The Department has worked to improve on service delivery for minority groups over a period of time but more work is needed before success can be claimed. Dane County s population is growing rapidly and is becoming more ethnically diverse everyday. The number of people who are members of ethnic minority group that the Department serves is growing in conjunction with the growth that is seen within Dane County in general. Members of minority groups represent on the average strong household incomes with a significant number of workers in the civilian labor force. At the same time, persons of color have a higher likelihood of being financially poor and at risk of needing human services of all types.
Persons of color are over represented within many of the departments service systems.
The Department was challenged in the 1995-97 County Human Services Planning Process to look at how to improve its effectiveness of delivery of services to people of color. In early 1996, the department undertook a study that looked at the following issue. A Human Services Effectiveness Subcommittee was appointed by the Human Services Board to study this issue. The primary purpose of this planning group was to review children and family services offered by the Department to develop recommendations to improve on human services effectiveness to people of color. Specifically, this committee was charged to consider what impact W2 and other changes in welfare reform would have on households headed by women of color who have young children and who are on public assistance who have AODA problems.