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2015 County-Wide Human Services Needs Assessment

Release Date: October 16, 2015
The Sussex County Department of Human Services has published the County-Wide Human Services Needs Assessment for 2015.

Sussex County
2015 Countywide Needs
Assessment

The mission of the Sussex County Department of Human Services is: "To improve the quality of life of Sussex County residents through an integrated approach to comprehensive services that meets the needs of individuals, families and communities." Committed to its mission, the Department of Human Services took the lead, in partnership with the Planning Committee of the Human Services Advisory Council, in conducting the County-Wide Human Services Needs Assessment for 2015.

Data detailing the specifics of Sussex County was collected for analysis in a multitude of domains, including demographics, housing, health and mental health, education, employment, children and youth, older adults and addiction. In April 2015, the Department of Human Services and the Human Services Advisory Council began to distribute a survey entitled the "Sussex County Human Services Needs Survey 2015." This survey was designed to receive input from the community at large regarding their current needs in the area of human services including affordable housing, employment at a living wage, dental care, healthcare insurance, childcare, and mental health services, among others. From July through August 2015, eight focus groups were conducted by a moderator at various locations throughout the county. The focus groups represented the following target populations: the elderly; individuals with disabilities; children/families at risk of abuse, neglect and abandonment; single parents; individuals with mental illness; general human services, homeless coordination providers; and individuals/families affected by substance abuse.

In August 2015, service providers were asked to participate as a group in a strategic planning session to review the evaluation of data and identified priority areas of need. At the conclusion of the analysis, the data was presented to the group and prioritized to the areas of service to be recommended for expanded investment. The following seven areas emerged as the top priorities: Mental health services with an emphasis on psychiatry and co-occurring substance abuse, transportation, affordable housing, employment opportunities and job training, increased access to healthcare and dental care/specialists, case management for all human services and centralized screening for all human services. Click here to view the full Sussex County 2015 County-wide Human Services Needs Assessment.


A message from the Department of Human Services, One Spring Street, Newton, N.J. 07860 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone 973-579-0559 Fax 973-579-9894 humanservices@sussex.nj.us.