Another Meeting? You're Kidding!
The Value of Human Service Councils

Jane Hunter, Human Development Specialist

If you are not already attending this meeting, you may want to add it to your list of resolutions for the new year. There is a coalition of human service providers that meets in almost every county in northeast Missouri.

We have all experienced the frustration of working with limited resources. Those of us involved in our human service councils have experienced even greater satisfaction from working together, sharing a variety of resources and working toward a common goal.

"What’s in it for me?" One member says the contacts made with interagency groups "keep us informed of programs and services so we can better serve the people of our community. It gives us a chance to meet people in other professions besides our own. Human service councils provide the opportunity for networking and sharing solutions." Another member said, "When I don’t have a solution for a problem, I often gain ideas from the people I talk with at the human service council."

Human service councils began in 1989 as a result of the rural farm crisis. The need to better coordinate various governmental agencies at the state and local levels was identified.

Counselors assigned to the northern part of the state took an especially strong role in helping to organize these councils. A memorandum of agreement was signed by the heads of the Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education, Health, Mental Health, Social Services and University Outreach and Extension and permission was granted to work more closely with each other.

As a result of people working together through these councils information is exchanged, community needs are analyzed and assessed, and special projects are achieved such as the Coping with Grief Seminar and The Show-Me Body Walk, both coordinated by a local human service council.

As you can see from the insert in this issue, the coalitions have a variety of titles. No matter what the title may be, they all signify a group of people who care about providing more for the people in their communities. I encourage you to seek out your local council and get connected this year!

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Nancy Flood, floodn@missouri.edu Consumer & Family Economics Specialist Putnam County University Outreach and Extension Center Last Update: May 23, 2001