State plan highlights need for poverty guidelines

Having poverty guidelines that are specific to the CNMI is a critical component to more efficient community services, according to acting Division of Youth Services administrator Sylvio Ada at the recently held legislative hearing on the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs State Plan l.

The newly released 2018 State Plan highlights approximately 4,760 families who live on incomes at or below the poverty level range in life necessities such as health, education, employment, and housing, with the severity of need and kinds of poverty-related conditions varying in each of the three islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

According to Ada, accomplishing anti-poverty goals through the DCCA-DYS requires the funds from the Community Services Block Grant to be used for projects that have a measurable outcome and will ameliorate the causes of poverty in the local community.

“With the increase of clients in the emergency shelter program and child protective services, our community demonstrates a strong need for these supports. The CNMI does not have any state poverty guidelines, and we are currently utilizing…Hawaii as our reference,” Ada said.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres notes that the Hawaii guidelines are not favorable to accurately assess the state of poverty in the CNMI.

“Our State Plan serves as a blueprint for organizing and delivering necessary services to the citizens of the Commonwealth, with emphasis on serving the poor. We are currently looking into providing a reference point to better serve our community’s needs,” Torres said.

The State Plan notes that ongoing partnerships are needed to fulfill goals and objectives and describes the type of services to be provided, the eligibility requirements for services, the estimated numbers of clienteles to be served, and the estimated expenditure for each service program.

Additionally, the focus for the CNMI Results-Oriented Management and Accountability, CNMI-ROMA, will include long-range development and improvement of customization for enhanced performance and outcome reporting.

“Efforts will also include training for the DYS staff to encourage network ownership, thus increasing the system usage. Currently, DYS is recipient of technical assistance from The Children’s Bureau the Center for States Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative. With the liaison representative, we have identified three major areas to work on improving in the organization,” Ada noted.

The work plan will improve the efficiency of data collection, data input, case management, client tracking and referrals within the division, to list a few. Ultimately, it will fortify efficiency of programs and service provisions and strengthening families.

For more information on the DCCA State Plan or Pre-Expenditure Report, log on to https://www.dys.gov.mp/. (PR)