HomeMy WebLinkAboutHSC - Human Services Committee - Charge - 1981 /
CHARGE
4-
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
MEMBERSHIP Eight members serving staggered two-year terms Appointment by the
Board of Selectmen by May 31 of each year
Backgrounds to be represented human service management; planning
and evaluation of human services; fiscal planning; health care and
prevention; Town government; providers of human services (excluding
those significantly associated with providers of human services in
Lexington) ; interested citizens
PURPOSE OF
COMMITTEE The Human services Committee is advisory to the Board of Selectmen.
In that capacity it will recommend to the Selectmen human service
policies, goals and priorities It will advise the Selectmen upon
issues that arise in the light of the human service policies adopted
by the Town; it will, as requested by the Selectmen, oversee the im-
plementation of those policies assuming, as appropriate, the follow-
ing roles -- planning, coordination, evaluation, communication. The
Committee will be responsible for suggesting the resources necessary
for citizen education about human service needs and services and will
be responsible for designing mechanism for public participation in
community human service issues
CHARGE TO THE
COMMITTEE
1 Continue to recommend human services policy and the allocation
of Town resources to the Selectmen as well as provide criteria
for setting goals and priorities and for making decisions The
Selectmen adopt the policy emphasizing prevention recommended
by the Human Services Committee in its May, 1981 report
2 Develop a human services planning process -- integrated inter-
nally with the other Town agencies involved in human services
(see attached) as well as those Town agencies involved in the
Town's physical and economic planning and integrated externally
with the planning done by private agencies as well as regional,
State and Federal planning entities Within this very impor-
tant segment of the charge lies the following tasks The ex-
pression, assessment and prioritization of needs; an inventory
of resources and services available to Lexington citizens;
identification of duplications and gaps in services; develop-
ment of communication among the Town Boards and administrators
involved in human services as well as providers and advocates
for those in need; assessment and improvement of the planning
process at the individual case level
3 Continue to analyze critically the funding requests presented
to the Selectmen and the Town Meeting as well as review and
comment on requests for Town endorsement of proposed human ser-
vices (A95 review)
- 2 -
4 Evaluate how effectively public and private human service
agencies are responding to community needs and carrying out
the Town's human services policies Recommend contracts to
be entered into between the Town and human service agencies
and organizations, designing such contracts to serve the pre-
vention component of the human service policy while enhancing
the agencies programs To this end the Committee will work
with the Town administration in providing contract specifica-
tions and monitoring criteria
5 Anticipate and be responsive to emerging community human ser-
vice issues informing the Selectmen as they arise; design an
information and referral process
The Town Manager's office will supply staff support to this Committee
The Human Services Committee shall report at least annually in writing to the
Board of Selectmen and the Town Meeting no later than the end of January It
shall review periodically its composition, purpose and charge, recommending
changes as necessary to the Board of Selectmen.
Adopted by the Board of Selectmen
August 3, 1981