Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Human Services Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Human Services opens Coos Bay office on St. John; Cruz Bay Head Start ribbon-cut after reconstruction
Summary
Commissioner Avril George told senators DHS has opened offices at the Coos Bay multipurpose center to deliver SNAP, Medicaid assistance, TANF and Head Start administration locally, and that the reconstructed Cruz Bay Head Start facility held a ribbon-cutting Nov. 6, 2024 and will serve 20 children when fully enrolled.
Avril George, commissioner of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Human Services, told the Legislature’s Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports and Parks on Feb. 21 that DHS has established local offices at the newly renovated Coos Bay Multipurpose Center on St. John and is actively recruiting for the recently completed Cruz Bay Head Start facility.
“St. John deserves the same level of attention, resources, and respect as the rest of the territory,” George said in testimony. She listed services now available on St. John through the Coos Bay site and named days and hours for several programs to assist local residents without requiring ferry travel to St. Thomas.
Services now scheduled at Cruz Bay Multipurpose Center (selected): SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) — Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Medicaid/Medicaid Assistance Program — Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) — Monday–Friday 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Senior ID and Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) — Thursdays 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Vocational rehabilitation — Thursdays 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Head Start administrative services and Office of Child Care Regulatory Services — Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Head Start (Cruz Bay): The reconstructed Cruz Bay Head Start center was completed and a ribbon cutting was held on Nov. 6, 2024. Masika Lewis, Head Start administrator, told the committee the site will serve 20 children and that DHS is recruiting staff. Lewis said the office has 14 enrollment applications on file for the upcoming school year. The department reported three staff vacancies for Cruz Bay Head Start: one preschool teacher, one teacher assistant and one food-service worker. Lewis provided approximate salary ranges for Head Start staff (teacher with BA about $49,000; teacher with AA about $42,000; teacher assistant from about $35,000).
Child care assistance: Tishma Tucker Lance, administrator for the Office of Child Care and Regulatory Services, reported the territorywide distribution of child-care stabilization and quality-improvement grants (more than $21 million in stabilization grants and $7 million in quality improvement mini-grants). She gave FY25 provider counts: licensed providers—St. Croix 38, St. Thomas 59, St. John 9; CCDF-participating providers—St. Croix 23, St. Thomas 21, St. John 2. The department reported five CCDF-enrolled children in St. John and three CCDF-enrolled families on the island; senators asked DHS to boost outreach to eligible families.
Access and outreach: Commissioners said the department has launched a media campaign (radio and podcasts) and weekly St. John in-person service days to raise awareness about what programs are available locally. George asked residents to apply for Head Start and said DHS will continue recruiting local applicants for positions when possible.
Ending: DHS agreed to provide senators with additional material on vacancy lists, salary ranges and outreach plans. The department emphasized that placing services in Coos Bay and reopening Head Start are part of a larger plan to reduce travel burdens and expand access to services for St. John residents.
