Sacramento County needs to partner with Non Profits
By Supervisor Susan Peters

The continuing decline of the economy is expected to result in reduced state and local revenues for Sacramento County’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2010-2011. In April Interim County Executive Steve Szalay released preliminary information for Fiscal Year 2010-11 identifying a number of possible impacts to programs including cuts to Health and Human Services as well as to Regional Parks.

The budget shortfall is about $166 million dollars. That’s why we need to look outside the bureaucratic box and seize the opportunity to utilize the private and non-profit sectors to deliver services and programs in a more efficient and less costly manner than what is being provided by government.

I support new business models that involve exploring more partnerships with non profits like what the County did recently transferring control of the Mather Community Campus, a major homeless program, to Volunteers of America (VOA). That move will save the County $1.2 million but still result in providing shelter to the approximately 320 homeless residents who currently occupy the campus. Now VOA will take over all aspects of running the campus, including staffing, building and grounds maintenance services, vocational training for residents and case management services utilizing funding by several sources.

Another transition under way is the transfer of Senior Nutrition Services (SNS) to the non profit Asian Community Center. SNS serves 2,000 seniors each day – 1,400 home delivered meals (aka meals on wheels) and 600 congregate meals at 22 locations. SNS provides a safety net for the elderly and most seniors receiving the home delivered meals are frail, isolated and alone. By administering the program and preparing the same number of meals as before, the Asian Community Center will save the County staff costs and other operational expensive for a savings of $1.3 million.

Utilizing a hybrid model involving private, non profit, and government resources is something Sacramento County has embarked upon before. In December 2008 the County had to close the Oak Park Health Clinic due to budget cuts. However, through a unique public-private partnership, the clinic was reopened in July 2009 under the management of The Effort, Inc. – in association with Kaiser Permanente; Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento; the County of Sacramento; and Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society. The closed facility today is providing affordable prenatal, pediatric, family practice, mental health and dental services to the underserved population of the Oak Park neighborhood. That unique collaboration resulted from generous donations by both Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Medical Center, volunteer physician hours through the Medical Society as well as an agreement with Sacramento County to lease the shuttered building for $1 per year.

The bottom line is that out of challenging situations often comes innovative solutions. The Department of Regional Parks is well aware that a new approach must be pursued if the Effie Yeaw Nature Center is to remain open. Currently discussions have commenced with a number of organizations like the American River History Association and the American River Parkway Foundation about taking over and operating the nature center so the public does not lose access to that wonderful educational resource. Soon the County will be soliciting proposal requests for the nature center.

As a community, we are very fortunate that so many good and qualified non profits are located in our region and willing to help serve the public. When Board of Supervisors begins budget deliberations during the week of June 14, we should remember the success that has already been made and build upon that by continuing to utilize non profit groups and the private sector where appropriate.

Susan Peters represents the Third District on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. She can be reached at susanpeters@saccounty.net.