The Quality of Life, Demographics and Social Services Workgroup, after nearly a year of work, presented its findings to the Board of Directors of myregion.org recommending:  Formulation of a Region-Wide Human Services Alliance; and Engagement of the Three Sectors of the Community (public, private and civic), including Faith-based Organizations.

The workgroup’s white paper reflects that all three sectors of the community need to work together to build a successful delivery model for the future. The Core Priorities to look at are: transportation access and affordability; homelessness and affordable housing; impact of changing demographics in the areas of healthcare; public policy related to social services; literacy in cultural competence; mental health and substance abuse; workforce issues; disaster recovery; end of life care; and domestic violence. Solving these issues will require coordination among three sectors: private, public and independent.

Presented by the Workgroup Chair, Mark Brewer, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of Central Florida, Inc., the study that evaluated the impact of demographics on the social services field also showed that the population will be dramatically older and more diverse as the region continues to grow; therefore, drastically changing the actual social service delivery model. Most likely, institutional models will not stay the same and new grassroots efforts will need to be developed.

At this time, there is a misconception that there is duplication of services among agencies, which is not true; we are suffering from fragmentation issues, which compromise the quality of services provided now. Of course, social services are not just for the poor, but also for the working class. We must approach this issue from a Human Services perspective rather than as Social Services.

The Executive Summary of the Workgroup Report states: 

When a group of professionals and volunteer leaders gathered in 2005 to begin to identify the causes that, if addressed, would have the greatest impact on the social service needs of the region in the future, it quickly became apparent that the outcome would be the beginning of a process, rather than an end product. The human issues that drive growth, economic development, and quality of life reach deep into the fabric of our region.

The first step was to define the job itself – to look at the future not the present. The current social service network has many funding and delivery issues, but when you apply the growth equation identified in the Penn Design Study (commissioned by myregion.org), it is apparent that “fixing” current issues is not the answer. The Demographics & Social Services Work Group began to define what issues of highest priority, including systemic concerns around such issues as lack of transportation and affordable housing; hurricanes and other Acts of God; transience of the population; cost and access to medical care; growth of the aging population; and jobs and the economy would do to the future of the region’s Quality of Life if not addressed.

The Work Group, made up of independent sector professionals, social scientists, visionary business professionals, public sector professionals and academics who’s first realization was that while there were many successful program models around the region (and the country), most of the rest of the nation was looking at Central Florida for a better way to address the social service issues of fast-growth, diverse environments.  Their report states:

After all, we have been the demographic litmus test for the rest of the nation for more than ten years.  As we have diversified and aged, others believe we look today the way they will look in the future.  So, the answers are ours to find and share with the rest of the country.

This paper is only the first step in a process that will require engagement and investment from all the citizens, businesses, and governments of the region. Our hope is that the Workgroup recommendations will launch an engaged discussion that will lead to ideas, collaboration and ultimately answers to the question, “How do we build the region we want to live in?”

Following a facilitated discussion on the report, myregion.org Board Members unanimously agreed to support the formation of a Region-Wide Human Services Alliance.  During its second year, the Alliance will focus on designing best-practice collaborative models for social service delivery.

To view a complete copy of the Workgroup “white paper,” click here.

To participate in upcoming community conversations about these issues and more, visit

http://www.myregion.org/HowShallWeGrow/CommunityInputSessions/tabid/94/Default.aspx

“How Shall We Grow? – Creating a Shared Vision for Central Florida” is a fifteen-month process that brings together local, regional and state agencies in a partnership to design our collective future.  The Florida Department of Community Affairs, Florida Department of Transportation, the Central Florida MPO Alliance, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, and myregion.org have combined their professional talents and resources to take this message to the people of our region. 

Those who are interested can stay up-to-date by accessing the project website www.myregion.org or joining in the conversation online at www.howshallwegrow.org.

myregion.org - A Regional Development Program - is designed to bring together the business, government and civic leadership representing the seven-county Central Florida region to develop a regional agenda for thought and action to ensure Central Florida's success in the 21st century global marketplace.