Human Services Trends

June 10, 2004 Community Breakfast Comments
Human Service Agencies

What trends will affect the way you do business in 5 years?

Economy	Funding crunch requires partnerships among agencies in the provision of services (e.g. "Safe haven" between Women's Resource Center and Child & Family Services; TCAPS and Child & Family Services in working with youth failing in school or expelled/suspended.) Number of parents working more than one job is growing. Cost of college education is escalating. Non-profits struggling financially. Technical assistance and access are needed. Growing tourism. Questionable economy - low investment income.
Government	Funding is flat from government sources, so fund raising is ever more critical. Declining state and federal support for essential services to children and the poor. Social worker licensing requirements now include continuing education. Smoke free regulations. Greater accountability through formal measurement of outcomes. As expenses to operate increase, service region expands.
Technology	Concerns about air pollution.
Demographics	Uninsured and underinsured population is rising. Affordable housing, education and jobs are needed by clientele; many fall through the funding cracks. Child abuse is on the rise, as a result of poverty, homelessness, lack of employment. Number of single parents is growing. Working poor population is growing. Increasing number of senior citizens resulting in increasing abuse of prescription drugs and on-going abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Continued drug use among the juvenile population. There is a larger senior community in this area who are not engaged in the community. Elder abuse is on the rise and families are not here to take care of them.
Education	Senior community needs to be knowledgeable about computers.

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