Proposed Hopkins HSPHD Regional HubOth Background Information / Data
Proposed Hopkins HSPHD Regional Hub
Regionalization
In our efforts to help individuals and families achieve self-reliance and livable incomes, and build
healthy, robust, economically vibrant communities, Hennepin County is opening regional offices
to better deliver human services and public health services. The western suburban area is one
of six regions included in the regional plan.
Each region will have a primary service site or "regional hub" that provides access to the full
range of financial, social and public health services offered by HSPHD as well as services
provided by community partners. Child care will be available on site for families during their
appointments at regional hubs. Regions will also have 2-3 smaller satellite/specialty sites that
offer services needed in the region. These smaller sites may be co -located with community
partners or be stand-alone locations providing a single service.
For years, customers have said they want services that are more convenient — they don't want
to go downtown! Also:
• Customers have consistently given higher satisfaction ratings to services that are
delivered locally.
• Research from pilot community-based sites such as Powderhorn Partners in South
Minneapolis and The Village in North Minneapolis shows that people are more
successful at reaching their goals when they receive services in their communities.
Regional offices bring convenience, community connections and higher levels of
training and employment
Regional offices, including those located in the West Suburban Region, will lead to better
community partnerships with faith communities, nonprofits, schools and businesses, higher
levels of training and employment, greater convenience for ALL residents, less paperwork, and
better ability to be more nimble and respond quickly.
Hennepin's Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) serves county residents
at all income levels through many services, all of which will be accessible at regional hubs.
Services that will be accessible at the West Suburban regional hub will include:
• Collecting and enforcing Child Support
• Immunizations and health checks
• Nutrition services for new moms and babies
• Early childhood development programs
• Services for veterans
• Services for people who have disabilities
• Services for senior citizens
• Programs for low-income families to meet their basic needs and get connected to
education, job training and job supports
• Restaurant inspections
• Public pool and beach water inspections
• Protective services for children, people who have disabilities and seniors
• Mental and chemical health services, including 24/7 crisis response for anyone having
an emotional crisis
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Less paperwork, faster service
HSPHD's new Client Service Delivery Model (CSDM) will be implemented at all regional hubs.
This integrated model of service has been in development and testing for over three years. In
this model, clients will be able to access all the services they need at regional hubs. They will
tell their story just once, and receive a holistic assessment on their first visit, making it possible
to create an integrated service plan. We will connect clients to community partners that have
additional services to offer. This new service model allows clients to move through the
application process more quickly and spend less time in our offices. Application appointments
that used to take 3 hours or more are now completed in less than 90 minutes.
Regions established using data
HSPHD established its six geographic regions by analyzing service statistics and using geo-
coding technology to identify where our clients live and the types of services they use most
often.
The West Suburban Region is comprised of 23 cities. Its population is approximately 175,000
or 15% of Hennepin County's overall population (2010 US Census). The estimated population
below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) in the region is approximately 9,500 or 5.4%
(2005-2009 American Community Survey). Approximately 25% of Hopkins' 17,591 residents
receive services though HSPHD. Approximately 15% of St. Louis Park's 45,250 residents
receive services through HSPHD.
West Suburban regional service locations
We are trying to locate the regional hub in each region as close as possible to areas with high
density of HSPHD caseloads. In the West Suburban Region this area is the inner ring suburbs
on the east side of the region. Hopkins is in this area, is easily accessible by major highways,
and affords the best access for clients and residents coming from across the region.
Additionally, in the future, access to and from Hopkins will be enhanced by the Southwest Light
Rail Transit.
At approximately 14,500 square feet, the West Suburban regional hub will be our smallest
regional hub in the county. Current sites with adequate square footage to function as satellites
in the West Suburban Region include Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners at County
Roads 6 & 101, WeCAN in Mound and Ridgedale in Minnetonka. Additional satellites are
projected for Maple Plain and St. Louis Park, if a regional hub site is located in Hopkins.
West Suburban regional hub activity
Projected daily activity at the Wells Fargo Building (includes existing and projected new):
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Total Staff
Count
Projected to be on
site at any one time
Staff on site daily
80
68
Staff on site intermittently
70
23
Subtotal
150
91
Clients / Visitors per day
176
39
Grand total
326
130
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We estimate that 91 parking spaces will be required by HSPHD staff at any given point in time.
These spaces would be dedicated contract spaces located in the parking ramp adjacent to the
Wells Fargo Building.
We project that approximately 39 clients will be on site at the regional hub at any one time.
Many visits by clients are short term in nature and are revolving during the course of the day.
Given this scenario, client parking needs would be covered by the visitor spaces located within
the ramp. From discussions with the building manager and what has been shared through
discussions with the City of Hopkins there appears to be adequate parking to meet the needs of
HSPHD staff and clients.
County employees will patronize local business
Establishing the regional hub in the Wells Fargo Building will result in the assignment of an
additional 80 county employees to this region. As with current employees, they are likely to
patronize local businesses in the vicinity of the regional hub. Furthermore, HSPHD employees
were invited to indicate their preferred regional worksite so staff working in the West Suburban
regional hub selected this location. Our experience suggests that staff often choose the region
in which they reside as their preferred worksite; the implication being that these employees are
already positively connected and committed to the region.
County buildings are safe
Buildings that provide Hennepin County services are safe. Century Plaza is HSPHD's current
site in downtown Minneapolis for access to financial services through the county. It serves
approximately 1,200 clients per day. From June -November 2011, there were only 2 incidents at
Century Plaza that required police involvement to supplement our security staff.
The West Suburban regional hub will have county employed / contracted security personnel on
site at all times during its operating hours. Hennepin County security personnel are equipped to
deal with a wide range of incidents. They will follow county standards for security protocols in
high volume client service areas. Security personnel are mobile and will patrol the interior and
exterior of the building as well as the adjacent parking ramp. Closed circuit security cameras
will observe and record activity inside and outside the building. Cameras are monitored by on
site security personnel when the regional hub is open and by the county's central operations
center when the office is closed.
Given the new model of service that will be implemented at regional hubs and the experience
and expertise of our security staff, we would expect to require assistance from the local police
department in only the rarest of situations.
Access to services through technology
County staff have multiple technological supports and mobile equipment that allow them to work
in various locations and settings, all the while staying in contact with each other and the
county's electronic data systems. This has significantly reduced the frequency of staff coming
into the office and has resulted in a decrease in the amount of office space needed for staff
whose primary responsibilities can be performed offsite.
Fewer clients will need to come into a regional office for services over time, as well, due to
system modernization efforts by the State of Minnesota. As a result we do not anticipate that
regional hubs will need to be expanded in the foreseeable future. Two significant changes
recently implemented by the State include mailing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and
ApplyMN.
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As of September 2012, people eligible for cash assistance and/or food benefits receive their
EBT cards — similar to a debit card — via US Mail rather than from a county/regional office. In
addition, Minnesotans in need of health care, food assistance, child care assistance and
emergency assistance can now apply for these programs online, filling out a single application
through ApplyMN. This tool prescreens applicants for potential eligibility for various programs
and facilitates several steps in the application and approval process, thereby eliminating the
need for program applicants to visit a regional office.
Communication with existing tenants
The building manager has met and had discussions with a number of existing tenants in the
Wells Fargo Building about the county's interest in establishing a regional hub on the first floor.
The county has been advised by the building manager that none of the tenants with whom he
has met to date have expressed concern about HSPHD expanding its presence in the building.
Discussions with other tenants are continuing.
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