HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO BE EXPLORED
Monday, May 22nd, 2006 -- 2:48 PM
An idea that failed to gain momentum six years ago will be back up for discussion at the Courthouse Tuesday morning.In April of 2000, a study committee returned a recommendation that Clark County stick with it?s current arrangement and not develop a Human Services Department.
Tuesday, the Social Services Committee, Committee on Aging, Community Services Board, Clark County Health Care Center Sub-committee and the Board of Health will meet in the board room to revisit the issue.
Barb Petkosvek with the Department Administration explains the move would likely slide the Social Services Department under the same umbrella currently covering the Health Care Center, Public Health Department and Community Services.
?Statutorily, you have to have your Community Services and Social Services under one umbrella,? Petksvek explains. ?Adding Social Services (to Community Services) would make it a full-blow Human Services by statute.?
Petkosvek says many counties have a Human Services Department ? but many include many more sub-departments than what Clark County might explore.
While the committees haven?t decided to explore the option yet, Petkosvek says there could be some benefits.
?Perhaps better use, or more efficient use of staff and meeting future state mandates with staff that is on hand or part of the employee?s group right now,? Petksosvek says.
More ?efficient use of staff? wouldn?t necessarily lead to a reduction of staff, but those ramifications would be explored if the committees decide to move forward with a study on Tuesday, Petksosvek says.
?That hasn?t been totally addressed at this time. There are some state initiatives that have to be addressed in the near future. The departments are just starting to discuss that. There has been no discussion of what ? or if ? positions will be eliminated,? Petkosvek.?
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