HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
ANNUAL REPORT 2003
The mission of the Department of Human Services is both to provide a safety net for Arlington citizens who experience difficulty in their lives and need help with those difficulties and also to promote the health and well being of Arlington citizens.
The Department of Human Services is comprised of the following divisions: Board of Health including the Sealer of Weights and Measures; Council on Aging including Consumer Affairs and Transportation Program; Housing and Weatherization Program including Fair Housing Office and Affordable Housing Office; Recreation Division including Arlington Memorial Sports Center and Reservoir Beach; Veterans’ Services including Arlington Food Pantry and Arlington Assistance Program; Youth Services including Arlington Youth Consultation Center and Arlington Alcohol and Drug Education Program.
The Department of Human Services is comprised of the following boards and commissions: Board of Health, Board of Youth Services, Council on Aging, Disability Commission, Fair Housing Committee, Human Rights Commission, and Parks and Recreation Commission.
The Department of Human Services receives its funding from the following sources: Town of Arlington, Arlington Public Schools, Department of Education (MA), Department of Elder Affairs (MA), Department of Public Health (MA), Department of Veterans’ Affairs (MA), Division of Medical Assistance (MA), Metropolitan District Commission (MA), Department of Housing and Urban Development (US), Lahey Hospital, Sanborn Trust, Project Bread, Private Insurance Carriers, Private Citizen Donations, and Client Fees.
In 2003 the Department of Human Services maintained a very active role in networking with all the various agencies, committees, and players in Arlington to a safety net for Arlington citizens. For example the networking included collaboration with the Arlington Housing Corporation to provide emergency monies to Arlington residents who were in danger of becoming homeless. The networking also included coordination with the state fuel assistance program to facilitate access to fuel money for Arlington residents. Additionally the networking included a close working relationship with the Arlington Food Pantry to ensure that citizens in need have adequate food supplies in their homes. Indeed the goal of all this networking is to make assistance and services as available and accessible as possible to Arlington
residents – to reduce the barriers to help.
The Department of Human Services is comprised of a corps of incredibly dedicated and committed employees and volunteers who strive to make life better for Arlington residents – children, youth, adults, and elders.
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