insufficient results. 16. Federal Head Start programs conducted by the Community Based Non-Profit organizations have demonstrated sensitivity to needs of the community. CONCLUSIONS The 1995-1996 Grand Jury concludes that: 1. the Community Services Department has demonstrated the inability to adequately manage the Head Start Program. 2. Contra Costa County control of the Head Start Program remains in jeopardy, in spite of the oversight of the Community Services Department by the County Administrator's Office. 3. Community Services Department management created barriers to success for the Community Based Non-Profit organizations. 2 C,17 4. the higher overhead costs of County operated Head Start Programs result in fewer dollars committed to the children and families of the program. 5. children and families of the Head Start Program are better served by the Community Based Non-Profit organization operated programs. RECOMMENDATIONS The 1995-1996 Grand Jury recommends that: 1. the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors return control of the Head Start Programs to the community level. 2. the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors develop standardized criteria for selecting Head Start Program contractors from among Community Based Non-Profit organizations. 3. the management of the Community Services Department be reorganized to be a pro-active support system for Community Based Non-Profit organizations. To be accomplished by: a. following a formal organizational chart, and structuring lines of communication between Community Services Department staff and Community Based Non-Profit organizations. b. providing technical support for the Community Based Non-Profit organizations in the areas of: (1) writing grant applications (2) Federal Head Start Program compliance issues (3) accounting and fiscal management (4) contracting (5) communication with parent participants (6) staff development and training 3