AOT NEWSLETTER

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Objectives

1. Provide continuous flow of information to the Board of Supervisors, CalWORKs Workgroups, Social Services staff and all interested parties.

2. Review in a timely manner any emerging information and programs, work group recommendations and issues.

3. Provide effective delegation of projects, programs, issues and concerns to the appropriate workgroup(s).

4. Meet local, state, and national program objectives.

5. Provide integrated service without duplication.

Mission

To bring together public and private resources in a collaborative effort to eliminate employment barriers and to create jobs.

JANUARY 9, 2008 MEETING

Meeting was called to order at 8:35 am.

Present:    Barbara Boggio, LeRoy Anderson, Monte Murphy, Kathy Schmitz, Michaele Brown, Clara Osborne, Anne Ratay, Lisa Matheson, Sandy Foster, Chris Trowbridge, Susan Pitts, Harold Vietti and Dianne Ward.

SOCIAL SERVICES REPORT

Chris Applegate reported on the budget.  The state budget for Social Services funding for the past six years has been flat, despite budget increases for the other sectors of the state government. Because Social Services had held with no cost of doing business increase for six years, we are about 25 to 30 percent behind where we should be for mandated services.  The proposed cut of 10%, on top of that, would make Social Services about 40% behind where funding should be.  That is the argument Social Services will be trying to make to the legislature.  It is anticipated to be a very tight year in all departments. Locally we have been very conservative about the way we have spent our money and that puts us in good shape.   Even if we have to make cut backs in our CalWORKs program we will not be decimated or severely cut back.  The bad news is that the state budget is not in good shape, so if there is a 10% cut across the board for all departments we would all share in the pain of cutbacks. 

Barbara reported on the Work Participation Rate Update.  The requirements are for the counties to have 50% of all families participating and 90% of two parent families participating.  The goal for our county was to attain an All Family Work Participation Rate (WPR) of 27% by the end of December 2007.   By September 2007 we were at 19% WPR for All Family and 12% WPR for Two Parent Family.  This is typical of what other counties are experiencing.  Our WPR for Tehama County is increasing slightly and we are hoping it is because of the strategies put into place by the CalWORKs Employment Training Division.  At the CalWORKs Statewide Partnership Conference the state projected that the statewide rate for all families is going to be 21%.  We are not much lower than the state average.  Chris Trowbridge shared that there is a best practices website being put together where the state is compiling all of the best practices from counties and sharing the strategies that are working for the WPR to increase.  Barbara also shared the data on orientation attendance rates from June 2007 to December 2007.  The goal was to have a 44% show rate.  Tehama County has attained a 41% average over a 6 month period.  Strategies that have helped increase the show rate include reminder phone calls and the Jump Start program where an Employment Training Worker has a quick one-on-one with clients at the intake appointment. This allows clients to know what to expect when their case is granted and they get invited to orientation. 

Barbara reported on the percentage of sanctioned individuals in Welfare to Work.  Our goal was to reduce our sanction rate to 21%.  Over the last six months the sanction rate has been on a decline and that is due to some new strategies as well.  Employment Training Workers now go on home visits to encourage people to participate, but the letter stating that a home visit will be made seems to also get people to call and say that they will come in to talk about clearing their sanction.  A new strategy that Employment Services is going to try is an idea that Santa Cruz County has implemented called a Sanction Clinic.  Participants with a pending sanction would be invited in as a group to hear about the benefits of participating. The goal would be to get people to cure the sanction before it is implemented.  If they don’t show up and can’t be engaged, then the home visit letter will be mailed.  This would be a better use of staff time and be a positive strategy to decrease the sanction rate.  Barbara also shared the idea that if participants would fill out a questionnaire about the reasons why they couldn’t or wouldn’t participate we would be better able to work on the solutions to help them cure their sanctions.  George suggested that if they thought they were helping others by being honest with the reasons they might think about being more forthcoming with the information. 

Barbara reported the quarterly average of CalWORKs participants who are employed was currently 40.61%. 

CHILD CARE PLANNING COUNCIL

Barbara reported for Angie Lyon-Brown that April is the Month of the Young Child and they will be putting together some activities. The Children’s Faire is April 26, 2008.  In March the Council will hold the annual Provider Recognition night as a way of honoring the local child care providers in the community.  

LEGAL ADVOCACY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

                                                                                     No report.

OTHER REPORTS

                                                                                                    JOB TRAINING CENTER

Kathy Schmitz reported that Big 5 will be having a Hiring Event at the Job Training Center from 10:00 – 3:00 on Wednesday January 9, 2008 and Thursday January 10, 2008.  Everyone that comes in and completes an application will get an interview. 

                                                                                                 SHASTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Monte Murphy reported that the Spring Workplace Success Series started January 7, 2008.  These courses provide essential skills that will contribute to finding employment and enhancing job advancing skills in the retail or wholesale sector, technical and business services, office administration, insurance, health/medical field, marketing, education or whenever top-notch people are needed.  Each course is ½ unit, allowing the participant to acquire college credit while developing essential skills.  The courses are offered as credit/no-credit and upon successful completion of the identified Business (BUAD) courses, the individual will satisfy the requirement for a Shasta College Certificate of Completion.  Courses are offered weekly, in two-hour instructional blocks, allowing for greater flexibility to complete the Workplace Success Series and enhance long-term success in the workplace.  Courses this semester include Stress Management in the Workplace, Managing Organizational Change, Conflict Resolution, Attitude in the Workplace, Customer Service in the Workplace, Decision Making and Problem Solving, Team Building, Communicating with People, Time Management, Foundational Essentials:  Values and Ethics, and Computer Basics. 

                                                                                                  COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY

No report.

THE LEARNING CENTER

Harold Vietti reported that the Learning Center is getting ready to move to their new location at 715 Jackson Street in Red Bluff. They are expanding both online instruction and the ability of students to do work from home by providing them with laptop computers.

ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE

Clara Osborne reported that Alternatives to Violence is applying for funding from the McConnell Foundation to purchase computers and specific domestic violence software.

TLDC

No report.

TEHAMA COUNTY CHILDREN & FAMILIES COMMISSION

No report.

CCRE

 Susan Pitts reported – (NO REPORT DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES)

HEAD START

No report.

HEALTH SERVICES AGENCY

Michaele Brown reported that Drug and Alcohol and Tehama County Department of Social Services have been a part of the Northern Regional Partnership (Butte, Trinity, Lake and Tehama Counties) and they applied for and received a three year Federal Safe and Stable Families grant.  This grant will pay for one alcohol and drug counselor who will be housed at the Department of Social Services to provide drug and alcohol screenings, assessments and interventions to individuals who have had their children removed due to substance abuse or dependence. 

OTHER AGENCY REPORTS

No reports.

PUBLIC COMMENT

No comment.

Meeting adjourned at 10:05 am.

SUCCESS STORY

This story was submitted by a CalWORKs Employment Training Worker.

Roy is a 45 year old single dad who came into the CalWORKs program in August 2007.  He was out of prison after serving time for grand theft auto and commercial burglary.  He had been addicted to methamphetamine for 7 years and had been in a mutually abusive marriage.  His child had been removed because of the drugs and the incarceration.  His sister had custody of his child in Shasta County so he was in a reunification plan, as well as in Drug/Alcohol and Anger Management classes. 

When he came to Tehama County he had no driver’s license, no insurance, needed glasses, needed major dental work and shoulder surgery.  He was enrolled in Workforce Academy and attended regularly.  He has been clean since November 2006 and completed his Drug/Alcohol and Anger Management classes.  Despite his past, he had an excellent resume as he kept his past jobs for years.  He was working as a temporary employee through Express Personnel at Bell-Carter, but because of his motivation and hard work he was hired on as a permanent employee driving a forklift and also obtained a restricted driver’s license.  He completed his reunification plan with CPS and has his 11 year old daughter back with him.  He has a great attitude, has done everything he’s been asked to do in Welfare to Work and in CPS, and is engaged to be married in June.

CalWORKs Employment Services

New attended counts for February 2008