DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-Wide
SUBJECT:
Interlocal Agreement with the University of Texas San Antonio, Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research
SUMMARY:
This Ordinance authorizes the execution of an Interlocal Agreement with the University of Texas San Antonio Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research to conduct a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment as required by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families Office of Head Start. The contract will commence April, 1 2015 and extend through January 31, 2016, for a total possible value not to exceed $27,067.00.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of San Antonio Department of Human Services (DHS) is the designated Community Action Agency (CAA) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) eligible entity for San Antonio and Bexar County. As part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services federal grant requirements, CSBG eligible entities must complete a Community Needs Assessment and submit to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) on June 30, 2015. The assessment will be utilized to develop the Community Action Plan (annual plan) which includes strategies for measuring program results specific to CSBG programming, and will be updated every five years thereafter.
As part of federal regulations, Head Start programs are required to conduct a full community assessment once every three years, with a smaller update for each of the two years in between. The City of San Antonio Head Start program will also complete a full Community Needs Assessment for program year 2015 - 2016, to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start. The program uses the assessment information for program planning and implementation of initiatives to connect children and families to needed services.
The University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research (IDSER), provides multidisciplinary research services that focus on social and economic characteristics of a population. Over the last five years, DHS has successfully collaborated with IDSER to complete Community Needs Assessment Reports and updates specific to the Head Start Program.
ISSUE:
DHS seeks to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with UTSA to conduct a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment to meet the criteria for both CSBG and Head Start program requirements. The technical resources and professional expertise of IDSER will provide DHS with access to current and accurate community demographic data, as required by HHS and TDHCA. Furthermore, collaboration with IDSER will allow for the development of more effective and efficient tools and programs to meet the community's needs.
The Community Needs Assessment project provides a detailed analysis of demographic, economic, and social characteristics. Information is collected from multiple sources such as the Census Bureau, and is tabulated and mapped to produce a comprehensive report that will allow each program to assess the needs of the community relative to services being provided.
The full Community Needs Assessment will include: 1) Development of Community Needs Assessment Surveys to be administered to target groups, 2) Development of a Client Satisfaction Survey in both English and Spanish, and 3) Collection and Analysis of Data gathered. Additionally, IDSER will be present at any public meetings identified and arranged by DHS to encourage the public's participation in the assessment project. This will include a discussion on the community's strengths and weaknesses; obstacles blocking the achievement of self-sufficiency; securing and retaining employment and education, housing, health care, emergency assistance and other opportunities to participate in community affairs. IDSER will collect all data and issue a final report to DHS for use for program planning and goal setting.
ALTERNATIVES:
If this ordinance is not approved, DHS will continue to utilize outdated assessment information for program planning and goal setting. However, use of outdated community information for planning program operations will cause CSBG and Head Start programs to be out of compliance with HHS and TDHCA regulations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Ordinance authorizes the execution of an Interlocal Agreement with the University of Texas San Antonio Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research to conduct a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment as required by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and HHS, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start. The contract will commence April, 1 2015 and extend through January 31, 2016, for a total possible value not to exceed $27,067.00.
Funding for this service is available through the Community Services Block Grant and the Head Start Grant. There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends authorization of an Interlocal Agreement with UTSA to conduct a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment as required by HHS and TDHCA. Staff also recommends authorization of a total contract value not to exceed $27,067.00.