City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 6, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Introduction and First Reading of AN ORDINANCE to amend and reordain Section 12-2-2 (COMPOSITION; APPOINTMENT; TERMS AND COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS; FILLING VACANCIES) of Chapter 12 (ALEXANDRIA COMMUNITY POLICY AND MANAGEMENT TEAM) of Title 12 (EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES AND WELFARE) of the Code of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, 1981, as amended.
BODY
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ISSUE: Composition of membership of the Alexandria Community Policy Management Team.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council pass this ordinance and first reading and schedule the ordinance for public hearing, second reading and final passage on March 16, 2019.
DISCUSSION: In 1993, the State enacted the Comprehensive Services Act which has since been renamed the Children’s Services Act, to establish a single State pool of funds to enable localities to purchase services for at-risk youth and families. This Act created a collaborative system of services with the goal of being child-centered, family-focused, community-based, and cost effective. The mission of the Children’s Services Act (CSA) is to preserve families, to provide appropriate services in the least restrictive environment, while protecting the welfare of the children and maintaining the safety of the public. Implementation of the guidelines and allocation of the CSA funds are the responsibility of the State’s Office of Children’s Services. At the local level, policies and financial management are the responsibility of the Alexandria Community Policy Management Team, with direct service and treatment decisions delegated to the Family Assessment Planning Team.
The Alexandria Community Policy Management Team (ACPMT) currently consists of a member of City Council, and the following appointed positions or their designees: the City Manager, the Superintendent, the Executive Director of the Community Services Board, the Director of Social Services, the Director of the Alexandria Health Department and the Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice (Court Service Unit). In addition to these City government and schools’ roles, the membership also includes a private provider of services and two parent representatives. The Code of Virginia only requires either a member of City Council or an appointed official or designee, not both. Virginia Code § 2.2-5205. Since the City’s current ACPMT membership includes a designee of the City Manager, the addition of a City Council member is not required. Given the administrative duties of this Board, it is recommended that the City Council membership be dropped as a membership requirement of the ACPMT. During a recent state audit of the City’s Children’s Services Act funds, one of the comments received was the challenge of obtaining City Council member attendance as the board meetings are held during the workday. This membership change will align the City Code-specified membership of the ACPMT with actual practice and the mandates of the Virginia Code. In anticipation of this change, City Council did not appoint one of its members to the report when Council made appointments at its January Installation meeting.
Another membership change being proposed at this time is to the number of parent representatives. Despite a membership specification of two parent representatives, for more than 10 years the ACPMT has functioned with no more than one parent representative. Absenteeism of parent representatives has been a problem, although the current parent representative is present and engaged in conversations and decisions. Staff recommends the change from two parent representatives to one. Other changes are technical in nature related to the change in the name of the Act from Comprehensive Services to Children Services and the change from the Department of Human Services to the City’s current Department of Community and Human Services.
FISCAL IMPACT: None. This is an organizational change to the membership.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Ordinance Cover
Attachment 2: Ordinance
STAFF:
Kendel Taylor, Director, Department of Finance