Stanislaus County could contract with United Way for next phase of Focus on Prevention

Stanislaus County leaders expect to hear a progress report Tuesday and could approve an agreement with United Way to be contract administrator for the Focus on Prevention initiative.

Focus on Prevention is a community engagement effort, which has drawn hundreds of people to convenings since October to talk about solutions to homelessness.

The county agreed to pay $148,000 for the Center for Collective Wisdom to develop and coordinate the initiative’s first phase last year. The cost for the center to coordinate the initiative in 2016 is estimated at $250,000.

Chief Executive Officer Stan Risen has asked community partners to cover half of that cost. Under the proposed agreement, United Way of Stanislaus County would conduct fundraising and serve as fiscal agent for contributions to Focus on Prevention.

According to a county report, the United Way will administer a contract with the Center for Collective Wisdom for “facilitation, strategic planning, training and outcome services.” The county will be responsible for $125,000 and pay $5,000 to United Way for administration of the program.

John Ott, who has facilitated the convenings for Focus on Prevention, is chief executive officer of the Center for Collective Wisdom. A Stewardship Council, with representatives from 10 sectors of the community, was created last year to work with action councils and oversee the 10-year initiative.

The Stewardship Council has raised $85,000 in pledges from businesses, local agencies and private individuals for the effort in 2016. The Stanislaus Community Foundation also will accept contributions and pass them to United Way.

Besides the focus on homelessness, other goals of the initiative are to strengthen families, support youth and break the cycle of crime. Individuals and organizations from multiple sectors of the community are involved with the initiative, including arts, entertainment and sports; business; education; faith; government; health care; media; nonprofit groups; neighborhoods; and philanthropy.

County Supervisor Terry Withrow, who works with the Stewardship Council, said the council has yet to decide what subject area to work on next.

He said he’s pleased with the way different sectors of the community are coming together.

“It could not be going better,” Withrow said.

The Homeless Action Council met for months last year to develop ways to reduce the impact of homelessness. The emerging plan includes building relationships with people who are homeless or close to being homeless; coordinated access to services to help them get off the streets; and providing more temporary and supportive housing.

This story was originally published January 31, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Stanislaus County could contract with United Way for next phase of Focus on Prevention."