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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09101996 - D6 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Y F. Contra FROM: Costa FAMILY & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE of s x�.; .:.,,: _ � -- •4a County DATE: September 10, 1996 F v Y Osr'i COUN� C. SUBJECT: PROPOSED RESPONSE TO THE REPORT NO. 9609 OF THE 1995-1996 GRAND JURY SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1 . Adopt this report of our Committee as the Board of Supervisors ' response to 1995-1996 Grand Jury Report No. 9609 : "Put the Community Back Into the Community Services Department Programs . " 2 . Remove this item as a referral to our Committee. BACKGROUND: The 1995-1996 Grand Jury filed the above report, which was reviewed by the Board of Supervisors and subsequently referred to the Family & Human Services Committee. On September 9, 1996 our Committee met to discuss the recommendations and review proposed responses . At the conclusion of those discussions, we prepared this report utilizing a format suggested by a former Grand Jury, which clearly specifies : A. Whether the recommendation is accepted or adopted; B. If the recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date; C. A delineation of the constraints if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be implemented within the calendar year; and D. The reason for not adopting a recommendation. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTWFFSMITH APPROVE OTHER 1�1A�21L SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON September 10 . 1996 APPR ED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X Due,- to the fact that the background material was presented late , the Board voted unanimously to consider the above report . VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE --=-UNANIMOUS(ABSENT - ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: I IV V I I NOES: I I I AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: -- ABSTAIN:- OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: ATTESTED September 10 , 1996 Family & Human Services Committee PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF County Administrator SUPERVISORSAND OUNTYADMINISTRATOR Superior Court Presiding Judge Grand Jury Foreperson County Counsel By <- -,DEPUTY M382 (,oiatommunity Services Department "PUT THE COMMUNITY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS" REPORT NO. 9609 The 1995-1996 Grand Jury recommends that: RECOMMENDATION NO. 1 : The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors return control of the Head Start Programs to the community level . RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is accepted as modified. B. From our discussion with the Grand Jury, it is clear that the Grand Jury understands that the County cannot delegate its grantee responsibilities to a community-based organization and that this was not the intent of their recommendation. It is our understanding that the Grand Jury's intent was that staff first of all stabilize the administration of the Community Services Department, something we have been working hard to accomplish over the last several months . Following this, we understand that the Grand Jury was urging the County to involve the community more in the operation of the Head Start Program and in the policy-making decisions which are necessary as a part-of the administration of the Head Start Program. We agree with these objectives and fully intend to continue the involvement of the community in the Head Start Program. The specific issue of contracting portions of the grantee-operated Head Start Program back to community-based organization is one which is still on referral to the Board's Family and Human Services Committee and will be addressed in that Committee in the near future. Program deficiencies raised by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) during their May, 1995, and February, 1996 Head Start audits have been successfully addressed and resolved by team effort of the Board of Supervisors, the Policy Council, and Community Services staff. This was acknowledged by ACF at the conclusion of their May, 1996 Head Start audit and in a June 26, 1996 letter to the County. Major changes in the management structure of the Community Services Department and. its Head Start Division have been implemented since the Grand Jury review of the Head Start Program. As a result, many of the findings and conclusions noted in the Grand Jury report have been corrected and/or resolved. RECOMMENDATION NO. 2 : The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors develop standardized criteria for selecting Head Start Program contractors from among community based non-profit organizations . RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is accepted as modified. B. Standardized criteria for the selection of future Head Start contractors via an open competitive process is being developed by the Department. Federal regulations prohibit the structuring of a competitive process that prevents any organization from full and equal participation. The development of selection criteria that narrows the participant base to only community based non- profit organizations is not allowable. RECOMMENDATION NO. 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 RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is accepted as modified. B. The Department is developing a more effective and equitable support system for the community based non-profit organizations with which it currently has contracts . However, 1 the development of a new support system must be based on the premise that more efficient and. effective training and technical assistance by the County will result in actual and measurable improvement of the contractors ' program operations . Head Start regulations require that proposed Delegate Agency contractors must possess the skill and ability to successfully meet the terms and conditions of the proposed contract before they enter into any agreement. While Head Start grant funds can and will be used to provide technical support to experienced and capable contractors on ongoing program issues, Head Start funds cannot be used to train inexperienced contractors on how to administer and operate Head Start programs . The Department believes that all problems of training and technical assistance are being corrected, and that community based non-profit organizations under contract with the County to provide 'Head Start services will receive the help and support they need in order to perform their contract responsibilities .