1991 Exemplary State & Local
Award Winners
Alzheimer's Day Care/Home Care Center, Deerfield Beach, Florida
Summary: Through the joint efforts of the City of Deerfield Beach, Florida
and Broward County and a Volunteer Task Force, the NE "Alzheimer's
Day Care/Home Care Center" was created in response to the needs of
an increasing population of cognitively-impaired persons and their caregivers.
Text: Caring for an Alzheimer patient is a stressful job which impacts on
the caregiver physically, socially, and psychologically. By providing Day
Care and specialized activities for the patient/clients, the Center improves
the quality of life for caregivers/clients who now have time to visit friends
and family, handle business, personal appointments, etc. Counseling, information
and referral, and crisis intervention are also available to caregivers.
The program provides 147 Alzheimer's victims yearly with 47,000 hours of
day care. As a result, 147 caregivers receive 47,000 hours of respite and
group or individual counseling which enhances their ability to cope with
the hopelessness of Alzheimer's Disease, thus preventing premature and costly
institutionalization of their loved ones. The City meets this critical need
in a cost effective manner at minimal cost to its taxpayers because staff
salaries are funded by the not-for- profit, NE Alzheimer's Day Care Center
and the State of Florida Alzheimer's Disease Initiative Funds. The cost
of the program is $482,494, with the City receiving $292,950 from the Florida
Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, $24,543 from Area Agency on Aging, $20,000
from staff and caregiver fundraising activities and $4,000 from the NE Focal
Point Thrift Shop. Since caregivers are not charged any fees for service
at the Center, they have time to prepare for the inevitable nursing home
stay which averages $30,000 yearly.
Contact: Sandra S. Crain Project Director,
City of Deerfield Beach, Department of Senior Services, 227 NW 2nd Street,
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, 305/480-4460
Brea Job Center for Day Workers, Brea, California Summary:
To provide an orderly, regulated, matching employment service between documented
and undocumented Latino day workers and employers, and to decrease community
conflict, the Brea City Council and City Manager established a job center,
the "Brea Job Center for Day Workers". It incorporates self- governance
and local community involvement.
Text: Anglo residents of Brea were frightened
by large numbers of Latino day workers congregating on local streets and
shopping areas. A task force found that most were undocumented immigrants
unfamiliar with urban life and community standards. The "Brea Job Center
for Day Workers" was created to match up employers and day workers.
Fifty-four percent of the approximately 145 workers who show up each day
find employment in gardening, masonry, truck-driving, construction, and
domestic work. The Job Center is not the employer, so it avoids the legal
obstacle of documentation--it is the employer's responsibility to screen
workers. In 1991, 13,000 jobs were filled, including 300 permanent placements.
The Job Center also provides skills training, social support services, and
community survival skills training. Multi-ethnic conflict between day workers
and Anglo residents has been minimized, and better understanding has been
promoted on both sides.
Contact: Frank Benest, City Manager City of Brea,
No. One Civic Center Circle, Brea, CA 92621, 714/990-7710
Business Development Reorganization Plan, Virginia Beach, Virginia Summary:
In June 1989, W. Andrew Burke assumed leadership and direction of the City
of Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development. In order to revitalize
the department, his priorities were to identify and involve allied organizations
in the Department's program, to evaluate and realign staff to achieve higher
productivity, and to create a strategic long-range plan to impact the residential
to business tax ratio.
Text: The Director's exhortations to staff were simple
and direct: Be energetic, be creative, be flexible. By August, 1989, the
Mayor's Committee on Strategic Planning for Economic Development had been
created. Over 100 Virginia Beach citizens and municipal staffers gathered
over the course of four months and were charged with creation of short-
and long-range visions for the City. By January of 1990, the following were
accomplished: Plans for a 425 planned office environment were finalized;
the Business Development group of the Department arranged final details
for the "Personnel Incentive Program for Relocating Employees"
and "How to Start Your Own Business" seminars were presented to
area entrepreneurs. The program resulted in: 24 new companies, 17 existing
company expansions, 1538 new jobs, 346 retained jobs, and $34 million in
new investment. In early 1991, the Virginia Beach Department of Economic
Development was recognized as one of the "Top Ten Economic Development
Organizations in the United States"; and was recognized as having closed
one of the "Top Ten Deals of 1990", the location of CIGNA's Direct
Marketing Division.
Contact: Virginia C. Venable, Administration & Planning
Manager, City of Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development, 780 Lynnhaven
Parkway, Suite 350, Virginia Beach, VA 23452, 804/430-4567
Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Program, State of Virginia Summary:
To maximize water quality protection of Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries,
and other state waters mandated by legislation in 1988, a citizens board
with state staff support was formed. The "Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance
Program" actively assists local governments with environmental issues.
Legislative requirements are met through training, technology, grants, and
consultation.
Text: In response to the drastic decline of the commercial,
recreational, and wildlife resources of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia's government
passed the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. In the Chesapeake Bay Local
Assistance Department (CBLAD) Technical and Financial Assistance Program,
the state helps local governments meet these state requirements to protect
environmentally sensitive lands by incorporating water quality protection
measures into zoning and subdivision ordinances. Technical Assistance includes
a state/local staff liaison network, local assistance manual, computer software,
training workshops, and an advisory review of project plans. Financial assistance
provides grants for projects, computers and equipment, and personnel. CBLAD
offers high-level technical expertise often out of reach of rural counties
and small cities. Public participation also enables residents to address
community goals and issues for the first time.
Contact: Donna E. Cesan, Chief
of Planning Assistance, Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Dept., 805 East Broad
Street, Suite 701, Richmond, VA 23219, 804/225-3440
Community Intensive Supervision Project (CISP), Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Summary: The "Community Intensive Supervision Project (CISP)"
was developed and is operated by the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny
County. The program provides a gamut of community-based treatment alternatives
for chronic juvenile offenders.
Text: The CISP program operates intensive
supervision programs for repeat offenders in neighborhoods in which the
youth reside. The project was developed to provide intensive supervision
for youth living at home under Court supervision who continue to commit
delinquent acts, and to impact the recidivism of these delinquents to avoid
additional institutional placements. The program was designed for male juvenile
offenders aged 10-17. Most youth admitted to the Program are under court
supervision at the time of their new offense and most youth are entering
CISP with property offenses or drug-related offenses. Intense supervision
is provided to juvenile offenders who report to specially designed neighborhood
centers, 7 days a week from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Between 10:00 p.m. and
12:00 a.m., staff members return the youth to their homes and later return
to knock on the door to make sure the youth are still home. Every day, 24
hours a day, the youth are supervised, monitored and contacted by community
monitors and/or an electronic surveillance system. Every youth in the program
is electronically monitored, and these devices record all entries and exits
from the youth's house by the youth. Urinalysis is done on a random basis
for every youth. Community service is required of all participants.
Contact:
James Rieland, Project Director, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Family
Division, Juvenile Section, 3333 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412/578-8245
Comprehensive System of Maternal/Infant Services, San Joaquin County,
California Summary: In response to the challenges posed by inadequate
prenatal care in San Joaquin County, San Joaquin General Hospital has developed
a "Comprehensive System of Maternal/Infant Services" by enlisting
support from public and private agencies, procuring grants, recruiting volunteers,
and utilizing existing resources more effectively.
Text: In 1988, the San
Joaquin County Maternal Child Adolescent Health Advisory Board identified
seven serious county barriers to care: Insufficient number of facilities
in locations frequented by target groups; financial constraints, including
inadequate insurance or public funds; uneven availability of services, particularly
to disadvantaged or high-risk women; limited transportation services; disorganized
and uncoordinated outreach efforts to recruit hard-to- reach women; negative
experiences, attitudes and beliefs of women seeking care; and child care
deficiencies. By utilizing resources available through San Joaquin County
Health Care Services as well as support from 15 other public and private
service providers, the hospital moved forward to eliminate these barriers.
The outcomes included the design and implementation of a Prenatal Care and
Public Education Program; the expansion of the Healthy Beginnings Clinics;
the initiation of a Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP); the
design and implementation of an Incentives Program that rewards pregnant
and post-partum women for keeping medical appointments; the design and implementation
of programs for Substance Abusing Pregnant and Post-partum women; and the
development and implementation of the Black Women's Program. Since the implementation
of CPSP, "no show" rates for clinic appointments have decreased
from 33 percent to less than 10 percent. One group of substance-abusing
women in the Program achieved a 95% attendance rate for assessments and
classes. This attendance resulted in higher than expected birth weights
for the babies of these mothers and a smaller number of toxicology screen
positive babies born. The Incentives Program offers positive behavior reinforcement
as well as goods and services for the time participants invest in keeping
appointments and going to classes. Success for substance abusing women has
also been impressive. 82% of the initial post-partum group completed the
program and 80% maintained sobriety for at least three months after completion.
Smaller numbers of babies are admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units,
smaller numbers of babies are born addicted to cocaine and heroin; and larger
numbers of women begin prenatal care early in their pregnancy and faithfully
continue that care throughout their pregnancy.
Contact: Ruth Tiffany, Perinatal
Services Coordinator, San Joaquin General Hospital, PO Box 1020, Stockton, CA
95201, 209/468-6167
Contractor Responsibility Program, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Summary: State agencies faced difficulties in doing business with firms
that violated laws or regulations, had poor performance records, engaged
in wrongdoing, or failed to pay taxes. To remedy this, a computerized "Contractor
Responsibility Program" was instituted in 1990.
Text: A computerized
database is used for reviewing contractors seeking state contracts for goods
and services, leases, and construction. Computer systems are on-line between
all participating government and independent agencies. An agency may choose
whether or not to deal with a contractor who has a poor-performance record.
Contracts cannot be awarded to contractors with tax delinquencies, suspensions,
or debarments. After a year of this program, the Commonwealth finds that
tax delinquencies are being paid up (in one year, $2,723,096.50), and payments
are kept current; contracts with poor performers have been avoided (contractors
are even more willing to resolve contracting conflicts to avoid a negative
entry in the database). The additional workload for state agencies in entering
information for the database has been minimal, with benefits greater than
expected; several independent state agencies have adopted the program.
Contact:
Veronica Botts, Manager of Special Accounting, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
Bureau of Financial Management, 931 North Seventh Street, Wagner Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120, 717/783-7866
Governor's Guaranteed Work Force Program (GGWPF), State of West Virginia
Summary: The "Governor's Guaranteed Work Force Program (GGWPF)"
is designed to assist both new companies entering the state and existing
companies to meet new competitive or technological needs.
Text: The program
provides up to $1,000 of training per employee per year, and will guarantee
the training to the satisfaction of the employer for up to an additional
$1,000 of training per employee per year. To access the program, existing
companies must create at least ten new jobs within a 12 month period. The
GGWFP works with each company individually, to structure the highest quality
training program possible. The GGWFP customizes training programs to meet
each companies goals and requirements. A variety of different types of training
could be provided, including: basic skills (such as reading, mathematics,
or computer literacy), technical job-specific skills, employee involvement,
and managerial training. The office works with each of the specific training
providers to assure that the training will be performed at the lowest possible
cost tot he taxpayer. For example, whereas the office is legally permitted
to provide up to $1,000 of assistance per employee, in Fiscal Year 1991
high quality, cost effective training was provided at an average cost of
$327.12 per trainee. The program provides the opportunity for businesses
to become more competitive, thereby increasing the vitality and economic
viability of the state's communities. Through better skilled, more highly
productive workers, companies are more able to adapt to new business challenges
and to compete with companies from around the world.
Contact: Mark R. Julian,
Director State of West Virginia, Business & Industry Services, Governor's
Office M-146, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305, 304/348-0400
Hanover Health Plan, Hanover, Massachusetts Summary: The "Hanover
Health Plan" provides a unique delivery of health insurance by combining
a high deductible plan at a reasonable price with a trust fund to pool or
share the risk of the deductibles.
Text: Clients of the program would be
employees of the Town of Hanover enrolled in a Town group health plan. The
program serves 100% of the employees enrolled in the Town's only indemnity
plan (Blue Cross/Blue Shield). It can also be viewed as serving 56% of employees
enrolled in any Town health insurance plan, including Retirees and HMO's.
The most significant impact in the clients lives would be related to the
savings involved, i.e. $800 + per family membership and the $230 + per individual
membership per year over the old plan. The old health plan combined high
quality coverage with convenience. As a result, it was a very appealing
program which created formidable resistance to change. However, once the
issue of quality was addressed, it became clear the new plan was only less
convenient in terms of out-of-pocket costs and paperwork. Filling out insurance
forms is not a popular sport, but employees felt that the inconvenience
was worth the savings of $800 per year.
Contact: Stephen S. Rollins, Town
Administrator, Town of Hanover, 550 Hanover Street, Hanover, MA 02339, 617/826-5010
Innovative Military Programs and Civilian Training (IMPACT) State of
California Summary: To address the pressing needs of 17- to 21-year-old
undereducated "at risk" urban youth, a highly structured six-week
education and job preparation model was designed in 1977. The "IMPACT"
program was designed as an alternative to incarceration.
Text: In response
to the problem of high youth unemployment, IMPACT's highly structured, short-term
education and job-placement curriculum encompasses basic, pre-military,
and pre-employment skills. Training is provided by a combination of National
Guard and civilian instructors who apply the military's highly disciplined
approach to teaching/learning techniques, coupled with traditional education
methods and philosophies. From 1977 to 1991, IMPACT enrolled 7,017 participants
and successfully placed 5,405: 28% entered military service, 57% were employed,
and 15% returned to accredited schools. The cost was approximately $1,900
per participant, compared to $25,000 per year for incarceration.
Contact:
Robert C. Logan, Director, State of California Military Department, 7100 Bowling
Drive, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95823, 916/973-3544
Intensive Supervision Program, State of New Jersey Summary: To prevent
prison overcrowding and to improve the screening of nonviolent offenders
who are eligible for early release into the community, a highly structured
program was established encompassing electronic and substance abuse monitoring,
full-time employment, community service, and repayment of court-ordered
fines and penalties.
Text: The "Intensive Supervision Program"
instituted in 1983 evolved from the prison overcrowding crisis of the late
seventies. By diverting about 500 prisoners from the system, the high cost
of building an additional correctional facility for more serious offenders
was avoided. The program involves intensive screening of inmates who are
a minimal threat to the community. They are released into an extremely restrictive
but supportive environment where they are monitored by staff and electronic
surveillance, must comply with a curfew, maintain full-time employment,
perform community service, satisfy financial obligations, and undergo substance
abuse monitoring and counseling. In 1991, the cost of supervising an ISP
participant was about $6,300, compared to estimates of $25,000 to incarcerate
an offender. During the period from 1985 to 1991, the entire caseload was
removed from the State's correctional system at a cumulative savings of
approximately $44 million.
Contact: Thomas W. Bartlett, Coordinator State
of New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts, CN 987, Richard J. Hughes
Justice Complex, Trenton, NJ 08625, 609/984-0076
Integrating Bar Code Technology with Curbside Recycling Program, St.
Louis Park, Minnesota Summary: The City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota
found an innovative way to encourage recycling through the "Integrating
Bar Code Technology with Curbside Recycling Program." Residents who
help solve landfill problems by recycling are rewarded with lower garbage
bills than their non- recycling counterparts.
Text: To offer this financial
incentive, the City had to find a cost- effective way to keep track of which
households set out recyclables for collection. This information has to be
gathered along 125 miles of city streets and alleys in all kinds of weather
before it can be merged into a utility billing system of more than 12,000
accounts. Manual data collection was inefficient, inaccurate and costly.
Bar codes are now found along St. Louis Park's curbs and alleys. St. Louis
Park's successful integration of bar code technology with curbside recycling
has enabled the City to give each household that regularly recycles a reduced
refuse bill. Recycling collection contractors were issued handheld computers
to scan the bar code stickers when they picked up recyclables each week.
Information collected at the curb is later electronically fed into the City's
utility billing system. If the household recycles at least once a month,
their quarterly refuse bill is credited by $6.60. Recycling participation--which
is entirely voluntary--jumped from 45% to 90% in response to this financial
incentive. In addition to the impact on 12,047 households' garbage bills,
there is community-wide impact: less garbage is being buried in scarce landfill
space. Currently the City of St. Louis Park diverts 26% of its garbage from
the waste stream by recycling. The diversion rate is 38% if you include
yard waste. The total cost to implement the bar coding program was $30,000.
Because the monthly cost for manually entering participation data was $3,000
a month, the bar coding paid for itself in 10 months.
Contact: Clint Pires,
MIS Coordinator, City of St. Louis Park, 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard, St. Louis
Park, MN 55416-2290, 612/924-2517
Land Reutilization Commission, Douglas County, Nebraska Summary:
To return tax delinquent land to tax rolls in order to provide affordable
housing, new industry, jobs, and new revenue, the "Land Reutilization
Commission" sells vacant property based on appraised value, with current
title owners having the option of retaining property if all taxes owed are
paid before transfer occurs.
Text: The "Land Reutilization Commission"
was created in 1973 by the Nebraska State Legislature. Today, through concentrated
marketing and management, properties have been sold that many determined
were only worthless throw-aways. The LRC sells properties not for back taxes
owed, but for 50%-75% of actual market value. The LRC has returned approximately
$2.1 million to local governments in the past three years in the form of
real property taxes, special assessments, interest, and miscellaneous fees.
Administrative expenses of the Commission have averaged about 13% of annual
receipts. The low overhead has resulted in the return of additional monies
to local authorities.
Contact: Martin A. Barnhart, Director Douglas County
Land Reutilization Commission, 500 South 18th Street, Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68102,
402/444-7913
Micro-Minicomputer Coordinating Council (M2C2) New York, New York
Summary: Limited communication within and among the City's 40 separate agencies,
each with its own independent computer bureau, inhibited exchange of information
and mutual problem solving. Identification and funding of useful computer-based
projects led to formation of the "Micro-Minicomputer Coordinating Council
(M2C2)", an organization of computer managers.
Text: With more than 40 government agencies each with its own multiple computer
systems, communications within and between agencies was difficult. With
the M2C2 organization of computer managers, agencies can network ideas and
share solutions to problems. The Citywide Productivity Forum is now a major
event for the computer community of the City's government. The Forum gives
awards in recognition of computer technicians, allows the exchange of ideas
through its publication of agencies' projects, and has led to increased
morale and productivity and to improved public service. The publication
raises money for the Technology Investment Fund through paid advertising
from private sector computer firms. The Fund was conceived by M2C2, in a
special account created by The Fund for the City of New York, to finance
promising, small-scale projects. Other than publication printing costs,
the Forum costs the City nothing while raising revenues for the Fund.
Contact:
Alan Leidner Director, MIS City of New York Mayor's Office, 59-17 Junction
Blvd., 10th Floor, Corona, Queens, NY 11373, 718/595-3996
Move to Independence Program, Los Angeles County, California Summary:
The "Move to Independence Program" is a unique partnership between
the Probation Department and the County Office of Education in Pomona, California,
that pairs juvenile delinquents with mentally and physically impaired children
who need to develop basic skills.
Text: Ranging in age from 3 to 22 years,
the students at the El Camino School for the Handicapped have multiple physical
and mental disabilities. The incarcerated juvenile offenders, who are serving
sentences at the Probation Department's Camp Afflerbaugh in La Verne, California,
spend six and one half hours each day, four days a week, helping the handicapped
children to master basic skills such as eating, moving with the assistance
of special equipment, sitting, strengthening muscles, standing alone, and
learning to walk for the first time in their lives. One-on-one loving is
stressed as being the major focus for success. Wards volunteer for the program
by submitting written applications stating what they know about the program,
why they wish to participate, and what experiences and skills they can bring
to the program. The applications are carefully screened by both camp and
school staff in conjunction with the youths' backgrounds, behavior while
in camp and motivation. Selected applicants are placed in the County Schools
Work Experience program, which provides classroom instruction in job readiness
skills along with specialized on-the-job training. Upon completion of the
program, wards receive certificates of completion and letter of recommendation
for employment. Entry level Special Education Teacher Assistant positions
are available with no more than a high school diploma or GED, as well as
future career paths in the health care and special education fields. Since
the inception of the program, handicapped students have achieved a 141 percent
average improvement in functional motor skills, the juvenile offenders have
developed compassion and marketable skills in health care and education,
and the program has been replicated for girls in another County Probation
camp and a nearby school for handicapped students.
Contact: Bob Polakow,
Director of Program Development, Los Angeles County Probation Department,
9150 E. Imperial Highway, Downey, CA 90242, 310/940-2842
New Prison Construction Program, State of California Summary: The
California "New Prison Construction Program" assists the State
of California in meeting the challenge of safely housing an inmate population
that has grown by more than 300 percent since 1980.
Text: In 1983 the California
Department of Correction embarked upon an unprecedented new prison construction
program that has been responsible for the planning, design, or construction
of approximately 25 new prison facilities, and approximately 20 conservation
camp projects, comprising almost 48,000 beds at a cost of approximately
$4.3 billion. Of these, more than 19 new facilities containing over 33,000
beds will have completed construction by January 1992. The remaining 15,000
beds are currently in various stages of planning, design or construction.
These new prisons are fully programmed with a variety of educational, vocational
and prison industry programs. Prior to the program's implementation, overcrowding
demands in prisons had forced the conversion of dayrooms, classrooms, and
other programming areas of prisons into dormitories, depriving inmates of
programming opportunities to develop skills which could reduce their likelihood
of returning to prison. Overcrowded facilities are inherently more violent,
increasing dangers for both inmates and correctional staff. As a result
of the program's effectiveness, violent inmate incidents have declined steadily
since 1984, when the first new prisons were activated. The State of California
has also benefited from the program. The Correction Department's Planning
and Construction Division has provided sound fiscal management to a $4.3
billion capital outlay program in a time of constrained fiscal resources.
The use of standard design documents for a new prison project reduces the
time necessary for design and construction of a new prison, which reduces
the cost of the project by minimizing the effect of inflation and reducing
the amount of planning and designing required for each project. Additionally,
when faced with a severely overcrowded correctional system, many states
have been sued by inmates in "conditions of confinement" lawsuits,
often resulting in expensive court-ordered renovations, or early release
programs.
Contact: Kyle S. McKinsey, Deputy Director State of California
Department of Corrections, 501 "J" Street, Suite 300, PO Box 942883,
Sacramento, CA 94283-0001, 916/324-7500
Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Boston, Massachusetts Summary: Over
half of the land area in Boston is tax-exempt. Nontaxable institutions consume
a significant amount of municipal services, with the economic benefits generated
by their activity accruing to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The "PILOT
Program" was designed to manage changes in the tax base in order to
direct some benefits to Boston in an equitable manner.
Text: The payment-in-lieu
of taxes program manages changes in the City of Boston's tax base by monitoring
the expansion of Boston's tax- exempt institutions and seeking community
service and financial remuneration on behalf of city residents. The PILOT
program seeks voluntary payments from exempt institutions that either remove
property from the tax rolls or significantly develop existing property.
The program seeks at least 25% of what the taxes would be on a particular
parcel of property. An institution may substitute community services for
up to 25% of the financial portion of the agreement. Total PILOT revenue
to the City of Boston was over $10 million in 1990; the exempt property
area has decreased; and the community services portion of the program provided
over $6 million in benefits to residents--at a partial cost of the salary
of just one employee.
Contact: Donna M. Perry, Director Tax Policy Unit, City
of Boston, Assessing Department, Boston City Hall, One City Hall Plaza, Boston,
MA 02201, 617/635-4436
Partners in Productivity, State of Florida Summary: "Partners
in Productivity" is an effort to institutionalize productivity improvement
by identifying, implementing, measuring, and rewarding major cost savings
and performance enhancements in state government.
Text: A public-private
cooperative initiative, "Partners in Productivity" was developed
by two nonprofit organizations in 1987 and supported by an explicit state
government commitment. The program has three components: "report cards"
identifying areas needing improvement, "scorecards" on how well
objectives are being met; and "productivity awards" to recognize
and reward success. Cost saving and management improvement recommendations
saved $99 million as of December 1990; a first-in-the-nation performance
and productivity measurement system is to be incorporated into law and used
as a yardstick for future funding of agencies; and employees have responded
well and have become engaged in Total Quality Management methods.
Contact:
David M. Davis, Executive Director, Florida TaxWatch, Inc., Partners in Productivity,
PO Box 10209, Tallahassee, FL 32302, 904/222-5052
Please Be Seated, State of Virginia Summary: To prevent death or
injury to young children in motor-vehicle accidents, a statewide educational
program using citizen reporting was instituted.
Text: "Please Be Seated"
is a cooperative effort involving parents, rescue squads, medical personnel,
cooperative extension, teachers, business owners, and others. Preprinted,
postpaid cards are distributed throughout the state and citizens are encouraged
to mail in the cards whenever they see unsecured children in moving vehicles.
The program then sends the vehicle's owner a friendly reminder about the
importance of properly securing children and offers a free safety seat for
those who can't afford one. "Please Be Seated" began solely as
a mail-in campaign but has expanded its educational offerings in response
to public demand. In 1991, approximately 10,000 cards were mailed in; there
was a 44 percent decrease in childhood motor-vehicle fatalities compared
to 1990; 4,148 safety seats were distributed in 1990, and 7,855 in 1991.
A reduction in child deaths under age four avoided $2,700,000 in potential
costs; the program costs for 1991 were just $32,000 for staffing, printing,
and postage.
Contact: Karen C. Kern, Coordinator, Please Be Seated, State of
Virginia Dept. of Mental Health, 109 Governor Street, PO Box 1797, Richmond
VA, 23214, 804/786-5993
Programmed Tree Pruning, Modesto, California Summary: The City of
Modesto, California has developed a tree maintenance program which over
a ten year period has increased production three-fold and significantly
reduced liability exposure due to tree failures.
Text: In 1980, Modesto
was maintaining trees by the same methods used by virtually every tree division
in the nation. Trees were pruned on a crisis basis and/or at the request
of citizens. In 1981, the tree division began a systematic approach to pruning.
This approach was given the name "Programmed Tree Pruning". Since
the program's implementation, citizen complaints have dropped to their lowest
level in ten years; employee accidents have been reduced by 50%; and employee
morale is at an all time high. Program Pruning allows for each tree to be
pruned and inspected on a three year cycle. Defects in trees are generally
able to be found and corrected before a tree or limb failure occurs. Citizens
are able to coexist with 60 foot tall trees with a reasonable assurance
of safety. A properly maintained urban forest is not only aesthetically
pleasing but has a functional purpose in energy conservation. In hot climate,
trees are deemed a necessity as opposed to an amenity. Citizens are able
to gain relief from the hot summers with the help of the large urban forest
canopy. Electrical bills for air conditioning are much lower due to the
presence of trees. It is estimated that on a 102 degree day, the trees lower
the electrical bills of the citizens by over $20,000.
Contact: Mary E. Grogan,
Director City of Modesto Parks & Recreation Department, PO Box 642, Modesto,
CA 95353, 209/577-5347
Rightsizing: Strategic Planning, Corvalis, Oregon Summary: In response
to citizens' concerns about government costs following a statewide property
tax initiative, the City of Corvalis, Oregon undertook a five-year fiscal
plan in 1991. The plan, using "Rightsizing: Strategic Planning"
techniques, was designed to ensure cost-effectiveness and maintain services
through rigorous self-examination and realignment.
Text: After a statewide
property tax limitation was passed, several public organizations in Oregon
found themselves in extreme financial duress and unable to provide many
of the services demanded by their customers. As a result, the City of Corvalis
developed the Rightsizing II: Compacting Financial Plan, a 5-year strategic-planning
realignment aimed at a city government that's fiscally sound and committed
to customer-oriented services. Initiatives include a stabilized city-employees-per-capita
ratio and citywide cost controls. Citizens are customers and stockholders
in the Corvalis Municipal Corporation; supervisor to employee ratios were
reduced; the budget was reduced 34 percent without service eliminations,
city bonds are rated Aa; water and property tax rates were reduced; mass
transit ridership has increased 15 percent; the social services budget has
increased 21 percent.
Contact: Marianne Shank, Assistant City Manager City
of Corvalis, 501 SW Madison, Corvallis, OR 97333, 503/757-6901
State Health Insurance Program, State of Hawaii Summary: Prior to
passage of "SHIP" in 1989, an estimated population of 30,000 medically
uninsured Hawiians avoided seeking care during early stages of illness due
to inability to pay costs. Through a partnership of the State, the private
sector, and sliding-scale premiums for members, the program now subsidizes
residents who did not previously qualify for any form of health insurance.
Text: With the "State Health Insurance Program," Hawaii's health
care system provides universal access to basic primary preventive health
care. SHIP subsidizes health care insurance for Hawaiians whose gross family
income does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level, who are ineligible
for other government programs, and who have no employer-based insurance.
The five major areas of coverage are preventive, outpatient, emergency,
maternity, and hospital inpatient services. In two years, over 15,000 members
have been enrolled; there is a statewide network of volunteer SHIP registrars;
a major provider has decreased premium rates; increased benefits have been
added; and no-cost linkages with other services have been established.
Contact:
Luz G. Abcede, Administrator State of Hawaii Department of Health, 1000 Bishop
Street, Suite 908, Honolulu, HI 96813, 808/586-4166
Tenant Assistance Program (TAP), State of Massachusetts Summary:
The Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency's "Tenant Assistance Program
(TAP)" has been recognized as the first concerted effort on the part
of a housing agency in this country to address alcohol and drug abuse in
housing developments.
Text: In housing, the real costs of alcohol and drug
abuse are counted not only in terms of the devastated lives of users, but
also in terms of property damage due to fires, floods, unpaid rents, legal
costs, high insurance premiums, and the resulting difficulty in preserving
affordable housing. TAP trains housing management staff for an active role,
to identify and intervene when cases of alcohol and other substance abuse
occurs. One of the most notable innovations of TAP is the identification
and enlistment of every member of property management staff--manager, receptionist,
maintenance worker-- as essential to the effort. TAP has not only saved
lives, it has reduced management costs, preserved affordable housing and
enhanced the quality of life in the developments. TAP offers training for
housing management staff on issues including the identification of substance
abuse; intervention skills; co- dependency; cultural diversity; AIDS; attitudes
and prejudices; and conflict resolution techniques. TAP's Tenant Education
Programs, which are available to every property enrolled in the program,
are intended to bring residents together and foster a sense of community
in the housing complex. Program offerings include an arts program for children;
parenting; healthy cooking; and others. TAP offers crisis intervention services
that assist with alcohol and other substance abuse interventions and identification
of treatment options. The program has resulted in nearly $1 million in insurance
premium discounts to participating companies since 1988. Since TAP's inception,
some 3,500 property management staff have been educated to identify substance
abusers and push actively for treatment and recovery rather than eviction.
Resident participation in TAP's Tenant Education Programs have led to a
greater sense of well-being, community and simple friendship among individuals
who may have believed all they shared was an address.
Contact: Tony Flaherty,
Director Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency Tenant Assistance Program,
50 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109, 617/451-3480
Tidewater Regional Technical Rescue Team, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Summary: In early 1986, after a series of trench collapses which resulted
in the deaths of several workers and the endangerment of fire and rescue
personnel, the question regarding the need for specialized rescue services
was addressed; thus the "Tidewater Regional Technical Rescue Team"
was established.
Text: Each jurisdiction in the Tidewater area of Virginia
provides personnel to be trained by the Virginia Beach Fire Department and
then assigns those personnel to the Rescue Team. Funding was addressed by
contacting and soliciting the utility and building contractors professional
groups. The City of Virginia Beach Fire Department agreed to act as the
receiving and insuring agency for all equipment and apparatus donated. As
a result of this unique effort, the Tidewater area of Virginia now has 365
day-a-year provision of technical rescue services, covering 5 cities and
all of the military installations in a 2,000 square mile area. Equipment
costing $350,000 was raised through donations and manpower costs are absorbed
by the localities with no additional personnel costs associated with the
implementation of this project. Most recently this team was selected by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency as one of the nations 25 task forces
which will be used to respond to catastrophic disasters nationally. This
program provides a service which no municipality or military installation
would be able to afford to provide on their own. From a financial standpoint,
it has provided each municipality with these services at a minimal cost.
Since currently available manpower was used there is no additional impact
with regard to salaries or benefits. The equipment was obtained from donations
and grants that amounted to approximately $350,000. This equipment in turn
serves 5 cities and the military. Were each city to spend that amount to
equip their own team, the cost would be substantial.
Contact: Chase N. Sargent,
Battalion Chief City of Virginia Beach Fire Department, Municipal Center,
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9065, 804/427-4228
Training Information Resource Center (TIRC), State of Illinois Summary:
The "Training Information Resource Center (TIRC)," provides cost-effective
training to the 3,000 employees of the Illinois Department of Employment
Security. Line-driven training incorporates a two-level approach through
the creation of TIRC in 1990 and with Anderson Consultants and other partners
whose expertise is the development of state-of-the-art training.
Text: The
Training Information and Resource Center offers custom training, where employees
participate in curriculum development: Individual employees or groups of
employees of the Illinois Department of Employment Security identify technical
training needs rather than have training thrust upon them. TIRC then trains
pools of employees to serve as trainers for other employees, and individuals
may borrow books, videotapes, and audio cassettes for home study. TIRC's
line-driven training is effective in providing the best training in the
shortest time for the greatest savings in funds: TIRC's 4-person staff produced
training results that previously eluded a 22-person staff. Local office
managers report that productivity is up.
Contact: Eileen L. Byfield, Manager,
TIRC State of Illinois Dept. of Employment Security, 401 S. State St., 3rd
Floor, North Chicago, IL 60605, 312/793-1136
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