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County Police is Hiring Police Cadets

North College Park Crime Map: May 22-28, 2017

Mosquito Spraying and Exclusion from Spaying in City

During the spring and summer, the City of College Park cooperates with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to identify and control mosquito populations. Larviciding treatments are done by MDA personnel beginning in late May/early June, continuing throughout the summer.

Requests for local spraying should be made to the City’s Department of Public Works, which will be forwarded to MDA. MDA will survey the area of concern prior to spraying, using traps and landing rate counts, and may request access to your property to place a trap. If count thresholds are met, MDA may make a control spray application. Wednesday night is the designated time when spraying for adult mosquitoes occurs in College Park.

To make a spray request, please contact the City’s Department of Public Works at 240-487-3590 or publicworks@collegeparkmd.gov. Please provide the following information: name, address, contact phone and email, problem area, time of day when mosquitoes are the worst, and any area of stagnant water in the vicinity.

Residents can request exclusion from the adult spray program by completing this exemption form (http:// www.collegeparkmd.gov/document_center/PublicWorks/RecyclingCoordinator/NewExemption 20161.pdf) and returning it to:
Program Supervisor
Mosquito Control Section
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway,
Annapolis, MD 21401

HELPFUL TIPS
The Asian tiger mosquito is active during the day and only breeds in containers of standing water (i.e. around humans). Residents are encouraged to find and eliminate all sources. Look for unused containers, buckets, toys, bird baths, flower pots and saucers, tarps, corrugated drainpipes, free-standing basketball hoops and store them so they don’t hold water. Make sure gutters are clean and work with neighbors to identify potential mosquito breeding areas.

For permanent areas of standing water (ponds, rain barrels, etc.), mosquito “torpedoes” can be used to target and kill mosquito larvae. The City’s Department of Public Works has mosquito torpedoes available for residents during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For more information:
City of College Park Department of Public Works 9217 51st Ave. College Park, MD 20740 (240) 487-3590 publicworks@collegeparkmd.gov

SMARTLEAF Compost and Wood Mulch are available!

Does your garden need a little tender loving care? Maybe it’s time to replenish your tired soil with compost!

Does your flower beds dry out too quickly, or are you tired of pulling weeds? We have wood mulch to help conserve soil moisture and inhibit weed growth.

Both may be picked-up at DPW Monday-Friday from 8:00-11:30am and 1:00-3:00pm.

Delivery is available for an additional fee.

For more information call 240-487-3593 or email jmccaslin@collegeparkmd.gov.

Here you can find more about College Park’s SMARTLEAF Compost program

Today at the Hollywood Farmers Market

Vol. 3 Issue 6 – Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all the those who lost their lives fighting for our freedoms.  Please remember that the Veteran’s Memorial Committee will hold their Memorial Day event at the College Park Veteran’s Memorial on the Corner of Rt. 1 and Greenbelt Road on Monday, May 11:00am to 1:00pm. The College Park VFW (detailed information below) will sell poppies at the market in honor of Memorial Day.  Want to know what Memorial Day and Poppies are related?  Here is a website with more information.  http://www.greatwar.co.uk/article/remembrance-poppy.htm We will be offering Senior Saturday again this weekend.  If you are 65+ and live in College Park (must have proof of residency), please stop by the Market Information Table to receive $5.00 in coupons to use at the market only on May 27th between 9 and noon.  Please return all unused coupons back to the information table. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a vendor for our market please let us know.  We are always looking for more vendors. Our criteria is that the items have to be hand made.  If you prepare food- we are looking for other prepared food vendors.  Lastly, we are looking for a bread vendor.  If you know of a local company that would like to sell bread at our market please stop by the market’s information table to speak with either Julie or one of the Market’s Board members. This week’s vendors include: Roy and Arti’s Kitchen and Garden: Prepared Indonesian cuisine and vegetables Valencia’s Produce: Berries, flowers and herbs Amity Kitchen: Thai food, Spring Rolls and Mango Sticky Rice Calvert Farm: Produce and fruits Dicot Farm: Produce Waltz Family Farm: Meat, eggs and cheeses Alcoba Coffee: Guatemalan coffee by the pound and by the cup Designed Naturally: Natural bead jewelry Baker Charley: Gluten free bread and baked goods Christiane’s Designs: Knit hats, gloves, scarves, pet and baby items Unique Eats and Scents: Hand creams and preserves Inge’s Crochet: Hand made crochet items Unique Eats and Scents: pickles, honey, preserves and soaps Peacesake Candles: Soy based candles in multiple scents Heavenly Created Desserts: Hot dogs and desserts The Wood Dr.: Handmade wooden items MEET THE VENDOR: PHILLIPS-KLEINER POST 5627 Veterans of Foreign Wars History: The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service: Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations with what would become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. By 1915, membership grew to 5,000; by 1936, membership was almost 200,000.Since then, the VFW’s voice had been instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI Bill for the 20th century, the development of the national cemetery system and the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, VFW won a long-fought victory with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America’s active-duty service members, and members of the Guard and Reserves, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.The VFW also has fought for improving VA medical centers services for women veterans. Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials, the VFW in 2005 became the first veterans’ organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010. Annually, the nearly 1.7 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliaries contribute more than 8.6 million hours of volunteerism in the community, including participation in Make A Difference Day and National Volunteer Week. From providing over $3 million in college scholarships and savings bonds to students every year, to encouraging elevation of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the president’s cabinet, the VFW is there. Our Local Post: Phillips-Kleiner Post 5627, was organized and chartered with members who honorably served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and the Air Force of the United States of America on October 13, 1945. On September 29, 1967 5627 was chartered as being a Perpetual Post in the Veterans Of Foreign Wars of the United States of America. In 1991-1992 it was an All-American VFW Post Men’s Auxiliary Chartered on August 22, 2007 2014-2015: All-American VFW Post Facebook Website Copyright © 2015 *Hollywood Farmers Market, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: hollywoodmarketcp@gmail.com

College Park Utility Map Goes Live

At this week’s Council meeting, we heard a presentation on the recently completed Utility Web Map. This interactive map allows residents to see utility Wash Was WSSC and PEPCO work as well as stormwater projects, SHA projects, parking zones and land owned by UMD. You can see the web map here:

Thanks to our staff and our two interns who worked heard to make the map possible. The group plans to continue working on the map with updating the most recent data to the map.

UMD Announces Anti-Hate Action Plan

In the wake of the tragic killing of Bowie State University student Lt. Richard Collins III,at the UMD campus last weekend, the University of Maryland President Wallace Loh outlined new anti-hate initiatives Wednesday in the wake of last weekend’s fatal campus stabbing. The killing has been suspected as hate crime.

The plan calls for the following actions.

• Establishing a hate-bias and campus safety task force — composed of faculty, staff, students and alumni — to review relevant policies and procedures. That task force will then submit a report with recommendations and guidelines;
• Creating a rapid-response team — composed of faculty, staff and students — to provide support for victims of hate-bias incidents;
• Allocating $100,000 in supplemental funds to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for supporting diversity and inclusion efforts;
• Production of an annual report on all campus hate-bias incidents;
• Asking the university’s Athletic Council to consider ways to strengthen intercollegiate athletics policy to prohibit hate-bias symbols or actions in any venue.

More actions will be rolled out after the hate-bias and campus safety task force submits its recommendations, Loh said.

MD Bill May Help County’s Seniors and Veterans with Tax Credit

During the 2016 Maryland legislative sessions, the State House Bill 898 gave Baltimore City and individual counties in Maryland the option to provide this tax credit for the 2017 tax year to seniors over 65 and retired veterans.

Unfortunately, in order to make the tax credit effective in individual jurisdictions, the respective County would require to pass enabling legislation.

So far the Howard and Montgomery County that their respective County Councils have passed legislation that grants a 20% tax credit on property tax for elderly individuals (over 65) who have lived in there present home for over 40 consecutive years. The same credit is available for retired veterans . It’s believed that the credit is only authorized for 5 years.

We have many seniors and veterans in College Park for whom this would be beneficial, and I plan to ask our two County Council members representing College Park (Mary Lehman and Danielle Glaros) about the enabling legislation for our County residents. If there is a County bill, I can ask College Park City Council to send a letter supporting of the bill.

What You need to Know About Red Light Traffic Cameras

Some of you have probably noticed red light cameras in the area. These cameras are installed by the County’s red light camera enforcement division to enforce red light traffic violations.

The County has installed a number of them around the county. There is one on northbound Rhode Island Avenue, at Edgewood Road (photo below), another at Sunnyside Road at Rhode Island avenue, and another at north bound Route 1 at Cherry Hill Road. You can see the complete list of the camera locations here on County’s website.

Also, please note that in addition to the County’s current enforcement of the steady red signal, the County police will also conduct enforcement of the Maryland Traffic Law 21-202, right turn on red without stopping. These cameras only activate after the traffic signal has turned red.

You can find more about these cameras here on County’s website.

Please note that the City did not install these cameras, nor does it get any revenue from these cameras. That said, we think we should alert residents about these cameras, in case you are not aware of them. Thank you!

FBI to Investigate This Weekend’s UMD Homicide as Possible Hate Crime

The University of Maryland administration asked the FBI to investigate the last murder incident as a possible hate crime. Please see that statement below. The City Council will also issue a statement soon.

May 21, 2017
Dear University of Maryland community,

The horrific assault that took the life of a young man on our campus on Saturday morning has shocked, saddened, and angered our community and beyond.

His name is Richard W. Collins III, an African-American student at Bowie State University (BSU) who was recently commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Lt. Collins was scheduled to graduate this Tuesday.

The suspect is Sean Urbanski, a UMD student. He has been charged by the University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault. He is being held without bond.

New information obtained today from witnesses and other sources has led law enforcement officials to consider a hate-bias motive in this case. To ensure a comprehensive investigation, UMPD today asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to provide technical and forensic expertise, which it agreed to do. Prince George’s County Police Department is also part of the investigative team.

It is essential that law enforcement agencies have the time to conduct the thorough investigation needed for law and justice to prevail. I have requested that they provide periodic updates to the UMD and BSU communities, as appropriate.

The safety of our campus community remains a top priority. UMPD has increased substantially its visible patrols, on and off campus. The Prince George’s County Police has also increased its patrols in the College Park community. UMPD is monitoring 24/7 the hundreds of video security cameras throughout the campus. The Department of Transportation Services has initiated NITE Ride, a curb-to-curb bus service that runs from dusk to 6 AM.

However, increased police security is not sufficient. We must all do more to nurture a climate — on campus and beyond — where we stand against hate, we fight against hate crimes, and we reaffirm the values that define us a university and as a democracy.

As we search for answers to this senseless crime, please continue to keep the family and friends of Lt. Collins, and the BSU community, in your thoughts and prayers. We all grieve together for a promising life ended far too early.

Sincerely,

Wallace D. Loh
President, University of Maryland

North College Park Crime Map: May 14 – 21, 2017

Please see below last week’s crime map and let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!

Today at the Hollywood Farmers Market

Vol. 3 Issue 5 – Congratulations to all the University of Maryland Graduates! It’s that time of the year again.  Graduations.  We’ll be seeing caps and gowns along with lots of out of town visitors.  If you know of someone who is visiting bring them by the market.  There they can meet other local residents as well as taste some great local foods and stock up on the fruits and vegetables.  Maybe a beautiful plant would be the perfect graduation gift. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a vendor for our market please let us know.  We are always looking for more vendors. Our criteria is that the items have to be hand made.  If you prepare food- we are looking for other prepared food vendors.  Lastly, we are looking for a bread vendor.  If you know of a local company that would like to sell bread at our market please stop by the market’s information table to speak with either Julie or one of the Market’s Board members. This week we welcome back Heavenly Created Desserts and Baker Charley!  We’re happy to have them back. Also this week, the City of College Park will host a clean up of the North College Park area from 9 to 11am.  Those interested, please meet at the Farmers Market for a light breakfast.  Pizza will be served after the event.  All who participate will receive a t-shirt.  Please visit the Facebook site for more information.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1720546341571300/ Lastly, this weekend we have a member from the College Park Arts Exchange with a button making station.  They will provide pictures, pins and help you make a button. Come by and  participate in this fun activity for all ages. Next weekend: The College Park VFW will be at the market selling poppies to honor those whom we lost in our wars.  Please support our VFW. Also, we will have our next Senior Saturday. This week’s vendors include: Roy and Arti’s Kitchen and Garden: Prepared Indonesian cuisine and vegetables Valencia’s Produce: Berries, flowers and herbs Amity Kitchen: Thai food, Spring Rolls and Mango Sticky Rice Calvert Farm: Produce and fruits Dicot Farm: Produce Waltz Family Farm: Meat, eggs and cheeses Alcoba Coffee: Guatemalan coffee by the pound and by the cup Designed Naturally: Natural bead jewelry Baker Charley: Gluten free bread and baked goods Christiane’s Designs: Knit hats, gloves, scarves, pet and baby items Unique Eats and Scents: Hand creams and preserves Inge’s Crochet: Hand made crochet items Unique Eats and Scents: pickles, honey, preserves and soaps Peacesake Candles: Soy based candles in multiple scents Heavenly Created Desserts: Hot dogs and desserts The Wood Dr.: Handmade wooden items If you are thinking of planting to help the bees, butterflies and birds please read this below. Did you know that flower shapes and colors matter to pollinators? Bees prefer white, yellow and blue blooms. Birds like red, orange and white. Bright, vivid colors, including red, yellow and purple, draw butterflies. Butterflies and bees favor flat, open blooms with big petals, for easy landings and short nectar tubes. Tubular, trumpet-shaped blooms, such as honeysuckle and lobelia flowers, are hummingbird favorites. With their long beaks, these birds reach nectar that insects and other birds can’t. Also, in case you are thinking you would like to add an animal into your home please look into Adopt a Pet Day. on June 4th.  It’s a great way of giving our furry friends a forever home. MEET THE VENDOR: Calvert Farms Pam Stegall Roberts of Calvert Farm operates  at several farmers markets in our area. Her staff will bring a variety of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, free-range eggs, baked goods, raw honey, mushrooms, and bedding plants to our market. Calvert Farm is a small family farm who practices organic farming. This year (2017) is the farm’s 23rd growing season. Calvert Farm continues a tradition of working with other small farms to bring variety and freshness to your table using sustainable / natural methods. Website: http://calvertfarm.com

City to Observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 29

Memorial Day Observance
Monday, May 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
College Park Veterans Memorial – Baltimore Ave and Greenbelt Rd

Join us on Memorial Day, Monday May 29 at the College Park Veterans Memorial as we honor those who have given their lives in service to our country.

The names of service men and women from College Park and those submitted by attendees will be read aloud during the event, followed by a laying of the wreaths ceremony.

This observance is organized by the College Park Veterans Memorial Committee.

For more information or to register, please visit click here.

Council May Add More Staff to Beautify College Park

The City has been facing more demands for landscaping. The City Council has discussed the need for adding more landscaping staff to Public Works FY 2018 budget. Staff has provided the following explanation about the increasing work to beautify and maintain City facilities and public spaces.

Before August 1997, there were no dedicated landscape staff. The Tree & Landscape program was mainly funded for mature tree maintenance (performed by contractors), some trees were planted, but not the quantity or large size trees we are currently planting. Replacement trees were not watered regularly, like the schedule we now follow, and many trees died. Management at the time saw the need for dedicated landscape staff, so 2 positions were re-allocated to the tree & landscape maintenance program for FY 99 from the existing p/w staff. Landscape areas were a mess, weeds in some “plantings” were nearly 4’ tall. Trees were not getting watered and dying, and there were no annual floral rotations.

In FY 00 a p/w staff person was re-allocated and dedicated to the park & recreation program to maintain the newly installed play ground equipment, and performing mowing at the playgrounds to keep them maintained.

In 2002 the lead groundskeeper position was filled, less than 1/2 of his time was allocated to the tree & landscape program, and the other portion was allocated to the compost yard. This position is mainly working in the compost yard.

In FY 03 right-of-way mowing changed from in-house to contracted, to provide for regular scheduled mowing visits to improve turf appearance. At this time, the city was beginning the Yale Ave parking garage project & looking for ways to conserve funds. Contacted mowing saved about $45,000. Another FTE was re-allocated to the park & recreation program to mow at city facilities and Duvall athletic field.

About FY 09 an additional staff allocation was made by transferring an FTE from another p/w function to tree & landscape, bringing the total of landscape field staff to 3. In addition, there is the landscape foreman and a portion of Staff’s time allocated to the program. Over the years, the number of public works FTE’s has not increased; however staff have been re-allocated to different programs.

Additional landscape maintenance locations that have come on-line since 1997:
Bike trail in Berwyn – Lakeland 1999-2000
Old Parish House 2001
Bike trail in Calvert Hills (Calvert – Albion) about 2007
Ikea median 2008
Bike trail in Old Town (Rossburg – Calvert) about 2010

Other new planting areas: Blackfoot Circle, Calvert Road metro, Wakeforest Island, bay friendly planting at City Hall, 2 rain gardens at Duvall, Arbor Day plantings at Muskogee & Calvert Hills playgrounds, Guilford Dr & Mineola Ct, College Park sign bed at 193 & Greenbelt Rd.
Replacement tree plantings were contracted out until about 2006, and thereafter have been performed by in-house staff in both the spring & fall. Tree watering has been increased significantly to improve survivability.

The park & rec crew has also performed residential grass mowing to abate tall grass as requested by code. Abatements started about 2004 and the numbers significantly increased by 2010 up to nearly 40/season.

The landscape crew prunes about 600 street trees throughout the year to improve the clearance over the sidewalk and street. New tree rings have also been created around trees in the Edgewood Rd median and along the bike trail to prevent damage to the tree trunks from mowers and weedeaters, which require annual mulching and weeding.

Annual planting bed spring maintenance is performed, which includes weeding, removing leaves and debris from the winter and mulching. This activity was not performed prior to 1997.

Two annual floral rotations are completed at 22 sites with summer flowers and fall pansies and spring bulbs; over 4000 pots of flowers and 3000 bulbs are planted.

The crew responds to tree emergencies when needed, which reduces the need for costly contractors, but delays scheduled work.

The crew is also scheduled for snow removal operations and usually assigned to clear sidewalks & the bike trail, which has received an elevated priority over the years and now includes an additional segment between Lakeland & the College Park Metro station.

The Mayor & Council adopted a Vegetation Management Plan in 2008, which outlines the planned maintenance activities. The frequency of “inspections”, which results in scheduled maintenance is quite infrequent and was based on the staffing at the time the document was written. Staffing remains at the same level as when the document was written, and it is nearly impossible to meet the frequency identified.

The expectation for improved landscape maintenance has grown over the past 20 years, and rightfully so. During the economic downturn, no new staff were allocated, which is understandable. The economic picture is much brighter at this time, and it is time to increase landscape staffing to improve the level of maintenance of existing planting areas. Well maintained landscape areas throughout the City creates a positive impression to residents and visitors, and adequately staffing the landscape program will contribute to an enhanced appearance of plantings in neighborhoods, gateway entrances and business districts. The project at Duvall will be completed soon, which will require additional regular maintenance to keep it up. Since the proposed new landscape areas do not have finalized plans to estimate from, it is very difficult to estimate the number of man hours needed to maintain them.

College Park’s Senior Program

College Park’s Senior program provides many good services to the senior residents in the city. Here you can learn more about the program in details.

SENIORS PROGRAM: 4012 – Duties of the two seniors case program staff and the ½ admin assistant.
Social Activities
8 Day Trips a Year
A lot of excitement and conversation is generated in anticipation of the day trips. Staff planning, coordination and booking of transportation, lunch and venue per trip for 8 day excursions trips a year from April – November begins in January. Notification to seniors is made by the end of February when the responses to the offerings pour in. The responses are tracked and interest lists maintained for each of the the eight trips.

A few weeks before the trip, staff sends notification to 45 seniors of their eligibility for that trip, notifies other seniors when a vacancy exists, collects individual senior payments, confirms with bus company and venue, shops for trip snacks, serves as hostess for the trip, reconciles payments and submit bills and payments to Finance. 350 seniors attend and enjoy the trips each year.

3 – 4 Local Outings for Seniors with Mobility Issues
Three to four times a year, seniors with mobility issues participate in a day outing to a local venue. Once the date and location are determined, participants are notified and accompanied by staff to the local venues.

4-5 Senior Activity Team events
For each of the 4 – 5 activity team events, meet and plan local events with Senior Activity team members from the community, Attick Towers and Spellman House. Book the site, mail out notification, schedule transportation as needed, shop for food, prepare the venue, host each 3 – 4 hour event for 35 – 60 seniors.

Senior Social Center
Each Wednesday and Friday morning, prepare and host the gathering place for 10 – 20 seniors. Shop for snacks, prepare the venue, coordinate with weekly art teacher (Fridays) and exercise teacher (Wednesday), who can recommend the best male enhancement pills as testosterone boosters to assist in their workout routine.

Weekly Wednesday coffee
Each Wednesday morning, host coffee and snacks for Attick Towers seniors. Every other month host birthday party for those Attick Towers seniors celebrating a birthday during that period with homemade lunch.

Individual Walk-ins and Phone Calls
On an on-going basis individual seniors come in with issues requiring with emotional support and contact.

Transportation
Receive transportation requests in person or by phone to medical appointments and grocery store. Schedule the requests, notify senior of time and date, provide driver with daily schedule, troubleshoot when there is a problem with pick-up. In first three quarters of FY 17, there have been 1,867 trips transporting 2,607 seniors.

Our staff have long term relationships with a number of seniors, some of the relationships lasting over 10 years where assistance as increased as the individual ages and thus the issues shift in what is needed.

There are some seniors who experience confusion and anxiety and can require additional time in communication and assisting an individual in resolving their problem. Staff has an ongoing, supportive relationship with many seniors for years. For some, staff are seen as their family and the source of solace and connection.

Information and Referral
City seniors call the office for a myriad of issues information and referral about resources, transportation request, their spot on one of the eight trips and/or individualized assistance in dealing with their range of issues.

When a senior contacts the office in person or by phone describing an issue that needs further exploration and attention, an in-person appointment is scheduled with them at a time and place of their convenience.

Communication of Up-coming Events
Preparation of 4 – 5 flyers, envelopes and mailings a year to seniors on the Super Senior mailing list in addition to participating in the professional mail-outs to seniors City-wide that is led by the Communications Coordinator.

Case Management Services
52 seniors are currently receiving case management services, provided by 2 Seniors staff.

Of the 52 seniors enrolled in case management services, 41 live in Spellman House, 8 live in Attack Towers and 3 live in College Park homes. In March, staff actively connected with 30 case management seniors for a total of 77 contacts for the month, or an average of 2.6 contacts each. Each contact can range 30 – 90 minutes.

On-going new electronic documentation and assessments are done for each of the seniors receiving case management services.

Single-issue Advocacy Services
16 additional seniors are assisted for single issue advocacy services as needed.

The volume of work currently being performed and noted above is increasing each day as more seniors learn and are interested in the City’s services.

Such volume has over-extended the current 2 ½ staff members.

FY 18 Trip Coordinator: $3,000
The proposal in the FY 18 budget to contract an external trip coordinator to plan the 8 day trips a year and each month work the wait list and handle the payments has been identified as a self-contained project is an attempt to mitigate this issue. This will relieve staff of approximately 200 hours in the month of January and 25 hours a week a month during the 8 months there are trips.

CLINICAL PROGRAM – 4011
FY 18 Consulting: Increase $1,560
The Youth and Family Services counseling program assists many families and youth dealing with very difficult circumstances (138 youth in the first three quarters of FY17). These tough cases can include sexual abuse of victims as young as under five, autism, suicidal ideation, blended families, domestic violence.

A core component of the quality of counseling services provided by the City’s Youth and Family Services program, is the involvement of three external consultant mental health specialists. These specialists assist the staff in reviewing the dynamics of the most troublesome cases and providing implementation suggestions for the best integration of the successful agency models of child-centered play therapy, sand therapy and family therapy in our work with individual youth and families. Each of the three consultants have different specializations and each attend consultation once a month, thus providing external consultants three of the four weeks a month.

The participation of external experts in the field is a critical quality assurance component in our ability to provide quality services to youth and their families experiencing significant difficulties in their daily living.

About Case management services
52 seniors are currently receiving case management services, provided by 2 Seniors staff.

Of the 52 seniors enrolled in case management services, 41 live in Spellman House, 8 live in Attack Towers and 3 live in College Park homes. In March, staff actively connected with 30 case management seniors for a total of 77 contacts for the month, or an average of 2.6 contacts each. Each contact can range 30 – 90 minutes. Additionally there are 16 seniors who are not receiving case management services but are being assisted for single issue advocacy services as needed.

The new case management electronic system is set up and going well. Information for each of the 52 case management seniors has been entered into the system and ongoing case documentation was initiated in March. Staff are currently entering assessments and on-going contacts of the seniors receiving case management services in addition to fulfilling their other responsibilities.

City seniors call the office for a myriad of issues such as senior interest/registration for one of the many on-going social activities, transportation to medical appointments, the grocery store or the City’s senior social center, information and referral about resources, and/or individualized assistance in dealing with their range of issues.

When a senior contacts the office in person or by phone describing an issue that needs further exploration and attention, an in-person appointment is scheduled with them at a time and place of their convenience. Contact with the senior is maintained until the situation or circumstance is resolved and re-established at the seniors’ initiation. If there are on-going issues, an assessment is done and the senior is formally enrolled in case management services.