Community Services Division:
Response to COVID-19
Community Services Director Team
04.14.20
Community Services COOP Planning
Issues and Risks Going Forward
• Evolving operations as pandemic risks change
• Infrastructure to support remote work and social distancing
• Continued need for administrative flexibility
• Rapidly changing policy, regulatory, and financial landscape
Issues and Risks, cont.
• Increased demand for public
assistance
• Increased housing insecurity
• Stability of community
partners
Community Services COOP Planning
Department Reports
CS Administration (CSA)
CSA Service Delivery Priority:Ensure community services staff &
contracted providers have what they need to continue providing essential services to our
community members.
Service Delivery Changes & Key Issues:
1) Contract Management & Vendor Support2) Operational Logistics3) Employee Health & Well-being
CS Administration (CSA)
Service Delivery Changes & Key Issues:CONTRACT MANAGEMENT & VENDOR SUPPORT
1) Communication
2) Vendor Support & Issue Resolution
3) Contract Process Changes
CS Administration (CSA)
Service Delivery Changes & Key Issues:OPERATIONAL LOGISTICS
1) Technology & Equipment
2) Building Safety & Access
3) Client Information & Referral
82 7888
5264
144154
141159
116
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Number of Calls Daily
Pre COVID Post COVID
CS Administration (CSA)
Community Services Main Phone Call Volume
CS Administration (CSA)
Service Delivery Changes & Key Issues:EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
1) Supervisor Training
2) Staff Resources & Information
3) Staff Safety
Community Corrections
• Juvenile
– Juvenile Service Center (JSC)
– Youth in placement and detention alternatives
– High Risk Clients
• Adult
– Intensive Supervised Release (ISR)
– High Risk Supervision
– Court Services
Community Corrections
Juvenile Services Center (JSC)
OPERATIONAL
PREPAREDNESS
PREVENTION
MANAGEMENT
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
1-Mar 15-Mar 26-Mar 1-Apr
1616 16
77 7
23
JSC Population
Dakota Out of County
Community Corrections
Community Corrections
Juvenile and Adult Sections
• Modifications to existing service delivery
• Suspension of non-essential programs
• Coordination with Courts, County Attorney, and Jail
Community Corrections
Key Issues:
• Housing
• Prison releases
• Connectivity of and to clients
• Lack of normal response for violations
Employment & Economic Assistance
Service Delivery Priorities
• Collect, scan and index incoming mail into OnBase (the electronic document management
system)
• Continue to get payments to families in Child Support and respond to needs and changing
situations for families
• Be responsive to people calling in for all areas including employment
• New applications in Public Assistance
158 135 144185
245 272320 336
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
March Week 3 March Week 4 April Week 1 April Week 2
Weekly Applications include SNAP, Cash, and Emergency Assistance (and some healthcare) 2019 & 2020
2019 2020
Employment & Economic AssistanceChanges to Service Delivery
• Delivering services remotely whenever possible with the help of waivers
• Child support court hearings, with very few exceptions are on hold
• Drop off and pick up area at NSC
• 90% of staff are working from home, including answering general number
Employment & Economic Assistance
Key Issues
• Maintaining staff on-site in the
mailroom
• Volume increases in all programs
• Changes in child support may be
difficult for non-custodial parents
- Cost of living increases
- Stimulus checks are likely to
be intercepted
• Over 32,000 unemployment
insurance claims
1,339 980
34,044
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
January February March 16 -April 10th
Dakota County Unemployment
applications
Public Health: Service Delivery Priorities
• Department Operations Center (DOC) for COVID-19
– Monitoring the situation
– Providing essential services for isolation / quarantine
– Communicating accurate information to key audiences
– 9 Public Health staff are serving in the EOC
• 11 staff volunteered for donation sites
• COOP
– Over 80% of staff regularly teleworking
• Ensuring grant deliverables are met for continued funding
Public Health: Service Delivery Priorities
• Disease Prevention & Control (DPC)
– 8 active tuberculosis (TB) cases (using Vidyo)
– 3 worksite/community site TB contact investigations
• Family Health
– Intake continues for: home visiting, asthma, hearing, birth defects, lead, Follow Along
– 22 public health nurses (PHNs) assigned to the DOC
– Engaging clients by phone or video
– Started billing for telehealth 4/2
Public Health: Changes to Service Delivery
WIC Program
Public Health: Key Issues
• Rotating DOC roles
• Long term planning for mass testing and/or vaccination
• Technology needs to support telework
• Planning to continue critical functions in case staff
become ill
• Child Protection/Adult
Protection
• 24/7 Crisis Response
• Services for most vulnerable
• Sheltering people who are
homeless
Social Services: Service Delivery Priorities
Image from Matrix Housing Services
• Stable call volume, different issues
• Delivering most services remotely
• In-person visits when critical
• Congregate settings (e.g.: detox, etc.)
Social Services: Changes to Service Delivery
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
Jan - Feb March - Current
Child Protection Reports
2019 2020
Social Services: Key Issues
• Technology to support telework
• Community and nonprofit infrastructure
• Balancing public safety and program mandates
• Inconsistent policy guidance
• Responding to community needs
Veterans Services
Service Delivery Priorities
• Dakota County Veterans
- Dependents and their families
- Surviving Spouses
o Family members of deployed service members
• Most vulnerable veterans
Intentional outreach is being conducted by staff to identify and serve these clients.
Veterans Services
Changes to Service Delivery
• Serving Dakota County veterans and their families through phone calls, emails, and mailings
- Changes to VA and MDVA policies which allow electronic signatures
- Utilizing Intent to File to preserve effective date of claim for clients
• Beyond the Yellow Ribbon networks
• Veteran Service Organizations
Veterans Services
Key Issues
• Backlog will be created by utilizing Intent to File
• Veterans COVID-19 Grants
$1,000COVID-19
Disaster Relief Grant
$3,000 COVID-19
Special Needs Grant
State Soldiers Assistance
Program (SSAP) Special Needs
Grant
Communications Plan
Connecting with Dakota County residents during a global pandemic
Community Services departments currently:
• Calls, texts, video contact with vulnerable and at-risk clients
• Working with and through other trusted organizations (VSOs, etc.)
• Telephone-only option for EEA applications (no computer needed)
• Partnership with CDA to provide health information to residents
• Engaging contracted service providers
Getting The Word Out and Staying in Touch
• Most have Smart Phones, internet access.
• Those that don’t have internet—have TV,
newspapers, newsletters, bulletins, word of mouth.
• Promote through existing partners: those orgs.
serving older adults (DARTS, Neighbors Inc.,
Hastings Family Service)…and faith networks,
YMCAs, Community/ Senior Centers.
• Message: remind about COVID 19 best practices;
County Hotline, Senior Linkage Line, food shelf,
delivery options, check-in calls…
Reaching Older Adults during COVID 19
Situation:
• We are all experiencing unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our lives — personal and professional — are changing at a rapid pace.
• Resulting from Minnesota’s stay-at-home order, many residents —specifically elderly — cannot attend senior centers, places of worship or day programs that provide our seniors with resources and information.
• Many Dakota County residents do not have access to a computer or online resources.
Recommendation:
• The Communications team will produce and execute tactics to inform residents about programs and services including the Dakota County Public Health hotline offered during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Our Current Situation and Recommendation
Our existing tactics
• Social media channels — Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
and Next Door
• Dakota County website — dedicated COVID-19
resource page, community and business resources,
and communication materials
• Printed communications — posters at park and
libraries
• COVID-19 public health hotline
• Working closely with CDA
• City websites include links to Dakota County
Tactic Audience Message/Content
PSA Radio PSA, local public access
stations
We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Small poster Places of worship, food shelves,
libraries — locations still receiving
foot traffic
We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Small poster or
postcard
Organizations offer services for
seniors — YMCA, senior centers,
Meals on Wheels
We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Postcard or flyer Libraries — insert in bag at
curbside service
We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Postcard or flyer CDA — postcard included in ‘door
hanger’ distribution
We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Other Communication Tactics
Direct Mail
Tactic Audience Message/Content
Postcard All Dakota County residents We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Postcard Dakota County residents, 65
and older
We’re here to support you — provide public
health hotline, website, encouragement
Questions?