Mendocino County Economic and Social Planning Project

摘要

This economic and social planning (ESP) project was initiated to assist Mendocino County, Calif., in effectively allocating and utilizing resources to meet local needs. Specific project goals were to evaluate human service needs in the county (geographically and topically), identify economic and other resources, establish long - range goals for improving the quality of life, develop an evaluation system / matrix, and devise a human needs delivery systems coordinating model. The project's capacity - building activities were directed toward policy development and adoption, program planning and implementation, evaluation models, process institutionalization, and project model transfer. During the project's first year, consideration was given to existing data relevant to human service needs, socioeconomic conditions in the county, and service agencies. Household and agency surveys were conducted. Major tasks during the second year of the project focused on research on three priority areas of need (economic and employment development, housing and health), general policy guideline development, policy and action plan development, transfer, institutionalization, resource inventorying, needs assessment, evaluation, and revenue sharing review. Two major changes have taken place since the inception of the ESP project: (1) the establishment of a centralized evaluation unit within the county administrator's office, and (2) the initiation of program budgeting in five county departments. The project, as a partnership between county government and a local community action agency, was enhanced by the county's rural environment and the most successful activity was its transfer component. Narrative and tabular data and survey forms are provided. Portions of this document are not fully legible.