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Human Services reports client increases, new monthly Catholic Charities office hours and pantry usage
Summary
Marcy Rand, director of Human Services, reported a rise in clients to 231 from 219, new monthly office hours from Catholic Charities beginning in March, and sustained funding from multi-year grants including a transport ('Get About') grant through 2028.
Marcy Rand, director of Human Services, told the commission on Feb. 9 that the department is seeing a gradual uptick in clients and is launching new, monthly partner programs to address transportation, employment and financial counseling needs.
“I now have 231, from 219 in our first quarter,” Rand said, reporting that Jackie, a department caseworker, served 57 families with 62 children in the reported period. Rand said the food pantry recorded significant activity in January and noted the department is under budget and supported by existing grant funding.
Rand described two new programs starting in March: monthly open office hours with Catholic Charities to assist with budgeting and family loan programs, and monthly sessions with Laurel House focused on employment help such as resumes and job-search support. She said the town’s Get About transportation grant runs through 2028 and that opioid-related funds have been earmarked to support outside agencies; Rand added the department has a line item for a part-time position that can be used if demand increases.
On domestic violence, Rand said caseworkers receive police reports, reach out to families and provide resource referrals. Jackie, the caseworker referenced in the meeting, keeps counts of contacts and follows up to ensure families know available services, Rand said, but also noted limits on what the department can report due to confidentiality and the varied nature of police reports.
Commissioners asked whether rising domestic-violence filings and protective orders are being tracked in a way the department can analyze. Rand said Jackie documents contacts and that the department’s data show fluctuations by quarter; she recommended consulting the department’s submitted budget materials for a fuller view.
No formal actions or staffing changes were voted on at the meeting; commissioners praised the department’s work and planned to watch the Board of Finance presentations that evening.
