Comprehensive Services Act
In compliance with the Virginia Comprehensive Services Act (CSA), the City provides a wide variety of necessary services to high-risk youth. The goal of the CSA is to provide high quality, child centered, family focused, community-based services to high-risk youth and their families. Services range from clothing for foster children to placement in residential facilities for highly specialized treatment programs for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed youth. Services are funded through a required state/local match (47% state / 53% City) and are managed by City agencies. In FY 2003, 405 at-risk youth received CSA services, an increase of 20% over FY 2002. Increases in foster care caseloads accounted for much of this significant, and financially challenging, service increase. During FY 2003, 80 youths received treatment foster care services, 31 received foster care residential treatment, 71 attended private special education schools, and four with special education needs were served in residential facilities.
The financial impact of the CSA program on the City is significant. Although state dollars help fund the program, the City is required by law to provide all necessary and agreed upon services to these at-risk youth and to pay 53% of the costs of the services, budget constraints notwithstanding. Over the past 10 years, total CSA expenditures have averaged $5.5 million annually. In FY 2003, however, expenditures were $6.9 million, an increase of 26%. As a result, the local funding match exceeded the amount of City funds budgeted for the program by $1 million, and an additional $1 million in City funds is needed to fund the projected CSA caseload in FY 2004. Increasing CSA case loads presents a major fiscal challenge to the City.
Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled
City Council expanded the real estate tax relief program for the elderly and disabled in FY 2003. Under the expanded program, applicants with total combined household income of $40,000 or less may receive a full real estate tax exemption, those with a total combined household income between $40,001 and $50,000 may receive a partial real estate tax exemption (50% of their taxes), and those with a total combined household income between $50,001 and $62,000 may receive a partial real estate tax exemption (25% of their taxes). It is estimated that 170 additional homeowners were able to take advantage of this program, with nearly all 530 existing program participants receiving substantial increases in tax relief benefits.
Our Kids-Our Business Campaign
The Department of Human Services continued the Our Kids-Our Business Campaign to educate the community on preventing, identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect, as well as to recruit foster and adoptive parents. The campaign is part of the Alexandria Child Welfare Partnership, which was a response initiated in the summer of 2001 to the death of a child in the City's foster care program. The campaign utilizes a variety of communication methods in order to get its message out, including brochures, a web site, a video and community presentations. The OK Campaign's major education medium is a 20-minute video designed to engage the viewers and presenters in a discussion of the issues involved in child abuse and neglect cases. The goal of the OK Campaign is to provide to the public the knowledge and confidence they need to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect, and to increase the number of foster and adoptive parents within Alexandria.
Since the OK Campaign began, reports of abuse and neglect have increased from an average of 53 reports a month in FY 2001, to 65 a month in Fiscal Year 2002, to 66 reports a month during FY 2003.
The campaign continues to work to increase the number of foster parents within the City. Alexandria has approximately 185 children in foster care, but only 10 of the department's 86 foster homes are located in the City. Outreach programs to recruit foster and adoptive families will be expanded in the next phase of the campaign, with an emphasis on finding families residing in the City.
Alexandria
Campaign on Adolescent
Pregnancy (ACAP)
FY 2003 saw significant growth in the City's efforts to
reduce the rate of adolescent pregnancy in Alexandria. In addition to
the $100,000 allocated in FY 2003 by City Council, the program received
grant funding from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Foundation ($50,000)
and the Webmethods Foundation ($18,000 for FY 2003). The campaign developed
a consistent marketing image and produced and distributed a teen magazine.
Two issues have been produced to date with another scheduled for fall
of FY 2004. The program also established a Parent Peer Education Program,
which trains parents to become sex educators and go into their communities
and conduct workshops for other parents on how to talk to their children
about sex, love and relationships. The mentor and parent training is complete
and the first workshops will begin in the fall of FY 2004.
After-School Program
The City's after-school program at the William Ramsay Recreation Center was licensed in FY 2003 by the state as a licensed day care center for children ages 5 to 12. The licensed program ensures that children who attend the center's after-school program are in a fully accountable program. This free program provides sports activities, music, dance, computer learning, homework help and arts activities. In addition, the staff works closely with school personnel to enhance what is taught in the classrooms. Ramsay is the first recreation center after-school program to be licensed.
JobLink On-Site Learning Center
JobLink, the City's employment program, established an on-site Learning Center in FY 2003 to provide basic and advanced computer skills training, as well as educational courses and workshops, to citizens seeking employment. The Learning Center is equipped with state-of-the-art computer hardware and software and video-teleconferencing capabilities, and is fully staffed with employment workers and instructors who offer direct services to JobLink users. Customers who utilize the Learning Center range from those with very limited computer skills and special needs, to employed persons come in to take advantage of free financial education workshops.
Drug Treatment Program
Accreditation of the Community Services Board's methadone program, which provides treatment for persons who are recovering from narcotics addiction, particularly heroin dependency, was received in FY 2003 from CARF, an international rehabilitation accreditation commission. In order to receive CARF accreditation, the methadone program and CSB administration had to meet strict, international guidelines for the care of consumers and program organization. The longest possible accreditation, three years, was awarded. Compliance with CARF standards ensures that the methadone program consistently provides quality service to consumers and exceeds requirements for the receipt of funds.
| Guide
to Emergency Preparedness
The City participated in the creation of the 2003 Northern Virginia Guide to Emergency Preparedness, part of a cooperative effort sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. The 16-page color publication provides residents, visitors, employers and employees with a comprehensive guide for preparing for emergencies. It includes tips on creating an emergency supply kit, making financial preparations, preparing for extended loss of power, and planning for the special needs of children and senior citizens. Copies of the guide are available from Citizen Assistance in City Hall, 703.838.4800. |
Enhanced Service to Taxpayers
The City's Finance Department revised most outgoing tax-related correspondence to include language in Spanish and expanded its Spanish-speaking staff in order to better assist Spanish-speaking taxpayers. In addition, a telephone line has been dedicated to Spanish-speaking taxpayers, with a fluent employee answering the line to assist with personal property tax questions and the vehicle registration process.
Library Circulation
The Library circulated more books and multimedia items in FY 2003 than any time since the 1980s. The total number of items circulated for home use was 1,044,868. The number of visits to City library sites increased by 10% to 833,835. In addition, the number of library card holders increased to 125,815. Translated into circulation per card holder, each card holder borrowed eight items during the year.
Community Health Assessment
The Alexandria Health Department launched the Alexandria Community Health Assessment (CHA). The CHA will allow City organizations to prioritize resources and effectively focus on populations in need. The goal of the CHA is to ensure that the health community is strategically prioritizing resources, setting goals, effectively focusing prevention programs, and determining resources available to address health priorities.
| CASE LOADS
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