Human Services in Montgomery County, Ohio: Service Integration Writ Large.

The most striking characteristic of the human service system in Montgomery County, Ohio, is the size and scope of its job center. The center occupies 5.5 acres of office space, has ample parking, is well served by the public transportation system, and is the locus of many human service and employment programs and service providers. The county's strategy is to boost the local workforce's earnings, enhance local employers' competitiveness, and increase the region's economic prosperity. In addition to the economic benefits of the county's integrated service delivery approach, locating all human services in a single location reduces the stigma associated with welfare programs because all residents in need of services go to the same location. Other initiatives that have contributed to the success of the county's efforts to change the face of welfare through integrated service delivery are as follows: (1) community collaboratives (a community-based collaborative program that complements the programs and services available at the job center by providing neighborhood-based supportive services); (2) changing client processes through the development of integrated service teams; (3) a shared philosophy emphasizing a positive, proactive approach to interactions between staff and clients; and (4) a single county agency responsible for multiple programs. (A list of the Montgomery County's job center agencies and its programs is attached.) (MN)