Family Level Best Practices

Helping Low-Income People become more Self-Sufficient (Category 1)

Helping Low-Income People, especially Vulnerable Populations, Achieve their Potential by Strengthening Family and Other Supportive Systems (Category 6)

Helping Low-Income People become more Self-Sufficient (Category 1)

BEST PRACTICE 2007
CAO of Scioto County

CAO Workforce Connections One Stop
Workforce Connections of Scioto County is a member of the four county Workforce Area #1 which also includes Adams, Brown and Pike counties in Ohio. The Workforce Connections of Scioto County is operated by the Community Action Organization of Scioto County and is currently the program operator for all WIA activities and programs including operation of the local One-Stop. The local One-Stop is a comprehensive one-stop site for Workforce Area #1. Since its inception Workforce Area #1 has been among the top five Workforce Areas in Ohio in meeting performance standards and spending requirements. In program year 2007 Workforce Connections of Scioto County has enrolled 78% of the customers in Workforce Area #1 while receiving only 48% of the funding. Workforce Connections of Scioto County also operates program under contract for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, the local Scioto County ODJFS, the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Department of Development and eleven (11) local school districts.

The goal of Workforce Connections, and that of the CAO of Scioto County, is to provide employment opportunities for low income families. This is done through programs and services provided by funds from the Workforce Investment Act.

CAO of Scioto County
Robert Walton, Executive Director
740-354-7541

BEST PRACTICE 2006
Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc.

Financial Literacy Program
The Financial Literacy Program is a collaborative effort between National Cooperative Bank (NCB) and Highland County Community Action to address the need for a financial literacy program to assist residents in wisely managing their limited financial resources. This is the only program being offered in the county in this area. In its 2nd full year of operation, the program has provided over 7 financial literacy workshops and numerous individual counseling sessions to over 60 unduplicated residents which is more than 400% of the original goal. By year end, ten of these individuals will have followed a budget for three months.

Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc.
Julia Perie, Executive Director
(937) 393-3458

BEST PRACTICE 2006
Akron Summit Community Action Inc.

The Earned Income Tax Credit Program of Akron
In 2003, ASCA collaborated with the IRS, Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic and Congressman Sherrod Brown to organize the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program of Akron. Less than one-third of eligible workers claimed the EITC, and 43% of filers used Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL’s) with high interest rates and fees. The EITC Program of Akron provides outreach and promotes free tax preparation through IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. In 2006 volunteers completed 1,518 returns, generated $2,563,173 in refunds, saved $303,600 in tax preparation fees and the program communicated with 131,888 residents.

Akron Summit Community Action Inc.
Malcolm J. Costa, Executive Director
(330) 376-7730

BEST PRACTICE 2004
Stark County Community Action Agency

Families in Partnership
Moving economically disadvantaged customers into entry level career positions positively impacting unemployment and underemployment in Stark County. Plant closings and substandard educational achievement were factors in the Families in Partnership’s job program. Participants work a fast track, nine-week core academic program that covers Basic Skills, Customer Response Skills, Business Skills and Computer Skills. This supports and supplements the agency mission to create and deliver effective services targeting self-sufficiency in low-income families. 772 individuals have completed the program and found employment with aggregate annual earnings of $ 11,550,821. 393 employers in and around Stark County hired these participants. In addition, nearly two thousand of these customers were referred to other agencies and community resources for individual or family support.

Stark County Community Action Agency
Walter Henderson, Executive Director
(330) 454-1676

BEST PRACTICE 2004
Highland County Community Action Organization

Bus Driver's Training Program
was instituted to meet the growing need for bus drivers and substitutes for Head Start. With two needs in mind; lack of drivers and parents needing employment, the CAO established a training program to seek out, train and certify bus drivers. The program purchases a permit package for interested persons. After successfully obtaining a permit, the agency interviews and hires for substitute positions. Pre-service classes are completed to become a bus driver. Working with the Transportation Manager, the parent learns the proper operation, rules and regulations of bus driving. When the parent driver is ready to take the CDL exam, the manager goes with them. As of 2003, ten parents have completed the training. These ten have been able to work within the Head Start family where they build their confidence and experience. Nine have successfully obtained their CDL. The Head Start program has benefited, the community has benefited and the parent drivers have achieved their goals and become self-sufficient.

Highland County Community Action Agency
Julia Perie, Executive Director
(937) 393-3458

Helping Low-Income People, especially Vulnerable Populations, Achieve their Potential by Strengthening Family and Other Supportive Systems (Category 6)

BEST PRACTICE 2007
Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission

Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Senior Services
The Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Senior Services Division provides a broad spectrum of services to the senior citizen population of Coshocton County. Services provided include: a meal program, transportation, prescription assistance, exercise programs, health screenings, and many socialization activities. A few years ago, due to significant funding cuts, programs were threatened with discontinuation, staff was laid off, the center closed an additional two days per week, and vital services were in jeopardy. After a failed levy attempt, it appeared that the center may close. It was imperative to get the message out about the need for senior services, generate funding, and restore programming with the final outcome being passage of an operating levy, restoration of services, expansion of new services, and an increase in the number of senior citizens served. For 2007 the need continued for outreach, a renovation project and expansion of our customer base.

Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission
J. Michael Stephens, Executive Director
740-622-8801

BEST PRACTICE 2007
Lifeline, Inc.

Family Development
Family Development is a long-term self-sufficiency program designed specifically for single parents who wish to either further their education or obtain job training, but face many barriers and lack the proper support system to achieve their dream. The program’s goal is to help these families make a permanent transition from agency-dependency to self- sufficiency.
Most of our participating families live in low-income housing developments where education and self-sufficiency are not encouraged. Many do not have family that they can rely on and most suffer from low self-esteem. The Family Development program assists the families enrolled in several specific ways. First, it provides a financial safety net for the families while they are pursuing their education or job training program. Second, through regular home visits with their Lifeline family advocate, they receive constant support and encouragement, as well as a valuable resource for referrals. Finally, our enrolled families are able to participate in group outings designed to allow the parents to use each other as supports and their children to interact in a safe, family-friendly activity.
In 2007, we anticipate 20 families being actively enrolled in the program and five graduating and becoming self-sufficient.

Lifeline, Inc.
Carrie Dotson, Executive Director
440-354-2148

BEST PRACTICE 2006
Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs

Oral Health Initiative
In Allen County, nearly 24,280 residents have incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Rate with little or no access to comprehensive oral health care. The Head Start families are a sub group of this poverty-stricken population and the problems are real for our families and children. Therefore, in partnership with the Allen County Health Partners, LACAA applied for a U.S. HHS grant to overcome the barriers to care. In 2006, 84% of the Head Start children, who were diagnosed as needing further dental treatment received treatment as compared to the 2004-2005 program year where only 34% received treatment.

Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs
Jacqueline Fox, Executive Director
(419) 227-2586

BEST PRACTICE 2006
Erie-Huron Counties Community Action Commission, Inc.

Parents As Teacher/Kindergarten Readiness Program
Despite the efforts of Head Start, preschool and school districts, many children enter school with inadequate readiness skills, and classroom experience, which hinders their ability to succeed academically, compared to their better-prepared classmates. Kindergarten Readiness Camps were designed to address the needs of children who were unable to access preschool, or only had limited experience, due to waiting lists, affordability, or transportation issues, or whose readiness skills were limited due to a lack of learning materials. In the most recent three sessions of KRC, 108 students were served with 8 half-days of class, lunch and transportation. Screening results showed an average of 7% improvement in skills.

Erie-Huron Counties Community Action Commission, Inc.
Janice W. Warner, Executive Director
(419) 602-0150

BEST PRACTICE 2004
Columbus Metropolitan Area Community Action Organization

Los Padres Activos Dey Hoy
was developed to meet the need of the large number of Hispanic families participating in the 2002-2003 Head Start Program. In the Allegheny Center, 70 percent of the students enrolled were Latino. The only barrier that the Latino families faced was that Spanish was their primary language. Their English language skills were minimal. An eight-week parenting workshop was developed to help the families with the acculturation issues they were experiencing adjusting to the community. Representatives from various agencies assisted in presenting the two-hour programs for an eight-week session. While the Latino families were learning about our culture, we were learning more about their culture. This program involved both parents in the process and resulted in more participation in the Head Start Community. The next step in this process was to provide a class in Spanish for Head Start staff and interested parents. Through this program CMACAO has been able to better address the needs of the Latino community, provided awareness of the Spanish culture and strengthen family ties in the program and the community.

Columbus Metropolitan Area Community Action Organization
George Yirga, Executive Director
(614) 324-5112

BEST PRACTICE 2004
Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland

Head Start 200 Summer Zoo Project
funded by Help Me Grow Summer Literacy Grant, targeted children enrolled in Early Head Start and Head Start Programs. A total of 30 Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms participated in the project which served 500 preschoolers and 40 infants /toddlers. The project was to increase learning experiences, family involvement, accessibility of materials, and teacher’s familiarity and documentation of learning outcomes for children. Outcomes were identified in language and literacy child outcomes, increase of parent’s time spent with children reading and additional workshops for other teachers throughout the county on the Zoo Project. This project addresses the task of preparing children and their families for future school success as established in the framework of Federal Child Outcomes in ongoing assessment and progress of children.

Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland
Jacqueline Middleton, President and CEO
(216) 696-9077

BEST PRACTICE 2004
Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs

RXAIM Prescription Program
was a direct result of lack of medical coverage and homes for residents of Allen County. RX/AIM (prescription/assistance in medicine) originated when a local pharmacy technician noticed that customers were struggling making decisions whether to eat or pay for their prescription medications. After much research, RX/AIM was formed in conjunction with the Lima/Allen Council on Community Affair, Northwest Pharmaceutical Association, Church People for Change and Reconciliation, Allen County Health Dept., and Healthy People 2000. Low-income customers may qualify for RX/AIM in two ways: customers with a one-time need may receive a voucher for up to $50 to be redeemed at a participating pharmacy or persons on maintenance medications are enrolled as an indigent patient with a pharmaceutical company. In 2002, 453 persons received prescription assistance. As of November 2003, 232 customers received prescription assistance. All applicants were also advised of the variety of services and program options in Allen County.

Lima/Allen Council on Community Affairs
Rochelle Twining, Executive Director
(419) 227-2586

Honorable Mention 2004
GMN Tri County Community Action Commission

Southeast Ohio Senior Farmer’s Market
project is one of four such programs funded by the state of Ohio. The purpose of the program is to improve the nutritional health of those low-income individuals ages 60+, and to increase business for local farmers. The program provides fruits and vegetables to eligible seniors during the months of June through October. Participants receive three five-dollar coupons per month to be redeemed at the participating Farmer’s Market. As a pilot project last summer, 80 individuals received approximately $6000 worth of fresh produce. Last year’s success has led to continued funding for the upcoming summer season. In addition to the benefits provided to the senior participants, this project is increasing the business of local farmers.

GMN Tri County Community Action Commission
Gary Ricer, Executive Director
(740) 732-2388