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NNIP PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Community Services Planning Council Institutional Setting Since 1939, the Community Services Planning Council (CSPC) has worked toward building strong and caring communities in the Sacramento region through information, planning and advocacy. The CSPC is a nonprofit organization that acts as a research and data intermediary for health and human services data, resources information, and community social trends. Functions of the CSPC include: 1) serving as a forum for service providers, consumers and community leaders and other Sacramento area residents; 2) conducting studies of unmet needs and developing programs to meet those needs; 3) evaluating and providing technical assistance to human services and human services issues; 4) advocating for human needs; and 5) collecting, classifying and disseminating information about human services. By engaging community organizations, residents and public agencies, the CSPC provides a public voice to local policy-making and acts as a catalyst for change. The Planning Council builds community partnerships, allocates resources, and coordinates service efforts. In addition, CSPC members publish studies on critical community issues and make policy recommendations through public advisory groups such as the Sacramento County Children's Coalition, the Sacramento County Public Health Advisory Board, and the HIV Health Services Planning Council. The Planning Council also connects Sacramento residents with nonprofit and public services via a telephone referral service and a comprehensive directory of area programs. President Juan Yniguez heads an eighteen-member board of directors that determines CSPC policies, procedures and regulations. The Planning Council is funded by a wide range of private donors and public agencies and is a member of the National Association of Planning Councils (NAPC). Data Component An explicit goal of the CSPC is to "create and sustain a regional center for collection, analysis and dissemination of health and human services information for the public." The CSPC information system was developed in the mid-1980s as a public/private partnership to provide a central clearinghouse for measurable data about social and economic indicators as well as descriptive and categorized information on public and non-profit services. It was originally developed and continues under the guidance of an advisory committee comprised of members from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions. Acting as a data intermediary, the CSPC provides data in a variety of formats such as maps, charts, graphs, detailed reports and summary analyses. The CSPC information system currently houses over 150 regional indicators from various state agencies. Now available for seven counties and the state as a whole, these statistics can be accessed online in Excel format. The information system also includes indicators at the community and neighborhood levels such as demographics, vital statistics, income, employment, education, housing, crime, health services, and voting. In addition, vital statistics and public program utilization by zip code for Sacramento County will be available online soon. The Planning Council also offers technical and analytical assistance to community groups, public agencies, and funders. CSPC members conduct presentations and workshops on using data for community assessments and planning. For instance, the Planning Council facilitates a program called Linking Neighbors in which volunteers conduct community action plan workshops and provide training and technical assistance to residents in low-income communities. The CSPC also maintains seven Neighborhood Information Centers in targeted areas of Sacramento County to serve low-income and hard-to-reach residents. PARTNER BIOGRAPHIES: Katrina Middleton is director of Research, Planning and Information Services at the Community Services Planning Council in Sacramento, California. The Council's mission is to build strong and caring communities in the Sacramento Region through information, planning and advocacy for human needs. The Council acts as a data intermediary working with community organizations, residents, public agencies and foundations to create community profiles, help create community plans, allocate resources, prepare proposals, and link with potential partners. Katrina Middleton is chair of the Social Indicators Workgroup of the National Association of Planning Councils (NAPC). NAPC is a private, non-profit national organization which promotes quality community planning and supports its members as they provide leadership for community-based human services and health planning and action. |