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| | NCPP EXSL
NCPP home:
http://newark.rutgers.edu:80/~ncpp/,
email:
ncpp@andromeda.rutgers.edu
Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, Campus at Newark
Graduate Department of Public Administration
National Center for Public Productivity
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1994 Exemplary State & Local
Award Winners
Affordable Housing Through Master Planned Communities, State of Hawaii
Summary: The State of Hawaii's Housing Finance and Development Corporation
(HFDC) formed partnerships with private industry developers to create three
socioeconomically integrated quality lifestyle communities in Hawaii's three
highest population growth areas. These Master Planned Communities (MPC's)
integrate a mix of for- sale single-family and multi-family homes, rental
housing, neighborhood parks, schools, recreation centers, community parks,
bicycle lanes, walking paths, golf courses, churches, daycare centers, commercial
and retail areas in a cost-effective and cost-efficient design that is constructed
with minimum financial impact on taxpayers.
Text: In 1988, Hawaii led the nation in home ownership and rental housing
costs. With only 44% of Hawaii's households in home ownership, Hawaii lagged
behind the national average by approximately 20%. In the summer of 1990,
the average four member Oahu family made $41,200 a year, giving them the
purchasing power to buy a $128,000 home. During that same period, the median
resale price for a home in Hawaii was $350,000. The reduction of federal
funding for lower income housing, the lack of existing infrastructure (water,
sewer, drainage, utilities, roads) and suitable land for development, the
high amount of required capital for infrastructure development and the associated
financial risks, and the high cost of construction financing caused a widening
gap between housing supply and housing demand during the late seventies
and eighties. True, the private sector and city and state governments were
building homes, but these were relatively small in-fill type projects that
relied on existing infrastructure. HFDC estimated that by the year 2000,
the demand for housing would reach over 85,000 units with 64,000 of these
units having to be affordable to households with average or below average
incomes. Besides the need for significant numbers of affordable housing
was also the desire to avoid creating massive affordable housing "projects"
that could lead to further social ills. To address this, the decision was
made to create quality lifestyle communities. There was the recognition
that the State was facing severe budget constraints and that taxpayers could
not bear the full cost of funding the required affordable housing. Consequently,
another objective was to build a significant number of homes efficiently
through economies of scale and to fund this in a way that would minimize
the economic impact to taxpayers. The Master Planned Communities are producing
a significant number of homes, 4,000 to 5,000 per MPC on each island. Because
of the scale, housing can be put in quicker and cheaper per home unit. Additionally,
current and future community needs (schools, roads, drainage, parks, commercial
and retail areas) are anticipated, planned and prepared. The projects deliver
housing for a range of needs: for singles, single parent families and families
there are for-sale townhouses and single-family homes, self-help and owner-
builder housing, and moderate to low-income rentals. Also for the elderly
and/or physically challenged each community features rental apartments.
Finally, development of homes by private industry is facilitated through
HFDC overall planning, zoning, infrastructure development and provision
of financial incentives. The program creates a significant number of homes
(13,400) in quality lifestyle communities rather than producing limited
numbers of units in traditional "infill" housing projects. The
effort addresses a cross-section of the population in need (60% of Hawaii's
households) and creates socioeconomic balanced communities. The program
minimizes the impact to taxpayers through the use of revolving funds, bond
financing, lease and sale of commercial and retail areas and the Shared
Appreciation Program. It features anti-speculative and equity-sharing provisions
in the form of "buyback" and Shared Appreciation programs. Finally,
the concept encourages private sector development of affordable housing
by directly removing local barriers.
Contact: George White, Housing Information Officer Housing Finance & Development
State of Hawaii 677 Queen St. Suite 300 Honolulu HA 96813 808/587-0597
Automated New Hire Program, State of Massachusetts Summary: The "Automated
New Hire Program" matches "new hire" information with records
of parents who owe child support and automatically sends out a notice to
the new employer reinstating the wage assignment whenever it finds a match.
If the computer finds that the employee also owes past-due support, it automatically
increases the wage assignment by 25% to recover that past-due support as
well.
Text: Children living with single parents in this country do not get the
financial support they deserve from their non custodial parents. Even when
a court has ordered the non custodial parent to pay child support, only
half actually receive what is owed. Yet regular child support payments not
only raise the custodial family's standard of living but also play an important
part in encouraging single parents to enter the workforce and leave welfare.
The challenge, then, is to ensure that custodial families receive their
court-ordered child support payments regularly. The principal enforcement
tool of child support enforcement agencies like the Massachusetts Department
of Revenue (DOR) is the wage assignment system: an employer deducts the
support from the non custodial parent's weekly paycheck for delivery to
the custodial family. Many non custodial parents change jobs to try to avoid
their support obligation. New employers do not know to deduct the payments
from the employee's paycheck until the state informs them of the obligation.
Under ordinary circumstances, however, the state will not learn of an employer's
new employees until the employer submits its wage reporting data, which
it does quarterly. By the time the state has reviewed quarterly wage reporting
data and located the non custodial parent at the new job, months may have
elapsed. In the meantime, the non custodial parent may have again moved
on. To foil this avoidance tactic, in March 1993 Massachusetts implemented
a comprehensive automated program requiring all employers to inform the
DOR of any new employee within 14 days of hiring, although employers are
encouraged to report new employees on the first day of hire by making the
reporting process as quick and easy as possible. The only information necessary
is information that is already required on the W-4 form which most new employees
complete on their first day at work (name, address, social security number
and start date). A flexible on the filing method is used, employers may
mail, fax, paper list or electronically transfer the W-4. A computer then
matches "new hire" information with records of parents who owe
child support and automatically sends out a notice to the new employer reinstating
the wage assignment whenever it finds a match. This new program allows the
State to reinstate wage assignments in a matter of days, rather than the
months it often took before. As a result, collections have increased $14.5
million in the program's first year of operation, and $21.6 million in welfare
costs have been avoided.
Contact: Jerry Fay, Deputy Commissioner Child Support Division Massachusetts
Department of Revenue 141 Portland St. Cambridge, MA 02139 617/727-4200
Automated TB Surveillance System, State of California Summary: Responding
to a TB outbreak in June of 1992, the California Youth Authority developed
a computerized medical record system, the "Automated Tuberculosis (TB)
Surveillance System," that documents and tracks patients exposed to
active TB.
Text: The Medical Division of the California Youth Authority (CYA) is charged
with controlling the spread of airborne TB in a population of 20,000. These
people live or work in one of the facilities throughout the State of California.
Despite modern medical breakthroughs, the basic test for TB was invented
in 1908. The current skin test technology is imperfect because immune suppression
with AIDS, active TB and exposure to TB less than three months before administering
the test can cause a false negative test. Therefore, review of the medical
record is critical in interpreting each skin test. Timely and accurate review
is only possible using an automated medical record system. The CYA used
the existing statewide telecommunication network to connect all facilities
to the medical system through the Teale Data Center in Sacramento. This
system records and documents all testing results, medication orders, chest
x-ray results, pending testing, and all movement history. An Exposure Tracking
report was developed which can identify for follow-up all potential individuals
exposed to a case of active TB. In addition, the program can produce prevalence
and conversion rates of TB infection by individual facility. The TB surveillance
component has been incorporated into the general distribution of the vendor's
automated medical record system and is available as a stand-alone product
that can run on a PC.
Contact: Dan Cashman, Chief of Medical Services California Youth Authority
4241 Williamsbourogh Dr. Sacramento CA 95823 916/262-1544
Bulk Lien Sale Initiative, Jersey City, New Jersey Summary: The Jersey
City "Bulk Lien Sale Initiative" addressed the City's impending
bankruptcy and subsequent state takeover. The City faced a $40 million deficit
(in a $280 million municipal budget) which was created by an extremely low
tax collection rate of 78%, just three points above the 75% collection rate
that triggers state takeover of municipal finances.
Text: State law mandates
that municipalities must budget a reserve to compensate for uncollected
property taxes. Historically, this dedicated reserve was funded through
a higher property tax rate, which generally caused collections to fall further
because residents could not afford to pay their taxes at the higher rate.
In the case of Jersey City, the tax increase to fund the mandated $40 million
reserve would have been so high that the collection rate would surely have
dropped below 75%, the level that triggers a state takeover of the municipality's
finances. The Mayor devised a way to sell Jersey City's tax liens in bulk.
Usually, tax liens are sold individually, resulting in the most attractive
liens being assumed, with little hope of moving those which are less attractive.
The bulk sale enabled Jersey City to sell $44 million in tax liens, thereby
maintaining municipal services to residents while lowering their property
taxes. For those homeowners who considered moving out of Jersey City due
to high taxes, the bulk lien sale initiative provided an incentive for them
to remain in their Jersey City homes. By preventing further exodus from
Jersey City the tax base has been stabilized and the City was able to increase
their tax collection rate. This has set the stage for future tax reduction
and put the City on sound fiscal footing. By virtue of the bulk lien sale
initiative, the City averted bankruptcy, lowered taxes from $38.98 to $36.38
per $1,000 of assessed value, maintained services, and increased the tax
collection rate from 78% to 90%.
Contact: Michael Cook, Chief of Staff City of Jersey City Mayor's Office
280 Grove St. Jersey City NJ 07302 201/547-4885
Campaign to Save Our Children: Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project, Richmond,
Virginia Summary: The "Campaign to Save Our Children: Teen Pregnancy
Prevention Project" (TPPP) effectively initiated a highly visible media
campaign to keep the prevention and abstinence message in the public eye.
The well organized education initiative served to enhance the family- based
knowledge of prevention and continues to provide support to the family through
the use of bus placards, newspaper info ads, the AFTERMATH comic book, T-
shirts and radio commercials that include contests.
Text: Under the auspices of the Office of Minority Health/Division of Health
Education and Information, the Richmond City Health Department made teen
pregnancy prevention a focal point for the city at-large. The goal of the
pregnancy prevention project is to reduce teen pregnancy among girls 19
years and under in the City of Richmond to no more than 83 per 1,000 female
adolescents and to specifically reduce the number of teenage pregnancies.
At the onset of the project, the Richmond City teen pregnancy 1,000 female
adolescents. At present, the city has experienced a decline in the rate
to 86 per 1,000. Richmond's "Campaign To Save Our Children" focuses
on delaying sexual initiation by teenagers by effectively utilizing a MEDIA
CAMPAIGN; increasing access to family planning services for sexually active
teens by expanding ADOLESCENT CLINICS; increasing support to parents as
the sexuality educators of their children through specific HEALTH EDUCATION
programs; and increasing the general public's and policy maker's awareness
of teenage pregnancy by expanding our COMMUNITY OUTREACH program. This comprehensive
approach is designed to reach the overall goal of reducing teen pregnancy
in the city. The objectives of the project have been realized only through
a collaborative effort of agencies, churches, organizations, and citizens
of the City of Richmond, Virginia. The proactive approaches to teen pregnancy
prevention with an abstinence base prove to be extremely successful. The
community at-large has been receptive and responsive to the efforts of
the department. The multi-disciplinary approach also fosters enhanced community
linkages. At the onset of the program, the City of Richmond had a teen pregnancy
rate in 1991 that was double that of the State of Virginia. The average
cost of caring for a baby born to a teen in the State of Virginia at that
time was $16,000.00. This expense drained the state budget and hindered
legislators from funding other needy areas. The Richmond City Health Department
served as a catalyst in the community to educate, serve and support the
citizens in the concerted effort to reduce the teen pregnancy rate that
was the highest in the state. The cost savings to the City of Richmond generated
through the project's preventive education methods far outweigh the medical
costs of the perinatal units in local hospitals which, as stated, averages
$16,000.00 per baby. With 916 pregnancies reported in the city in 1992,
at a cost of $16,000.00 per year for medical services, prevention is far
more cost effective.
Contact: Dr. Peter Walker, Administrator Office
of Minority Health Richmond City Health Department 600 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219 804/780-5596
Criminal Justice Commission (CJC), Palm Beach County, Florida
Summary: The "Criminal Justice Commission" [CJC] is an innovative
method for assisting County Commissioners to obtain better cooperation and
coordination of efforts on the part of various criminal justice system components.
Text: The Criminal Justice Commission [CJC] is an innovative method for
assisting County Commissioners to obtain better cooperation and coordination
of efforts by the various criminal justice system components. In Florida,
County government is responsible for a large proportion of criminal justice
costs but has little authority in determining these costs. Each agency head
in the criminal justice system is independently elected. (For example: the
Sheriff, the Chief Judge, the Clerk of the Court, State Attorney, and Public
Defender.) Therefore, they are not directly accountable to the funding source,
the Board of County Commissioners. To further the problem, the criminal
justice system is adversarial, by its nature, and too frequently this "prosecution
vs. defense" mentality, appropriate on a case by case basis in the
courtroom, is carried over to administering offices. This creates extensive
turf guarding, and duplication of effort and costs to the County Government.
The only effective way to control costs is through a more cooperative criminal
justice system. The mission of the CJC (by ordinance) is to study all aspects
of the criminal justice and crime prevention systems throughout the federal,
state, county, municipal, and private agencies within Palm Beach County
and to make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on policies
and programs. It is designed to accomplish an overall coordination of law
enforcement and crime prevention efforts; to develop an efficient, cost
effective and timely criminal justice system; and to assist in the reduction
of crime. It is composed of 21 representatives of the public sector and
12 members of the private sector. The CJC task forces, committees, and councils
representing over 200 representatives of criminal justice agencies and concerned
citizens of Palm Beach County, identify priorities, assess alternatives,
and recommend solutions to local problems. A major accomplishment of the
CJC has been having key policy makers work together to improve the criminal
justice system in Palm Beach County. In turn, this cooperation has accomplished
numerous improvements, including the following: - Establishing a drug court
with a full treatment continuum for both criminal offenders and civil clients.
- Creating a Law Enforcement Planning Council representing 37 municipalities
with 31 Chiefs of Police.
- Developing mutual aid agreements, uniform policy
and procedures, simplified DUI processing.
- Cooperative disposal of confiscated
drugs.
- Multi-agency (city, county, state, federal) violent crime units
targeting specific vicinities to eliminate drive-by shootings and other
violent drug related and gang activity.
- Development of an integrated CJIS
(computerized Criminal Justice Information Service) including the courts,
prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation, Clerk of Court and law enforcement.
Contact: L. Diana Cunningham, Executive Director Palm Beach County Criminal
Justice Commission 3111 S. Dixie Highway Suite 141 West Palm Beach FL 33405
407/355-2314
Environmentally Sensitive Lands Acquisition Program, Palm Beach County,
Florida Summary: The Palm Beach County "Environmentally Sensitive
Lands Acquisition Program" was developed in response to citizen concerns
that environmentally sensitive lands in the county were rapidly being lost
to development. These lands contain native plant communities, wildlife populations,
endangered plant and animal species and water recharge areas.
Text: The Palm Beach County Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program was
developed in response to citizen concerns that environmentally sensitive
lands in the county were rapidly being lost to development. The voters of
Palm Beach County passed a $100 million bond issue to fund the acquisition
of approximately 25,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands. Soon after
the bond issue was passed, the County entered into a unique contract with
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to provide a variety of services related to
the acquisition and management of these lands. County staff conducted biological
evaluations of the sites to be acquired, prepared grant applications, provided
staff support for advisory committee meetings and site visits, and performed
all real estate-related activities to complete the acquisitions. TNC conducted
all landowner contact and negotiation activities, reported its progress
to the advisory committee and provided the benefits of its expertise in
many areas to the County. This public/private partnership between the County
and TNC has resulted in a savings of $25,061,000 on the purchase of lands
with an appraised value of $54,494,000. Because of joint efforts by the
County's Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and TNC
staff, eleven of the fifteen high-priority sites received approval for state
matching funds. Three of these sites were joint acquisitions with the City
of Boca Raton, which provided municipal matching funds from its $12 million
bond issue to fund the acquisition of sites in Boca Raton. The partnership
between the County and TNC enabled the County to leverage its funds so that
up to $150 million worth of environmentally sensitive lands can be purchased
with the initial $100 million bond issue. As the County purchases these
high-priority sites, ERM will manage the lands as nature preserves in perpetuity.
The public will be encouraged to use the lands for passive recreational
activities, scientific research, education, and environmental awareness.
Contact: Richard Walesky, Director Environmental Resources Mgmt. 3111
South Dixie Highway Suite 146 West Palm Beach, FL 33405 407/355-4011
Extended Day Program, McLean County, Illinois
Summary: The McLean County "Extended Day Program" (EDP) was designed
for the purpose of providing the County Court System with an alternative
to secure detention.
Text: Due to a change in judicial ordinances, which
called for the removal of all juveniles from adult jails, McClean County
lost the ability to detain minors locally. The County's options were to
detain minors outside the county, at a cost of $75.00 per day, or develop
an alternative solution. The EDP was developed as a cost-saving alternative.
The program is designed for the purpose of providing the county court system
with an alternative to secure detention. The EDP targeted a specific population
of minors, aged eleven to seventeen, who were involved with the juvenile
justice system. The program allows minors who should be in secure custody
an opportunity to remain in the community by providing the structure that
a detention center provides, but in a non-secure setting. Minors are offered
the following services on a daily basis: tutoring; group therapy; basic
life skills; and the minors must provide a service to the community. The
program serves swift consequences for violations of probation. Rather than
wait for court hearings on the violations, with the ultimate outcome possibly
being some type of dispositional detention, the minor serves an immediate
consequence of being ordered into the program. The program further allows
for minors who have been charged with a serious offense to initially be
detained, but then allowed on home confinement with one of the restrictions
being that they attend the program on a daily basis. The EDP is a one of
a kind program in the State of Illinois. It is innovative in that it is
an alternative to detention. It looks at other avenues for juvenile delinquents
than placing them in detention, which at times is the easier thing to do.
This program allows the juveniles to be in a very structured but unlocked
setting, and provides the minors with the community resources that are important
for shaping and challenging today's youth. One of the positive outcomes
of EDP is that the minors in the program do not mind being in the program.
Many of the minors that have been in the program "drop by" to
see the staff, or other providers. The minors view the community service
projects as something they can contribute to the community, not just something
an adult tells them needs to be done. The minors have taken pride in the
program, and see themselves as being a "part" of the program and
not just a "body" in the program.
Contact: Lori McCormick, Deputy Director McLean County Juvenile Court
Services 104 West Front Street Bloomington IL 61702 309/888-5370
General Relief Interagency Project (GRIP), Ventura County, California
Summary: The General Relief Interagency Project (GRIP) is an integrated
service delivery system for general relief (GR) clients in Ventura County,
California. The intent of the program is to reduce the length of time an
individual stays on GR and gain reimbursement of costs by assisting clients
with the Social Security process.
Text: California state law mandates that
counties provide for indigent persons who do not qualify for other types
of aid. The "General Relief" (GR) program, which is totally County-funded,
meets this mandate, and is operated by Ventura County's Public Social Services
Agency (PSSA). GR costs were increasing dramatically year after year, as
the general economic climate continued to deteriorate. The GRIP project
brought together staff from PSSA, Mental Health, and Alcohol and Drug Programs
to provide integrated coordinated services to GR clients in an effort to
reduce the length of time on GR and gain reimbursement of costs by assisting
clients with the Social Security process. The GRIP program coordinates a
variety of services needed by General Relief recipients to assist them to
leave the program as quickly as possible. Services include job placement;
job searching techniques; initiation coordination and monitoring of program
development agreements with appropriate social services agencies; necessary
case management services for employable and unemployable GR recipients;
and advocacy and intervention with Social Security to assure that GR recipients
who qualify for SSI apply and expedite the SSI applications; and ensure
that the County obtains repayment from the initial SSI retroactive check.
The philosophy of the program is to provide services to the client for their
long term benefit. In addition to the services rendered the program attempts
to project an attitude that the recipients need to be held accountable for
their actions and to be responsible for themselves to the extent that they
are able. General Relief was providing food and shelter but there were other
needs that were not being met. Many of the clients were not able to become
employed because of mental problems or limitations, drug and/or alcohol
dependency, homelessness and physical disabilities. If they were able to
work, they lacked the necessary skills to secure and maintain employment.
There were also a large number of clients who were totally disabled but
unable to complete the Social Security application progress. The successful
strategies of the GRIP program have resulted in continuous caseload and
expenditure decreases. Expenditures through March, 1994 were $760,200 compared
to expenditures of $1,407,500 for the same period in 1991-92 - a reduction
of $647,4000. In addition, the County increased SSI repayments by $342,000.
Contact: Helen Reburn, Deputy Director Ventura County Public Social Services
Agency 505 Poli St. Ventura CA 93001 809/692-7662
Heart of Milwaukee Initiative Madison, Wisconsin Summary: The Wisconsin
Housing and Economic Development Authority created the "Heart of Milwaukee
Initiative" to increase home ownership in the central city. Milwaukee
was identified as having the highest ratio in the nation of mortgage rejections
for blacks as compared to whites. The program was to designed to gain the
support of city officials as well as community leaders to promote home ownership
in an effort to stabilize the core of the city. In addition, the support
of local lending institutions was secured in order to provide affordable
financing for minorities interested in purchasing homes in the central city.
Text: Milwaukee was identified as having the highest ratio in the nation
of mortgage rejections for Blacks as compared to Whites. It also had the
reputation as one of the most segregated communities in the country. Home
ownership rates were declining and market deterioration was widespread and
escalating. This was accompanied by an increase in poverty, unemployment
and crime in the area. As social problems escalated, property values deteriorated,
making lending even more difficult and disinvestment more likely. In 1990
the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) began work
with city officials, lenders, real estate professionals and community leaders
to increase home ownership in the central city. WHEDA recognized that the
keys to expanded opportunities for minorities are affordable financing and
home buyer education. Financing includes low interest rate mortgages with
down payments of as little as five percent, and loans to help low income
families finance the costs of closing a mortgage. The WHEDA home buyer seminar
series has provided education to more than 5000 Milwaukee residents since
1990. Benefits of the program include a dramatic increase in lending in
the central city, from 58 loans in 1989 to 216 in 1992. Even the private
sector has generated interest in serving the central city market.
Contact: Gwen Torkelson, Executive Assistant Wisconsin Housing and Economic
Development Authority P.O. Box 1728 Madison, WI 53701-1728 608/267-1728
Interagency Coordination, Houston, Texas
Summary: "Interagency Coordination" made it possible to coordinate
the major capital improvement projects undertaken by various city, county
and state agencies in the Greater Houston area. The opportunity to make
interagency cooperation viable began soon after the start of the Greater
Houston Wastewater Program (GHWP), a Division of the City's Department of
Public Works and Engineering.
Text: The GHWP was established by the City
of Houston in response to a need to control wastewater overflows as mandated
by the federal government (EPA), and the Texas Natural Resources Conservation
Commission. Work being done by the GHWP involves the expenditure of over
$1 billion in three years, most of it in sewer rehabilitation and new relief
sewers. The construction work, affecting a large part of the 5,600 mile
sewer collection system, and covering almost the whole City, is clearly
on a scale never seen before. To minimize the construction impact of this
work, and avoid conflicts with other agencies, an Interagency Coordination
Committee was formed by the GHWP in early 1993. It is comprised of representatives
from the various City, County and State agencies involved in construction
activity within the Greater Houston area, including GHWP, City roads, water;
Harris County Engineer's Department, and Harris County Flood Control District;
Metro: and TxDOT. This committee met on a regular basis, collating all available
data on current and future projects within their respective capital improvement
programs. It became apparent that the large number of projects involved
would require the use of a Geographical Information System (GIS). Intergraph
equipment and software was selected for the graphical display and data base
of all the projects. Layering allows the plotting of each agency's projects
on a map or digital orthophoto base for visual checking. Color coding of
the projects permits immediate identification of the relevant agency or
division responsible. To date, some 3300 projects have been identified and
incorporated into the records representing ten agencies or divisions of
an agency. The results achieved from this initiative have demonstrated the
cost benefit of the coordination effort, not only to the Greater Houston
Wastewater Program but to the other agencies. Communication between the
agencies has improved, conflicts identified, and resolutions reached. Any
initial skepticism that may have existed has changed into unreserved enthusiasm.
The program addresses two issues: the costs associated with additional construction
and contractor delay claims, and citizens' dissatisfaction, either of which
may result from construction conflicts which may occur through a failure
of agencies to plan ahead. "Conflict" is defined in different
ways according to the specific case. Simultaneous construction by two agencies
on a certain street is an obvious example. Another example would be a resurfaced
road being affected by trench excavation within say two years of completion
of the paving work. Prolonged disruption to a neighborhood or to businesses
through sequential work which might restrict traffic flow or adversely affect
the public patronage of businesses for an unreasonable amount of time would
also qualify as a conflict. The total cost to the Greater Houston Wastewater
Program for the Interagency Coordination effort to date is approximately
$305,000 inclusive of labor and non-labor. This represents the cost of setting
up the system, collecting data from all the participating agencies and preparing
the first volume of color graphics for each agency together with a data
listing of over 3,300 projects. It is a living document and will require
regular and routine updating. The cost to GHWP of providing this ongoing
service is expected to be between $30,000 and $40,000 a month. To put this
in perspective, the Greater Houston Wastewater Program is entering the principal
construction phase of rehabilitation and relief sewer construction, with
projects totaling approximately $1.1 billion. Construction began in 1994
and will end in December 1997, with an average expenditure of $23 million
per month. Approximately 85 percent of this will be in street right-of-way.
In other words 0.17 percent of the construction cost is being spent to avoid
conflicts. The benefits clearly outweigh the costs.
Contact: Douglas Ivor-Smith Deputy Program Manager Greater Houston Wastewater
Program 1100 Louisiana Suite 1100 Houston TX 77002 713/659-5518
Innovation In Recruiting And Hiring: Attracting The "Best And Brightest"
To State Service, State of Wisconsin Summary: The hiring innovations
pioneered by the Wisconsin Department of Employment Relations provide Wisconsin's
state agencies and citizens with more efficient, responsive, and "user-friendly"
civil service hiring systems. These innovations -- the Entry Professional
Program, the Critical Recruitment Program, Walk-in Civil Service Testing,
and JOBS (Job Opportunity Bulletin System) -- have greatly enhanced state
government's success in hiring highly-qualified employees who reflect the
state's diversity.
Text: To provide responsive service to their citizens,
government agencies must hire highly-skilled public servants. The hiring
innovations pioneered by the Wisconsin Department of Employment Relations
provide Wisconsin's state agencies and citizens with more efficient, responsive,
and "user-friendly" civil service hiring systems. These innovations
-- the Entry Professional Program, the Critical Recruitment Program, Walk-in
Civil Service Testing, and JOBS (Job Opportunity Bulletin System) -- have
greatly enhanced state government's success in hiring highly- qualified
employees who reflect our state's diversity. The program goal was to systematically
create hiring systems that are more timely, easier for applicants to understand
and compete in, provide managers with greater hiring choices, and are merit-based.
By creating more timely and responsive systems, the main objective was to
enable Wisconsin to attract and hire the talented people necessary to provide
the best possible services to its citizens. The hiring innovation strategy
is revolutionary because the programs are more timely, responsive, flexible
and accessible than traditional civil service hiring procedures, but still
adhere to the fairness and merit principles fundamental to civil service.
The Entry Professional Program (EPP) and Critical Recruitment Program (CRP)
both use creative alternatives to the written multiple choice exams still
used in most jurisdictions. The alternatives are more user-friendly, impose
fewer bureaucratic hurdles on applicants, minimize disparate impact, and
enable hiring decisions to be based on specific qualifications, not just
"book knowledge". Walk-in Testing eliminates bureaucratic barriers
in cases where multiple choice exams are still most appropriate. In these
cases, applicants simply "walk-in" to testing centers (which are
held on every third Saturday), apply immediately, and take exams. Although
other jurisdictions may use walk-in testing on a limited basis, Wisconsin
is the only state to use Walk-in Testing as its exclusive written testing
method. JOBS provides immediate and accessible access to vacancy announcements
throughout Wisconsin. Applicants no longer have to depend solely on printed
mailed copies of announcements. Now, they simply dial into a state-wide
system and access up-to-date information.
Contact: Robert Lavigna, Administrator Department of Employment Relations
Merit Recruitment & Selection 137 E. Wilson Street P.O. Box 7855 Madison
WI 53702 608/266-1136
Maintenance Reserve Program, Kansas City, Missouri Summary: The Maintenance
Reserve Program (MIRP) was developed to complement Kansas City's Rehabilitation
Loan Program (RLP), operated by the non-profit Rehabilitation Loan Corporation.
Essentially, the MIRP is health insurance for the home. This program offers
non-traditional homeowner insurance to low-income residents, for a nominal
fee, that enables them to maintain their homes.
Text: The Maintenance Reserve Program (MRP) was developed to complement
Kansas City's Rehabilitation Loan Program (RLP), operated by the non-profit
Rehabilitation Loan Corporation. This organization, established as part
of the Kansas City Community Development Program, is a full service housing
provider. The RLP's primary target population has been low/moderate income,
single family home owners. Low and moderate income persons who are first
time home buyers, or participate in housing rehab programs, face a particular
dilemma; the financing that allows them to rehabilitate and/or purchase
a home generally leaves them with little cash flow for replacement reserve.
The contractor's Home Owner Warranty (HOW and HOW Remodeler) is a relatively
short term solution to minor household problems or faulty workmanship -it
does not address long term repair/replacement. While standard homeowners
insurance will pay for the repair/replacement of systems damaged or destroyed
due to fire or weather, they invariably have both depreciation and deductible
-- creating costs that are difficult to bear by low income persons. The Maintenance
Reserve Program is an affordable and cost effective approach to these issues.
For a small monthly fee of $10.00, items such as roof, plumbing and electrical
repair: water and sewer line replacement; and furnace and hot water tank
repair/replacement can be addressed at generally no additional out of pocket
expenses for the homeowner. Coverage has frequency, per claim, and lifetime
limits to ensure actuarial soundness. For example, plumbing repairs are
limited to three per year for a maximum of $250.00 with a lifetime cap of
$1,000.00.
Contact: Joseph Egan, Administrator Rehabilitation Loan Corporation Maintenance
Reserve Corporation 6285 Paseo Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64110 816/444-4600
Metropass Program, State of Florida Summary: The Medicaid "Metropass
Program," a joint venture by the State of Florida Agency for Health
Care Administration and the Metro Dade County Transit Agency, was designed
to provide unlimited public transportation to selected Medicaid recipients
who forgo the use of their individualized Medicaid transportation to medical
appointments.
Text: The Medicaid Metropass Program, a joint venture by the
State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and the Metro Dade
County Transit Agency, was designed to provide unlimited public transportation
to selected Medicaid recipients who forgo the use of their individualized
Medicaid transportation to medical appointments. Medicaid recipients who
were using individualized Medicaid transport a minimum of six times per
month during the prior three month period were invited to participate in
this program. After an initial successful six months of operation, the program
was expanded to include individuals from 12 different community agencies
(i.e.. mental health centers, AIDS support networks, and senior citizen
centers) that served Medicaid clients who have frequent need for transportation
to Medicaid compensable services. Cost savings are calculated monthly using
a formula based upon actual transportation charges incurred for the previous
three months or based upon community agency projections of scheduled appointments
for the current month. The amount of trips per month by people included
in this program has ranged from a minimum of six to a maximum of 46 (for
a client who attends a mental health day treatment program five times a
week and also has medical appointments scheduled during the month). The
cost of a one way paratransit trip is $15.73; the cost of a monthly discounted
transit pass is $31.63. Savings per client range from a minimum of $94.38
per month to a maximum of $723.58 each month. The Metropass Program created
a win-win situation. For the Florida taxpayers a dramatic documented cost
savings; for Medicaid clients increased mobility and independence; for Metro
Dade County increased public transportation ridership and therefore increased
revenue; and for private providers more dependable transportation for their
clients.
Contact: Judith Rosenbaum, Program Administrator Health Care Administration
401 N.W. 2nd Avenue Suite 212 Miami FL 33128 305/377-5148
Orange County Fleet Management Productivity Improvement Plan, Orange County,
Florida Summary: The Orange County Fleet Management Productivity Improvement
Plan successfully evaluated all resources and established a program to save,
recover, recycle, reclaim and resuse all resources.
Text: Faced with a 66
percent growth in fleet size and a growth in staff size of less than 5 percent,
the Orange County Department of Fleet Management needed a non-monetary means
of increasing production. Labor and management decided to implement a variety
of programs to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction, and
save tax payer dollars. Programs such as employee participation in the hiring
process, total quality management, expansion of working hours, job rotation,
in-house GED training, conflict resolution, and a feedback production control
program produced measurable results. The combined efforts reduced funding
requirements by over 30 percent, reducing the budget requirement to $7 million
annually. The productivity efforts resulted in other desirable outcomes,
as well. Two laborers designed and built a large capacity oil filter crusher
that saved fleet management over $10,000, while helping to protect the Orange
County environment. Studies show that one pint of used motor oil, improperly
disposed, can pollute over 250,000 gallons of water. By using excess parts,
the employees designed a cost effective way to crush and dispose of used
oil filters thereby reducing the amount of disposable products by 75 percent.
Contact: James Brock, Fleet Manager Orange County Fleet Management 2450
33rd Street Orlando FL 32839 407/836-7800
Process Improvement Initiative, State of Arizona Summary: The "Process
Improvement Initiative" is a systematic effort to improve the child
support collection system in the State of Arizona.
Text: The Child Support
Collection System in the State of Arizona had grown in fits and starts over
the years. The system grew to reflect the many years of patched together
processes that were designed to address specific problems, instead of addressing
the entire system. The system over the years had become a monolith of outmoded
procedures. The only way to correct the problem was through a complete review
and overhaul of the entire system. The Process Improvement Initiative (PII)
did not focus on restructuring the organization, but rather on replacing
outdated, ineffective processes with those that would increase the number
of child support orders established and enforced, decrease cycle time and
provide exemplary customer service. By removing scores of unnecessary steps,
and streamlining hundreds more, the PII Team was able to recommend nineteen
projects to streamline processes and thus reduce the cycle time by 74 percent
(the time it takes to work a case through establishment and collection of
a child support order). Under the outmoded process, custodial parents waited
187 business days (over eight months) to start receiving child support.
Under the new process, a child support order can be established in as little
as 48 business days. By applying TQM principles to government, the Division
of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) implemented an innovative approach to
problem solving that helped revitalize the agency. The employees in DCSE
were not only responsible for identifying the problems, but also for designing
and implementing the solutions.
Contact: Iuliana "Julie" Vaughn, State IV-D Director Division
of Child Support Enforcement Focused Process Improvement Initiative 3443
N. Central Avenue, Suite 419 Phoenix, AZ 85012 602/274-7646
Residential Police Officer Program, Alexandria, Virginia Summary: The
Alexandria Police Department introduced the "Residential Police Officer"
(RPO) Program in the fall of 1992 as a pilot program aimed at reducing serious
crime in one of the City's most vulnerable neighborhoods. In the RPO Program,
a veteran Police Officer moves into a selected public housing community
or other low-income neighborhood, which becomes the Residential Police Officer's
patrol "beat."
Text: The RPO Program represents a marked departure
from traditional police work, which consists of patrol officers responding
to calls for service as directed by a police dispatcher. Traditionally,
the Police Officer's responsibility has been very narrowly defined: respond
to crime scenes, take a report, make arrests, assist crime victims, and
respond to the dispatcher's next call. Police Officers have little time
to engage in community organizing activities that in the long run enable
neighborhoods to promote the health, welfare and safety of its residents
and help them to resist crime. In addition to patrolling the neighborhood
on foot, the Residential Police Officer is on duty 24 hours a day and is
responsible for enlisting neighborhood residents in an organized effort
to reduce crime and solve other community problems. Officer Michael Mason,
the City's first Resident Police Officer, was assigned to a 12-square-block
area known as RPO District I in the fall of 1992. RPO District I contains
269 public housing units and 702 residents, including 377 youth under the
age of 19. Residents are predominantly African-American (97%), and 78% of
the households were single- parent families, most headed by women. By the
spring of 1993, the RPO Program proved so effective that it was expanded
to a second neighborhood. Officer David Ray was assigned to RPO District
II, a four-square-block area that was the site of a 1989 drug-related hostage
incident in which one Police Officer was killed and another seriously wounded.
There are 211 public housing units in District H with 477 residents, including
217 youths under 19, and 71% of the households are single-parent families,
most headed by women. In the fall of 1993, the RPO Program was expanded
to Arlandria, an area with a large Latino population, many of whom reside
in publicly assisted rental housing. Before taking up her duties, officer
Terri Mucci-Rector completed a eight-week Spanish language immersion course.
All three Residential Police Officers are veteran Officers who volunteered
for the assignment and received special training in community problem solving.
They reside in public housing units provided by the Alexandria Redevelopment
and Housing Authority and their 'beat' assignment is to provide police services
24 hours a day to their neighborhood. They are also responsible for recruiting
community leaders and involving residents in the development and implementation
of solutions to community problems identified by the residents themselves.
During the RPO Program's nearly two years of operation, community acceptance
of the program is exceptionally high. The Resident Police officers are well
respected members of their new neighborhoods. While serious crimes (homicide,
rape, robbery, assaults, burglaries, larcenies) increased by 10.3 percent
in 1993, serious crime decreased by as much as percent in the RPO Districts.
Contact: Lennis George, Assistant Police Chief Alexandria Police Department
P.O. Box 178 Alexandria VA 22314 703/838-4700
Neighborhood Pride and Protection Program, San Diego, California Summary:
The Library plays an integral role in the City of San Diego's "Neighborhood
Pride and Protection Program" (NPP). Developed in 1991, the program
is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all San Diegans by forming
community partnerships within neighborhoods to broaden the scope and impact
of city services.
Text: The San Diego Public Library's NPP program addresses
the underlying problems associated with at-risk youth ages 4-18. These problems
include a lack of educational skills that improve self-esteem, a lack of
safe places for children and young adults to gather, a lack of reinforcement
of school curricula and a lack of facilities and programs which provide
opportunities for family involvement. Many of the San Diego communities,
particularly the densely populated, ethnically diverse inner-city communities,
have experienced a deteriorating quality of life in which young people are
particularly vulnerable. NPP has improved the delivery of library services
through three major elements expanded library hours, the establishment of
Homework Centers, and the provision of Youth Services Librarians. The expanded
hours at three area libraries, 12 branch libraries and the Central library,
which keep the libraries open later in the evenings and on Sundays, have
served to provide an opportunity for additional use of library facilities
for recreational reading, to study and complete homework assignments, or
seek tutorial assistance. The Homework Centers offer a productive environment,
particularly after school hours. The addition of full time youth services
librarians at Central and Branch libraries enhances outreach and cooperative
efforts with local schools and community agencies and provides special interest
programming to attract youth to the library. One of the main purposes of
NPP is to form community partnerships and inter-departmental cooperation.
At most Homework Centers, 2-3 volunteers aid students with homework and
literacy skills, Satellite Centers are located in City of San Diego Park
and Recreation facilities as well as in neighborhood based agencies such
as Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA's and homeless shelters. In the past two years
over $30,000 has been donated from private sources to establish and maintain
Homework Centers. Over $282,000 in State and Federal funds have been awarded
for specific target groups such as new immigrants (Asian and Hispanic),
youth, family literacy, seniors and limited English speaking populations.
Over 75% of these funds have been earmarked for NPP programs. The library
has allocated $4,810,855 of its general funds over the past three years
to establish and support NPP. The success of the centers is measured by
computer use, tutor/student matches, the condition of the collections and
equipment, youth circulation and door count. A survey evaluating output
measures is planned. Extended Sunday service now accounts for 5% of the
total circulation system wide. Students are the largest user group based
on informal staff input. In FY 93, over 75,000 children attended programs,
including summer programs. So far, from July 1993 to January 1994, over
49,593 children have attended programs at Central and branch libraries.
Nine new Youth Services Librarians, hired and trained to serve San Diego
communities, have successfully attracted more children to participate in
programs. There has likewise been an increase in usage of Homework Center
computers. In FY 93 almost 37,000 children used these computer. In the first
six months of FY 93 over 44,000 students availed themselves of this important
service.
Contact: William Sannwald, City Librarian City of San Diego Public Library
820 E Street San Diego CA 92101 619/236-5871
School Based Youth Services Program, State of New Jersey
Summary: Implemented in 1988 under Governor Thomas Kean, the "New Jersey
School Based Youth Services Program" (SBYSP) provides comprehensive
services on a one-stop shopping basis in or near secondary schools. Sites
provide the following core services: health care, mental health, and family
counseling, employment training, and substance abuse counseling.
Text: The SBYSP helped to eliminate artificial boundaries between schools
and various human service, health and employment systems by creating a link
among service providers that fosters a comprehensive system of care for
at risk youth. The program addresses numerous problems facing adolescents,
children, and families. These problems often result in young people dropping
out or not attending school, committing self-destructive acts including
becoming pregnant, involvement with the juvenile justice system, and poor
academic performance. In addition, many services that are provided to this
population are inaccessible and geographically dispersed throughout counties.
Therefore, young people, even if they could get to the services, are often
unable to. Also, the systems that young people are involved with do not
interact with one another in a way that serves their clients. The SBYSP
provides services at the site where the young people are most likely to
be---school---and also links for the first time the various community programs
and systems including education, human services, health, and employment.
By providing services at the place where the majority of young people are
found, the SBYSP is able to bring services directly to the client. Making
the services convenient and client-centered has provided access and increased
the use of services by young people. Also, having these agencies work together
on the various problems that young people face allows the sum of the parts
to become greater than the whole. The fact that over 20,000 students and
their families used these services in the core service areas is testimony
to the improvement of the delivery system. In addition, the program uses
recreation as an umbrella for services creating a non stigmatizing atmosphere.
This atmosphere draws students to the program and to the caring adults who
are on staff to assist young people. This program is not measured in terms
of direct cost reduction. It is measured in terms of young people attending
school, improving their academic performance, not dropping out of school,
and in changing their behavior to avoid ending up in one of the State's
tertiary systems, e.g., juvenile justice, mental health institutions. The
major result of this program is that children and families receive services
in a holistic way and that the systems that affect these individuals work
together for the customer. In addition, this program was the springboard
for developing a subcabinet interagency group of eight state departments
called "FamilyNet." FamilyNet was designed to foster collaboration
at the state level, to remove barriers to providing services, and to work
with local school districts. Finally, the last result is the thousands of
young people who are now on the road to becoming productive citizens and
meeting their full potential.
Contact: Edward Tetelman, Director Legal & Regulatory Affairs State of
New Jersey Department of Human Services CN 700 Trenton NJ 08625 609/292-1617
Substance Abuse Information System, Baltimore County, Maryland
Summary: The Baltimore County "Substance Abuse Information System"
is a computerized on-line, data-collection and billing system that follows
each client admitted into the substance abuse program throughout his or
her treatment plan. It is user friendly and maintains a master registration
record that allows multiple admissions to be entered for each client.
Text: The Baltimore County Office of Substance Abuse Information System
developed a computerized on-line, data-collection and billing system that
follows each client admitted into the program throughout his or her treatment
plan. It is user friendly and maintains a master registration record that
allows multiple admissions to be entered for each client. The system accounts
for every scheduled visit, including cancellations, no-shows and payments
on accounts. Individual receivables balances are maintained and are available
both on-line and in report form. Clients are invoiced monthly through automated
invoice generation. The system is capable of generating reports on virtually
any combination of criteria. Since its implementation in 1989, the Baltimore
County Office of Substance Abuse has been able to increase its effectiveness
in treating substance-abuse clients and increasing annual revenues from
$330,000 to over $550,000 in four years. The Baltimore County Office of
Substance Abuse is also conducting one of the few follow-up studies on clients
who have left treatment to measure the effectiveness of the County's treatment
services. The Baltimore County Office of Substance Abuse is also conducting
one of the few follow-up studies on clients who have left treatment to measure
the effectiveness of the County's treatment services. With the data collected
by this system, the Baltimore County Office of Substance Abuse has joined
forces with the Police Department to develop an innovative computer database
that maps the County's worst drug neighborhoods. This information has allowed
law-enforcement agencies and treatment agencies to target their limited
resources to the needed communities. The Baltimore County Office of Substance
Abuse Information System has allowed the County to attack its drug and crime
problem with a systematic approach which has been cost effective and shown
results. Baltimore County, like the rest of the nation, is experiencing
a serious drug and crime problem throughout the entire County. With limited
resources, the County needed a way in which to improve the quality of its
efforts and to ensure that limited resources were allocated in the appropriate
areas. This information needed to be placed on a database that all counselors
and police officers could utilize. The data also had to include information
received from citizens, treatment programs, hospitals, police and from hot
lines.
Contact: Michael Gimbel, Director Office of Substance Abuse Baltimore
County 401 Washington Ave. Suite 300 Towson MD 21204 410/887-3828
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Project, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Summary: The "T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Project" provides the
structure for statewide educational scholarship opportunities for child
care teachers, directors and family day care home providers who wish to
further their education in early childhood.
Text: The T.E.A.C.H. Project is based on the principle of partnership and
brings together the statewide community college system, child care staff,
employing agencies and scholarship program as well as partnering many diverse
funding sources. The Project's goal is to positively affect the quality
of care that children who are cared for in child care centers throughout
North Carolina receive by addressing some of the issues that have resulted
in a statewide, and indeed national, child care staffing crisis. Over 158,000
children spend their days in one of North Carolina 3,400 licensed child
care centers or 3,300 registered family day care homes. These children are
being cared for by child care staff that typically have no formal education
past high school, make less than $5.25 per hour and leave the field at a
rate of 38% per year. The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Project provides a
variety of programs structured to address these factors that negatively
affect the quality of care that North Carolina's youngest citizens receive.
The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Project provides educational scholarship
opportunities for child care staff to attend college to further their education
in early childhood. These programs are designed to be inclusive of different
educational level upon entry and are structured to offer a variety of options
that meet the needs of the diversity of child care settings in North Carolina.
The Project links this increased education with increased compensation and
mandates post education commitment to the field. Research has demonstrated
that among the characteristics that contribute to the quality of an early
childhood setting are higher caregiver education level and low staff turnover.
The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Project improves the delivery of child care
services for North Carolina's families by providing child care staff with
affordable educational opportunities at 56 of North Carolina's 58 community
colleges as well as five bachelor degree granting institutions. Higher education
has been linked to more positive caregiver behavior, a greater likelihood
of providing developmentally appropriate activities and to the following
positive outcomes for children: better language skills, lower levels of
apathy, increased cooperative behavior and greater task persistence. Conversely,
high turnover rates have been linked to these negative outcomes for children:
lower developmental levels in play with peers, lower perceptions of own
competence, evidence of greater insecurity and poorer academic performance
at the end of first grade.
Contact: Margaret Mobley, Director Day Care Services Association Professional
Development Program PO Box 901 Chapel Hill NC 27514,
919/967-3272
Trenton Office of Policy Studies (TOPS) Trenton, New Jersey
Summary: The Trenton Office of Policy Studies (TOPS) was created by the
City of Trenton and Thomas Edison State College as an innovative partnership
to analyze emerging issues of public policy that affect the residents of
Trenton.
Text: The Trenton Office of Policy Studies (TOPS) was created by
the City of Trenton and Thomas Edison State College as an innovative partnership
by bringing together the best insights of the academic community and the
public and private sectors in order to address vital, emerging public policy
issues facing the City of Trenton. TOPS was designed to be pro-active in
assisting the City government in formulating programs and plans to address
these issues. In carrying out its responsibilities, TOPS draws upon the
expertise of faculty, staff, and students associated with Trenton-area institutions
of higher education, public policy practitioners, and other appropriate
consultants. TOPS has grown to include participation by each of the surrounding
institutions of higher learning, as well as representatives of community
groups, businesses and other concerned institutions. By bringing together
the best insights of the academic community and the public and private sectors
to address vital public policy issues facing Trenton, TOPS has demonstrated
the great value of this municipal-collegiate partnership model.
Contact: John Thurber, Executive Director Trenton Office of Policy Studies
Thomas Edison State College 101 West State Street Trenton, NJ 08608-1115,
609/777-4351
Volunteer Interpreter Service, State of Texas
Summary: The "Volunteer Interpreter Service" provides staff with
interpreters for more than 20 languages, emphasizing the languages that
staff hear most often, including Vietnamese, Spanish, Russian and Kurdish.
Volunteers are available to interpret, either in person or by phone, with
staff having access to an automated resource directory containing the volunteers'
names, phone numbers and times of availability.
Text: Lack of interpreters often creates a loss of communication between
Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS) staff and non-English-speaking
applicants for Food Stamps, Medicaid and Aid to Families with Dependent
Children. This causes errors in work and disrupts service. This is the guiding
force behind the creation of the Volunteer Interpreter Service. The Volunteer
Interpreter Service provides staff with interpreters for more than 20 languages,
emphasizing the languages that staff hear most often, including Vietnamese,
Spanish, Russian and Kurdish. Volunteers are available to interpret, either
in person or by phone, with staff having access to an automated resource
directory containing the volunteers' names, phone numbers and times of availability.
While the program is currently limited to Dallas financial assistance staff,
other offices are being included as the number of interpreters increases.
The main concern is to ensure that staff can quickly access an interpreter.
Volunteers include community members with disabilities, college students,
mothers at home with children, clients enrolled in job skills training courses,
and community members trying to help their own culture. As the project expands,
the resource directory of interpreters will be divided according to geographic
areas in order to reduce long distance phone charges and the size of the
computer listings. Ultimately, this program will provide written and verbal
interpreting services to all Region 03 (Arlington area) staff, regardless
of location or program.
Contact: Sonya Meinert Eligibility Specialist
State of Texas Dept. of Human Services 10731 Rockwell St. Dallas TX 75238
214/342-3241
Washington Interactive Television, State of Washington
Summary: Washington Interactive Television (WIT) is Washington state's public
video telecommunications system. WIT serves elected officials, state agencies,
municipal governments, public schools, higher education and citizens to
make communication faster, easier, less expensive and more effective.
Text: From Seattle to Spokane and Vancouver to Bellingham, WIT is working
to create a video telecommunications infrastructure that allows public employees
and state citizens to save time and money otherwise spent on travel. WIT
services include a broadcast quality television studio, satellite uplink
services, satellite downlink and cable channel coordination, video production,
a 13 point two-way video-conferencing system, and dial- up access worldwide.
WIT is bringing state-of-the- art technology to Washington in a way that
is educational, innovative and appropriate for the state and its citizens.
WIT is built on the success of several years of demonstration projects and
partnerships. Interfacing satellite technology with a terrestrial compressed
digital video-conference system has created a video infrastructure with
maximum capabilities, enabling communication, flexibility and access like
never before. Already, the value of WIT to save time and money, increase
access to government, and better statewide communication has been proven
as the following examples represent: - Former Governor Booth Gardner held
a public hearing on education reform with citizens in rural communities
who otherwise would have not had the opportunity to speak out and be heard.
- The director of the Department of Wildlife talks with approximately 800
employees across the state on a quarterly basis, enabling staff to have
direct access to top management and increased communication.
- Citizens
in Spokane testified before Commissioners of the Washington Utilities and
Transportation Commission in Olympia 250 miles away, a distance that would
have prevented most citizens from traveling and providing comment on an
important issue.
- State representatives conduct video "town meetings" during
the legislative session on issues important to constituents at home.
- High
quality, yet inexpensive video production enables agencies to provide professional
training programs for employees, reduce travel costs and create flexible
training sessions.
Experts from around the state, nation and world can be
part of a satellite broadcast via our two-way video-conferencing interface.
WIT offers state Government a one-stop shop for video telecommunications,
maximizing benefits, increasing communication. and saving valuable resources
like time and money.
Contact: Marilyn Freeman, Special Assistant Washington State Information
Services 710 Sleater Kinney Rd., Suite Q, Olympia WA 98504 206/407-0130
Window on State Government (BBS), State of Texas Summary: The Texas
State Comptroller's "Window on State Government" bulletin board
system (BBS) was developed by the Comptroller's Research and Application
Systems Divisions in an effort to more widely distribute data and information
to citizens of the state.
Text: The Texas State Comptroller's "Window on State Government"
bulletin board system (BBS) was developed by the Comptroller's Research
and Application Systems Divisions in an effort to more widely distribute
data and information to citizens of the state. Window utilizes an IBM-compatible
486 PC, some standard BBS software and 16 modems. The general public may
dial into the system using a 1-800 number (if calling inside Texas) to access
data and download files to their own personal computer. Our system is operational
24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some of the data available to our users
include: Gross and retail sales by city, county and metro area Employment
data by region and metro area Texas economic indicators Texas population
forecast Local allocation data by city State spending by category and year
State revenue by source Policy Research and Exchange Program Statewide elected
officials and legislators State and Federal Grant Directory State Purchasing
and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program Text of the NAFTA
and National Performance Review Window also allows users to connect to other
state government BBSs, free of charge. Some of the dial- out options include:
Texas Department of Commerce: "Texas Marketplace" Texas Employment
Commission BBS Texas Parks & Wildlife Department: "The Outdoor BBS"
Texas Ethics Commission BBS Office of the Governor, "Texas Victims
Assistance Network" Texas Cancer Council BBS As the principal tax administrator
and chief fiscal officer for the state, one of the Comptroller's functions
is to compile and maintain tax and economic data. The Comptrollers Office
receives thousands of data requests from individuals, companies and government
agencies throughout the state. Our agency faced the challenge of distributing
this data in a timely, cost-effective manner. The BBS is in keeping with
the Comptroller's philosophy of "open government," and making
that government more responsive to the citizens of the state. As part of
the Comptroller's strategic plan, one of the agency's primary goals was
to "maximize customer service satisfaction by improving services while
minimizing administrative burdens on those we serve."
Contact: Drew Scherz, Programmer/Analyst Public Accounts Comptroller
LBJ State Office Building Room 809 11 E. 17th Street Austin TX 78774 800/531-5441
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Last updated March 15, 1997.
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