County supports local services

RBC I Amid increasing dialogue about the future of Colorado’s social services system, the Rio Blanco County Board of County Commis-sioners has passed a resolution to affirm the county’s support for a locally administered human services system, and its commitment to excellence in the delivery of child protection, child support enforcement and public assistance programs.
Resolution 2010-17 was passed at a public hearing on June 28 and expresses the county’s commitment to excellence, quality improvement and enhanced accountability of local and state government in the delivery of human services.
The action comes in response to report released in 2009 by Gov. Ritter’s Child Welfare Action Committee recommending a massive overhaul of Colorado’s state-supervised, county-administered human services system and placing the entire system in the control of the State.
Rio Blanco County Commissioner Kai Turner said, “Our Human Services Department, through collaborative efforts and local knowledge of our communities, has provided efficient local services that would be virtually impossible to duplicate from a state-operated program. Maintaining local control allows our director to ensure accountability and more effective oversight in Rio Blanco County.”
The Rio Blanco County Depart-ment of Human Services has worked long and hard to develop relationships with partners in the community, ranging from law enforcement agencies to mental health care providers, courts, non-profits and other local governments.
Rio Blanco County supports 27 other recommendations made by the Child Welfare Action Committee.
For more information and a copy of the Rio Blanco County resolution on, contact Bonnie Ruckman, director, at 878-9640.