Department of Human Services
Department of Human Services
We assist low-income individuals and families by offering income support; help getting jobs, food, housing, and health insurance; and ensuring children’s safety.
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Residents and families that thrive
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Clean, safe and livable communities
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A diverse, equitable and inclusive city
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Excellent city services
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A city and region prepared for the future
Strategic Plan Highlights
Help Residents Reach Economic Stability
Help Residents Reach Economic Stability
- Support residents to access and maintain cash assistance, health insurance, food and nutrition support, subsidized child care, and job training and placement.
- Break the cycle of poverty for vulnerable families by integrating resources, wrap-around services, and intensive case management.
Help Residents Access Employment
Help Residents Access Employment
- Expand supportive job training and job placement programs and better align the City’s workforce development system.
Protect Children from Abuse & Neglect
Protect Children from Abuse & Neglect
- Coordinate systems that protect children and ensure their safety, including the Department of Public Health, Department of Juvenile Probation, and the Our Children, Our Families Council.
- Monitor and evaluate programs to ensure children are safe from neglect and abuse.
Improve Outcomes for Children in Child Welfare System
Improve Outcomes for Children in Child Welfare System
- Decrease the amount of time children spend in foster care homes by supporting families’ reunification efforts and shortening the time to adoption.
- Increase the number of foster care parents and ensure we adequately support them.
- Address mental health needs of children who are victims of abuse and/or neglect.
Improve Service Delivery, Operations & Client Experience
Improve Service Delivery, Operations & Client Experience
- Use technology and data to expand access to services, strengthen the customer experience, and make internal programs run more smoothly. Some examples include: applying for public benefits and scheduling appointments on-line, texting reminders to clients for appointments, streamlining the foster care recruitment process, eliminating the use of paper files, and developing feedback loops to monitor and improve services.