- a weekly column published in the Pioneer Press

The Siskiyou County Community Services Council (CSC) consists of a County Supervisor; County Department Heads from social and health fields; Superior Court; the Sheriff; the Superintendent of County Schools; the President of C.O.S.; Karuk Tribal Health, Fairchild and Mercy Medical;  directors of various non-profits and people from private business. The Council recommends policy for delivery of social services within the county. It also works to get the most out of social, economic and health resources so that people’s needs are met.

Recently, we completed our first draft action plan for 2003. One of our goals is to build partnerships to address several  issues we selected as priorities. These issues are as follows:

(1)   The percentage of the county population 65 years and older is 18.1%. This is higher than the percentage for all of California at 10.6%.

(2)   The amount of public transportation available in Siskiyou County at .6% is significantly lower than for all of California at 5.1%.

(3)   In Siskiyou County, the poverty rate for children under the age of 6 is 31.7%,. This is higher than for all of California at 20.4%. Unemployment is higher at 11.3% in comparison with California at 6.6%.

(4)   The rate for referrals for child abuse in Siskiyou County is 104 per 1,000, as opposed to California’s rate of 57 per 1,000.

(5)   One and four year dropout rates are higher in Siskiyou County than in California as a whole. The percentage of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher is 17.7%, compared with 26.6% for all of California.

(6)   Licensed child care supply meets only 28% of the need in Siskiyou County for all ages. A parent of an infant who is employed full-time at minimum wage spends almost half of their income on child care annually.

(7)   About 15% of Siskiyou County residents are uninsured for health care.  

Each numbered issue has a committee and an initial strategy:

(1)   Form a countywide “senior coalition.” Define issues, inventory resources and create action plan.

(2)   Work with Local Transportation Commission (LTC) to develop alternative forms of transportation and funding sources.

(3)   Form a housing coalition. Select initial area to focus efforts.

(4)   Explore formation of a countywide Family Violence Coordinating Council.

(5)   Form committee to look at distance learning options.

(6)   Work with the Local Child Care Planning Council to seek options for affordable child care.

(7)   Work with Siskiyou Health Partnership to promote existing programs that offer services to the uninsured.    

It’s a pretty ambitious one year plan. The hope is that if all the departments of county government, the courts, the schools, non-profits and volunteers all partner to focus on these priorities this year, our efforts will accomplish far more towards closing the gaps between needs and services.

This effort definitely needs community expertise, energy buy-in and talent to succeed. If one of the issues we have identified is important to you and you want to help find solutions to problems, call CSC Executive Director Jill Phillips-McLane at 841-2762 for information on how you can get involved.

The CSC generally meets at 3 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the Primrose Room at Human Services, 818 South Main, Yreka. (The old hospital building.) The public is invited to attend.