STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Human and Social Needs
AGENDA DATE: October 23, 2019
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Community Care
EXECUTIVE: Nadia Chandler-Hardy
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SUBJECT
Title
Authorize three one-year service contracts, with two one-year renewal options, for the Overcoming Barriers to Work Program with (1) Open Arms, Inc. dba Bryan’s House in the amount of $36,698.00; (2) International Rescue Committee in the amount of $76,833.00; and (3) The Salvation Army in the amount of $40,337.00, most advantageous proposers of eight - Total not to exceed $153,868.00 - Financing: 2019-20 Community Development Block Grant Funds
Body
BACKGROUND
The Overcoming Barriers to Work Program will provide supportive services to address barriers to work. These barriers may include but are not limited to transportation, childcare, language, mental health resources and lack of wrap-around services. This program will support projects/programs that provide the City of Dallas residents with skills and needed support to gain and maintain jobs that pay livable wages. The program will also specifically provide supportive services for individuals participating in job training/career development programs. Programming will be offered in community locations, such as: community centers, daycare centers, nonprofit facilities, etc., in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) eligible neighborhoods and targeting CDBG eligible clients. Programming components may be offered in neighborhoods that are not CDBG eligible, as long as all participating clients meet CDBG eligibility requirements.
On July 15, 2019 the Office of Procurement Services issued a Request for Proposals (BC19-00010975) for the Overcoming Barriers to Work Program. The three top proposals were from International Rescue Committee, Open Arms, Inc. dba Bryan’s House, and The Salvation Army. The City sought programs that enable clients to participate in job training, career development, and job seeking programs by helping them overcome barriers (such as lack of transportation and childcare services) to participate in these programs. Supported projects were required to clearly articulate the potential barriers faced by clients in accessing programming and identify how the proposed services minimize or eliminate identified barriers.
Programs were sought that would provide supportive services to address barriers to work and that support clients participating in these types of programs:
• Programs that provide job skills training and career development services and that include a job placement component
• Programs that support jobseekers in identifying and obtaining good jobs, including “soft skills” training and resume development support
• Programs that connect people with pathways to careers with advancement
• Programs that provide adult basic education and adult literacy courses for individuals with low educational attainment
• Programs that provide educational opportunities for individuals with limited English Proficiency, such as English as a Second Language course
• Programs that provide supportive services for individuals participating in job training, career development and job seeking programs
Through the following selected vendors, the program will address the childcare, language, and transportation barriers.
1. Open Arms, Inc. dba Bryan’s House will address the childcare barrier. Through their Single Working Mothers Program, they support low-income, racially and ethnically diverse single mothers by providing specialized childcare for their special needs children at no cost. Bryan’s House serves families living in poverty, most headed by single mothers, and they will include children with special health needs or whose mothers are HIV-positive. Women who live in poverty and have children with special health needs must work in order to support their families. However, they cannot work unless they have access to high quality childcare to ensure their children are cared for and that they don’t fall further behind developmentally due to their medical or developmental challenges.
2. International Rescue Committee will address the language and wraparound services barriers. Through the Digital Literacy Skills for Work Project, which is designed to support individuals participating in job training/career development programs. The project helps individuals with barriers to employment gain the foundational digital literacy skills they need to succeed in job training and career development programs that lead to either a first job or a higher skill, higher paying wage job. This project will target Limited English Proficient low- and moderate-income individuals who reside in the city of Dallas. They will also receive wrap-around services that will include a Career Pathways Specialist who will provide a plan tailored to the individuals specialized need.
3. The Salvation Army, Inc. will address the transportation barrier as well as provide wrap-around services. Through their Carr P. Collins Social Service Center, The Salvation Army provides comprehensive programs and services to individuals and families overcoming homelessness, addiction, and poverty. They provide prevention and recovery programs that are designed to assist those in varying stages of crisis by providing low barrier access to food, shelter, and supportive services to help end their crisis and begin a path to recovery. The vast majority of the clients served in these programs have significant barriers to employment, including extensive criminal backgrounds, large employment history gaps, and transportation issues. To address these barriers The Salvation Army provides one-on-one coaching and classroom job readiness services to assist clients with the development of skills needed to obtain and maintain employment, and/or advance in the workforce. Also, they provide transportation assistance and linkage to additional supportive services offered on and off site.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On June 12, 2019, City Council adopted the FY 2019-20 Consolidated Plan Budget for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Grant Funds by Resolution No. 19-0886.
City Council will be briefed by memorandum regarding this matter on October 11, 2019.
FISCAL INFORMATION
2019-20 Community Development Block Grant Funds - $153,868.00
OWNERS
Open Arms, Inc. dba Bryan’s House
Abigail Erickson-Torres, Chief Executive Officer
The Salvation Army
Blake Fetterman, Executive Director
International Rescue Committee
Suzy Cop, Executive Director