| FUND: GENERAL |
HUMAN SERVICES |
Debra Jossart, Director
The Human Services Department provides or purchases a wide range of aids and services for the elderly, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, physically disabled, abused and neglected children, alcohol and drug abusers, juvenile delinquents and status offenders. Statutory authority for the department may be found in Chapters 48, 46 and 938 of the State Statutes. Section 938.22 also authorizes the county to operate a secure juvenile detention facility, and Chapter 59 provides the operating authority for the Child Support Division.
Chapter 49 of the Wisconsin Statutes authorizes the Department to administer public welfare programs, including Wisconsin Works, Food Stamps, and Medicaid. In addition, the Department acts as the fiscal agent for the tri-county Workforce Investment Act program.
The Department oversees and houses the Racine County Workforce Development Center, a consortium of agencies and organizations dedicated to assisting employers and jobseekers.
In 2002, we provided services to over 20,000 Racine County residents.
We maintained funding for early intervention and prevention programs and managed the cutbacks in State/Federal funds by using money from our stabilization fund. As a result, we saw decreases in foster care and a reduction in program waiting lists.
Child Support exceeded the State standards for both order and paternity establishment and was awarded the Certificate of Excellence. Racine County’s Child Support Department ranks second in the State for account seizures and collections.
The number of job search sessions conducted via JobNet at the Workforce Development Center increased by 11%.
We provided financial support to an average monthly caseload of 15,460 County residents; this was a 15% increase from the previous year.
We protected children and strengthened families. Referrals for child abuse/neglect dropped off by 32% to 1,146. In addition, Racine County Human Services Department established permanency for 98 children in 2002 through guardianship, return home to parents, or successful termination of parental rights (50 returned home, 26 received legal guardians, and 22 had their parents’ parental rights terminated in court, making the children eligible for adoption).
We protected the community, held juveniles accountable for their crimes and provided service to 1,126 delinquents.
We prevented institutionalization by providing quality services to 558 clients at a cost of $12.6 million.
 | Protect children and preserve the unity of families by strengthening
families. |
| Provide effective workforce development services to assist Racine County
residents and employers reach their highest economic potential. |
| Provide financial and employment supports for low-income families. |
| Prevent institutionalization by providing quality services in the
community. |
| Protect the community, hold juveniles accountable for their crimes, and
equip them with the competencies to live responsibly. |
| Provide emergency services to people in crisis. |
| Achieve State performance standards. |
| Obtain additional State/Federal dollars for ongoing program support in all divisions. |
