It stands out. Only two counties in Michigan have consolidated human services programs into a single department, and Kalamazoo County was the first to take such action. County HSD continues to operate with an extremely efficient ratio of services to administrative cost. A few years ago, to create a one-stop shopping concept, all human service programs were moved to the Nazareth Campus on Gull Road. HSD is composed of many different programs which are very significant to the community.
Poverty is one of the major causes of family deterioration.
HSD operates several programs for low income individuals. For example, Head Start which not only prepares children to compete at the same level with other children when they enter kindergarten, but also works with the parents by helping them become more productive citizens. Another program, the Emergency Overnight Shelter, was established in 1989 as a result of a community-wide effort to provide shelter for the most vulnerable of all homeless people. The shelter program provides specialized assistance for men and women, whether it is providing a place to stay while they save enough money to pay their first month's rent or an array of services including substance abuse treatment, job training, and more. It carries more than 100,000 riders per year and is a partnership between government and the private sector.