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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes August 9, 2005 Page 2 1 VI. GENERAL POLICY BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL. 2 A. Northwest Youth and Family Services, Kay Andrews, presenting, 3 Ms. Andrews shared information of how Northwest Youth and Family Services is doing and how 4 St. Anthony is benefiting. She noted the Agency has adapted to many different needs. They 5 serve 3,000 clients every year. The programs they provide are counseling, youth employment 6 program, diversion services, senior choir program, parent support groups, and have added a day 7 treatment program for severely emotionally disturbed people in the school districts that surround 8 them. The children in that program are so in need of assistance that they cannot function in a 9 traditional school. They spend half the day receiving education, and the other half of the day 10 receiving mental health services. The schools have requested this agency provide this service, 11 and it is working well. 12 13 Ms. Andrews said there are areas of great need in the city, including the fact that many people in 14 this area are economically struggling. 60% of the people served by Northwest Youth and Family 15 Services have incomes less than $26,000. According to the 2002 Children's Report Card, many 16 issues are facing our families and young people in Minnesota. There are concerns about suicide, 17 sexual activity and alcohol use. This is similar to what we are seeing locally in our school 18 districts. 19 20 Ms. Andrews explained the agency is under contract to provide mental health, diversion and 21 employment contract services to St. Anthony. This has been partially supplemented by Hennepin 22 County. As of the first of July, Hennepin County has shifted some of their funding and St. 23 Anthony will no longer receiving funding to serve St. Anthony's young people. She pointed out 24 the annual city contract for services in 2005 is $3,616. The total market value of all contracted 25 services and non - contracted services through June 30 is $5,680. 26 27 Ms. Andrews stated there are many ways they provide these services and make it possible to 28 provide them, and some of them are due to partnerships with other services and groups. Some 29 partnerships are with the cities, some are other organizations that work with them, and some are 30 organizations such as faith organizations. The agency works very closely with schools of St. 31 Anthony and Mounds View. She said that relationship is greatly valued. In the past 29 years, 32 the agency has tried to provide all kinds of services to young people because they exist to 33 provide youth and families healthy lives. 34 35 Mary Sue Hanson, Director of Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative, explained the role of this 36 agency is that of creating a safety net for children, youth and families that are experiencing risk 37 factors and crises. Risk factors include depression, family substance abuse, learning risks, and 38 risks to safety and security such as poverty and homelessness. There are key protective factors 39 the agency addresses including access to resources, child care, stable home environments and 40 cultural competency. Their partners include school districts, county human services, faith 41 communities, social service agencies and city and business representatives. She stated they are 42 at a point where a majority of these funds will disappear by the end of next year. St. Anthony 43 provides funding to close the gaps in services. NYFS provides these services as well. New 44 partnerships bring new perspectives. 45 46 Mayor Faust clarified that SRFC is the resource to link people to NYFS or another agency. Ms. 47 Hanson confirmed and added they are not a direct service; they are a collaborative.