Issue of the Month: Kent County Prevention Initiative and Evaluation

Ever since 2002 the County Commission has allocated funds for a “Prevention Initiative” for our county. The Commission in that year directed the Administrator to “develop a plan to fund” three priority service needs: (1) primary prevention family support services (2) services to families who have had reported child abuse or neglect interventions, (3) substance abuse prevention activities. Since 2003 the Commission has allocated up to $1.7 million annually from the county General Fund to help local non-profit agencies address these three areas. The County has used the Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council (KCFCCC) to oversee the distribution of these Prevention Initiative funds. The KCFCCC has provided reports of how the monies have been used, and the Commission has felt assured the funds are proving effective in addressing needs in the priority areas. The KCFCCC recently adopted a process of evaluating effectiveness of human service dollars in our county—including the Prevention Initiative—called the “Collective Impact Strategy”. The County Commission embraced this strategy, and is encouraging participation by all organizations involved with addressing social issues in our community. This includes businesses, governments, non-profit agencies, and philanthropic agencies. The Commission will be getting periodic reports of the KCFCCC’s implementation, and I will pass these reports on to my readers. I will work hard to assure our county’s commitment to the Prevention Initiative continues and we play a continuing role in addressing social needs in our community.