Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Human Services Coordinating Council Logo Mission: To enhance the quality of life for all Ottawa County residents through a coordinated and prioritized strategic response to county and regional human services needs.

Vision: Make a measured positive impact on the health and safety of our children, their families, and our seniors, through unprecedented collaboration and integration of dollars and services available through our public, private and business entities

Goal 1:

Develop, implement and maintain a county-wide strategic plan that engages the public, agencies and local governments in systematically assessing and prioritizing human service needs short and long term; identifying desired outcomes; and establishing strategic goals and objectives.

Objective 1:

Create an organizational structure, bylaws and operating procedures that will sustain county-wide coordination and collaboration around the stated mission.

Strategy 1: Gain approval from the County Board of Commissioners by October of 2005 and final adoption by the Council by December 2005.

Strategy 2: Create an administrative/coordinator position to support the new structure and roles and responsibilities of the Coordinating Council as outlined in the By-Laws by January 2006.

Tactics:

  • Create job description
  • Determine shared funding
  • Identify whether the position is to be contract or a county employee
  • Obtain respective Board of approvals from co-funders
  • Hire and train

Goal 2:

Respond to and collaborate with existing organizations and interested stakeholders thru responding to emerging needs and opportunities in human services in Ottawa County that require access to multiple public and private agencies

Objective 1:

Provide critical evaluation of existing and new projects/proposals/programs, endorse those that fit overall strategic areas and provide ongoing advice and coordination of efforts to public and private funding agencies.

Strategy 1: Select initial focus areas through ranking against weighted criteria. Invite experts in the areas identified to present additional documented data to assist the Council in determining need.

Strategy 2: Once focus areas are identified the appropriate group membership, measurements, process, timeframes, and accountabilities required will be designed by the stakeholder group. The following process is recommended:

  1. Most logical member of OCHSCC team schedules one or more experts to address the high priority focus areas. Consider who is already engaged in this work.
  2. If the majority approves the focus area, the stakeholder group is formed that includes a liaison from the OCHSCC and a group leader that represents the most logical expertise or coordination point.
  3. The council member who is assigned to the strategic area that the focus area falls under will provide for short and long term goals, measures, milestones, financial needs and reporting frequency to the OCHSCC for their input and assistance.

Strategy 3: Design and choose a model that will best communicate the OCHSCC strategy.

Objective 2:

Develop consistent evaluation, reporting and monitoring criteria/measures for all grantees and existing collaboratives to ensure visible and understandable accountability.

Objective 3:

Ensure continuous improvement by promoting and supporting system evaluation and re-structuring as needed (including that of the Council) to enhance effectiveness.

Goal 3:

Proactively engage all prospective community partners and stakeholders in becoming the acknowledged “place to go” when considering new initiatives/ focus areas and new funding opportunities.

Objective 1:

Communicate information externally (community) thru vehicles such as news releases and/or an annual reports and internally (agencies) thru periodic communiqués that help stakeholders (givers and receivers) understand and consider county human service challenges and achievements.

Objective 2:

Identify, solicit and coordinate new and existing sources of funding and serve as the point of collaboration for large community grants that may serve multiple stakeholders.

Objective 3:

Act in the capacity of the Community Collaborative (formerly known as the Multi Purpose Collaborative Body, or MPCB) with respect to recommendations and approvals for funding and activities.

Objective 4:

Serve as liaison between the Ottawa County Human Services Coordinating Council and the Community Collaboratives of Kent, Muskegon, and Allegan counties as well as with the State Coordinator.

Goal 4:

Advocating and communicating with the State human services directors policymakers to advocate for that changes that will improve the way services are funded and delivered to improve the effectiveness (impact on goals) and efficiency (better use of existing resources) of services.

Objectives 1:

Coordinate community efforts to address State priorities.

Objectives 2:

Identify barriers to progress that State agencies create.