On November 7th, 2024, the Leon County Children’s Services Council (CSC) held a workshop meeting.
At the workshop, the Community Human Services Partnership (CHSP) gave a presentation to the CSC about partnering to provide services. The presentation was motivated in part by a letter sent to Cecka Rose-Green, the CSC Executive Director, by Vincent Long, the Leon County Administrator back in February.
In the letter, Long wrote, “As you know, over the past couple of months we brought recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (Board) to better serve our community which include the realignment of the current CHSP categories in the upcoming two-year funding cycle that would direct children and family programs to apply for funding opportunities through CSC-Leon,” wrote Long. “The transition would maximize our limited human services resources, reduce duplication of service, and improve service delivery to focus on children’s programs and services,” added Long.
Due to the need for Human Services funding in other areas, the Board has discussed the possibility of not funding the Children Services category due to the funding level and mission of the CSC.
However, in January the Board decided to delay this decision and the realignment of the categories for consideration and unanimously approved a motion to request that CSC-Leon consider replicating and funding a process similar to CHSP beginning in fiscal year 2027 for children and family programs and services.
The purpose of this approach was to allow an opportunity to establish a smooth transition for human services providers of children and family programs to apply for funding opportunities through CSC-Leon.
In the February letter, Long asked that “CSC-Leon consider replicating and funding a process similar to CHSP at its earliest convenience.”
The CHSP presentation proposed that CSC staff work with the County and City to bring back proposals for the CSC’s consideration related to a process similar to the one used by CHSP in the Spring 2025.
During the workshop, there were some concerns raised by CSC members about the Board shifting current funds allocated for the Children Services to adult services, leaving the CSC to be the only entity responsible for children and families.
It was agreed that the parties would continue a conversation about the potential partnership.
At the workshop, the CSC also discussed the progress of the Small Investments for Program Success (SIPS) which had just concluded a 1 year run from July 2023 to September 2024. In this time frame, $281,054 were invested into 23 different programs, impacting 1,857 total participants. SIPS also presented a variety of different recommendations to improve the program in the future, including eliminating categories, expanding contract terms, and mandating training and organizational assessments.
can the CSC pay for roads and sidewalks in the neighborhoods kids live in, like the County pays for child services? I hear they are sitting on millions.
@ Resident Since 1990 = The Voters Voted for the CDC because they were LIED to about it. They kept saying it was for the Children and never said anything about having the power to Raise our Property Taxes or not having to account for their Spending. It wasn’t until Commissioner Bryan Desloge wrote an Article about it about 2 weeks before the Vote that I found out and Voted NO on it.
The S and the C are pretty close on the keyboard…but you get my point!
We must end the CDC.
If I am correct, voters approved the CDC during Covid, when no one was really thinking clearly.
If I am correct, the CDC has a 12-year life span before we can vote it away.
Fear and emotions got it passed. Now, let’s get rid of this mistake at the next opportunity when, hopefully, we are thinking more clearly.
END this waste of money. Only lines the pockets of the Administrative staff.
END the CSC.