City presents business plan to coordinate services for socially vulnerable residents

Mary, a senior staff member leading the human-services presentation, told the council the business plan is intended to align vision, mission, strategy and resources to improve outcomes for vulnerable residents. "When we're focusing on the socially vulnerable, we believe it's our charge as city government to align resources and build partnerships to improve the quality of life for our most vulnerable citizens," she said.

The plan identifies focal strategies including strengthening approaches to homelessness (emphasizing transition to permanency via employment and transportation), support for youth aging out of foster care, expanded early-education and literacy efforts (with a goal of grade-level reading by third grade), panhandling interventions that link people to services, and supports for returning military and their families. Mary and councilors agreed to develop ongoing reporting on ten indicators (unemployment, child abuse/neglect, foster care population, infant mortality, uninsured 65+, teen pregnancy, family poverty, homelessness counts, after-school care gaps and dropout/disappearing rates). Council members asked for historical data on child abuse and domestic violence and confirmation of staffing levels for Healthy Families; staff said they will supply the requested data and monthly reports where evaluative data exist.