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Cincinnati's Increased Human Services Funding Paying Dividends

It appears Cincinnati Council's decision to increase human services funding by $3 million last year is making a difference.  The funds are distributed to 34 programs focused on preventing homelessness and increasing gainful employment.   

Raynal Moore chairs the human services advisory committee.

"The human services fund investment has resulted in more at-risk people staying out of shelters and receiving longer term case management, as well as more residents obtaining employment," Moore said.

Kevin Finn with Strategies to End Homelessness said his agency is using the money for diversion efforts.

"Shelter diversion is by far the most cost-effective intervention and it has by far the best outcome of anything we have going right now," Finn said.  "Not even to mention the fact that it saves families and children the trauma of experiencing homelessness to begin with."

Council Member Kevin Flynn said he likes getting such performance data suggesting that programs that get good results with lesser funding amounts should receive more money.

"Increase the results by increasing the investment," Flynn said.

Meanwhile, it looks like human services funding will not be reduced in the upcoming city budget. In fact, it might be increased by $250,000 to focus on violence prevention.  

The full council will consider the higher number when it votes on a new budget next month.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.