DHS/WFC Achieve the Wildly Important!

The Mesa County Department of Human Services and Workforce Center are proud to announce they have achieved their wildly important goal for 2015-2016.

On Friday July 15, 2015, the organization officially announced and celebrated their success.

One of 40 scoreboards around DHS/WFC

During the Spring of 2015 each of the 5 divisions choose one overall goal to be achieved by  June 30, 2016. 

That goal was to reduce the proportion of complex cases in Child Welfare, Adult Services and TANF from 14.3% to 10.2% by June 30, 2016. 

The Agency achieved that 10.2% and bettered it by reducing complex cases to 7.9%.

To achieve this goal each division, team and unit created goals, lead measures, made weekly commitments and were accountable to their own goals to help reduce the overall Agency goal.

A total of 40 teams contributed to the 6.4% reduction of complex cases being handled within the Agency. That translates into people figures as the following:

153    Children who had been in foster care in excess of 425 days are now in permanent placement!

501     People gained employment!

102     Most vulnerable and at-risk adults were helped to reach a higher quality of life!

          

“This is an extraordinary achievement and I am extremely proud of our staff, said Tracey Garchar, Executive Director of the Department of Human Services & Workforce Center. These folks have taken this challenge to heart and put their best work effort forward to achieve our goal.”

The Agency adopted the Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX) by Franklin Covey late in 2014 and plans to continue the use of the tool for the remainder of 2016-17- and beyond.

The new 2016-17 goal is to further reduce complex cases to below t

Staff listen to the success stories during Friday's announcement

he current 7.9%.

Garchar further explains the 4DX tool “as shooting for the moon. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy shook-up NASA with the announcement “land a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth before this decade is out.” From that moment NASA had a goal to get to the moon and back by December 31, 1969. Everyone from the engineers to the night janitor knew the goal and made the connection of how their job contributed to achieving that goal.  
Since using that model and the 4DX system we see and foster the same connection within our staff. Whether the staff member is directly helping clients or assisting behind the scenes they have a connection to the overall goal of the entire agency. 

For more on The Four Disciplines of Execution 

Mandatory Reporting 101-

As of July 1^st o f this year, reporting adults with development disabilities who are being abused will be mandated by Colorado State Law. Senate Bill 15-109 was passed last year and is being implemented statewide. Coloradans will need to know who is a mandatory reporter and how to report suspected abuse. Mesa County Department of Human Services Adult Protection Department is offering this training on mandatory reporting of abuse, neglect and exploitation on developmentally disabled adults.  The training will answer questions about the new law and provide information on the following:

·         What is mandatory reporting?

·         Who is required to report?

·         What situations must be reported and to whom?

·         How to make a report to Adult Protection Services (APS) and Law Enforcement?

This training will be provided at no cost to organizations such as- Medical personnel, long term care facility personnel, mental health professionals, social workers, law enforcement personnel, court appointed guardians and conservators, fire protection personnel, pharmacists, dentists, bank personnel, home health providers and affiliated parties, emergency medical service providers, physical therapists, clergy and chiropractors...the list goes on……

PLEASE CONTACT ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO SCHEDULE TRAINING. CALL 248-2888, OPTION 2 AND REQUEST TO SPEAK WITH KIRSTEN BARNARD TO SCHEDULE.

Mesa County Department of Human Services Announces New Child Welfare Division Director

Mesa County Department of Human Services (MCDHS) proudly announces Kari Daggett,

MSW as the new head of the Mesa County Department of Human Services-Child Welfare Division.  The selection was made after an intensive national search and selection process.

“Kari brings 17  years of expertise and experience as a case manager, supervisor, and most recently Child Welfare Division Manager,” says Tracey Garchar, Executive Director of the Department of Human Services. “Kari brings excellent leadership and vision to our Child Welfare Division and a deep sense of commitment to the children and families in Mesa County.  She has served our community in many different capacities and leadership levels, and has great perspective and experience.”

In her new leadership position Daggett will be responsible for leading 80+ child welfare professionals. She will be tasked with maintaining and further growing community partnerships, setting the vision and strategies for keeping children safe in Mesa County.  She will continue to strengthen efforts to work with kin and extended family as safe alternatives to foster care placements, whenever appropriate.

“My vision for Child Welfare is to continue to support and lead our cohesive and high performing team of trusted professionals, who value collaboration with our families and community partners to ensure children are safe and achieve timely permanency, “comments Daggett. Understanding the numerous facets of child welfare and its decision making processes is difficult, and at times confusing and frustrating. I plan to work with our community partners and leaders to forge a stronger and deeper level of understanding and commitment to addressing the issues that lead to abuse and neglect. Our Division and Department goal is to become not only a reactive system, but a proactive system that protects our most precious resource our children.”

Daggett has been with MCDHS since July 1999 she has progressively earned increased leadership roles with the Department of Human Services. She values community partnerships having served on the Court Best Practice Team for the 21^st Judicial District.  In 2009, she received the “Excellence in Practice” award from the Colorado State Department of Human Services. Daggett earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Western State College and her Masters of Social Work Degree from Colorado State University.  

Mesa County Workforce Center Changing Flow of Service

 The Mesa County Workforce Center is changing the flow of services for job seekers starting. Today July 5th, in an effort to provide better service to our job seekers.

The new flow will have customers directed to the Resource Room, where Workforce Center staff will be available to assist them right away and give them information on how to get registered in our system and immediately start their job searching.   The new process will also allow for follow up appointments with the Employment Services team to focus on job retention.

 “In the past we offered 3 separate workshops that people could sign up for- Job Search, Resume and Interview. To help streamline and reduce the number of revisits we have converted the 3 classes into one comprehensive, 2 hour workshop that covers all of these topics at once making it much more convenient for people, while still getting them the information they need.  We have always done a good job with providing our customers with job leads.  This new system allows us to still do that, but also provides a much higher level service when it comes to job retention.” states Curtis Englehart, Workforce Center Manager. This new workflow system is all about providing better service to our clients.

Veterans will still have priority of service, which means if they wish to meet with an Employment Specialist without going through the steps staff will put them in the queue and they will be seen as a walk-in.

“We know that many job seekers are coming into the Workforce Center with limited time and the need to maximize their time spent was of the utmost importance to us. This system should reduce wait times and get the client to the best services as quickly as possible with the shortest wait time.” Commented Hollie VanRoosedaal, Hilltop Supervisor of the Career Development Program (WIOA) & Employment First.

Human Services Sends Welfare Fraud Cases to DA for Prosecution

The Mesa County Department of Human Services (MCDHS) Fraud and Recovery Unit recently sent 2 cases of suspected fraud  to the Mesa County District Attorney’s office, the combination totaling over $57,000.00.  The suspected fraud occurred from November 14, 2012 to January 31, 2016. Welfare Fraud investigators uncovered enough evidence to allege the following:

Food Assistance: $31,861.00

Medicaid: $ 19,244.70

LEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program):  $955.90

Investigation Costs: $ 3,787.28

Additionally, this case had several other assistance programs that were the victim of fraud and are associated with the investigation:

1.        School Lunch fraud. The USDA Food and Nutrition Services/ National School Lunch Program is the victim on that portion with a total of $1412.50

The total recovery for the combination of the investigations is $57,170.60 (all victims)

Intentionally defrauding public assistance programs consists of falsely reporting information on an application including household composition, household resources or household income. Punishment includes: repayment of benefits issued and may result in a 1-year to lifetime ban from receiving public assistance benefits and/or criminal prosecution.

“Our Fraud and Recovery team takes investigating false information on public assistance applications very seriously.”  said Tracey Garchar, Executive Director for the Mesa County Department of Human Services. “Ensuring benefits go to families who are truly eligible and in need is our utmost priority” added Garchar.

If you or someone you know suspects welfare fraud, please call the Mesa County Department of Human

Services Welfare Fraud Hotline at (970) 256-2421.

Community Leaders to Proclaim June 2016 as National Adult Protection Awareness Month

Mesa County Department of Human Services (MCDHS) receives an average of over 70 new adult protection referrals each month.  Victims of adult abuse or neglect are at-risk adults age 18 or over who are unable to protect themselves due to age or disability.  These individuals are sometimes not aware of the resources in our community and often have no one else to protect them.

 Approximately 46% of the victims are over 70 years old and are physically impaired or have some form of dementia.  The younger at-risk adult victims are persons with physical or mental disabilities.  Abuse, exploitation and neglect are caused by a member of the victim’s own family in a large percentage of cases. These residents are often vulnerable to assault, burglary, fraud and other crimes because they cannot provide for their own care and protection.

A schedule of recognition proclamations & events for June is as follows:

• City of Grand Junction -, June 15th at 7pm, Grand Junction City Hall
• Mesa County Public Meeting June 20^th at 9am, Old Courthouse 3^rd floor Chambers
• City of Fruita –June 21st, 7pm, Fruita City Hall
• Annual Adult Protection Awareness Luncheon-Thursday June 16, DHS Room 1060 1:30-3:00pm

The Mesa County Department of Human Services is committed to advocating for people’s rights.  Senior citizens and persons with disabilities are vital members of our families, our society, and our community.  Historically, 1 in 5 cases of adult abuse are actually reported.  Adult abuse encompasses many different types of harms and can occur in community, home or institutional settings. It is hoped that Mandatory Reporting will increase the number of referrals and provide greater safety for the older adults in our community.

For more information on suspected adult abuse and neglect please visit www.humanservices.mesacounty.us or call the Adult Protection Hotline at 248-2888, option 2.  Callers can remain anonymous if they so chose.

Register NOW for the Annual Senior Law Day