Regional Human Service Coordinating Council
Co-Chairs
Dina Sears-Graves, President and CEO, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut
Kathleen Stauffer, CEO, The Arc of Eastern Connecticut
Staff Contact
Amanda Kennedy
Executive Director
akennedy@seccog.org
In 2011, the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments identified a need for greater coordination between human services agencies. SCCOG formed the state’s first Regional Human Services Coordinating Council (RHSCC), which is comprised of representatives from the region’s municipalities, State agencies, and non-profit human service organizations.
In 2013, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 13-247, which required Regional Councils of Governments to convene human services coordinating councils. This legislation cemented the role of the RHSCC and provides that human services coordinating councils meet to:
- Ensure that regional plans and activities are coordinated with the human service needs of each region; and
- Develop approaches to improve service delivery and achieve cost savings in the region.
Human Services Providers Shared Services Study
In December 2018, SCCOG completed a study with the intent of:
- Identifying opportunities for resource sharing and collaboration between human services organizations;
- Quantifying potential cost savings and increased service to clients; and
- Outlining a process for implementation of study recommendations.
A revised version of this study was completed in April 2019. The resultant study identified four key contributing factors to the state of collaboration and competition in the human services sector of southeastern Connecticut:
- Rising costs;
- Dependence on declining sources of funding;
- Lack of strategic and transition planning; and
- Lack of service coordination across the region.
In order to address these challenges facing human service providers and the sector overall, the study resulted in a set of recommendations that will support more sustainable models for service provision.