Adopt a resolution adopting the Community and Neighborhood Services Master Plan Phase I: Human Services.

ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2021-2192 ADOPTING THE CITY OF GOODYEAR COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES MASTER PLAN PHASE I: HUMAN SERVICES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Jenna Goad, Assistant to the City Manager and Christina Panaitescu, Grants & Neighborhood Services Supervisor)

Funding priorities will be established by Council through the budget process annually, no funds are allocated with this action. Potential funding sources to support the Plan’s activities include the city’s annual federal CDBG allocation, Community Funding program, and the General Fund, including, but not limited to dollars made available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) which Council has earmarked for future resident support programs as part of the city’s COVID-19 response package.

The city of Goodyear commissioned this study to guide future planning and investments in the provision of human services. Consultant Martina Kuehl, who drafted the City’s FY2021-2025 HUD Consolidated Plan, was selected to conduct the study.

This Human Services Master Plan (Plan) was developed through the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. Information was incorporated from existing city planning documents including the FY2022-2024 Strategic Plan, FY2021-2025 HUD Consolidated Plan, 2021 Avondale Goodyear Transit Study, 2021 National Community Survey, and others.

In addition, outreach was conducted to gather input regarding the city’s most vulnerable residents and their human service needs, including five focus groups attended by 27 individuals, 19 stakeholder and key informant interviews, a school district representative roundtable, a discussion with the Goodyear Youth Commission, and two Goodyear Faith and Community Roundtable discussions. Council reviewed the draft Plan at a work session on November 15, 2021 and a public meeting was held on December 1, 2021 and validated that the proposed actions address the needs identified during plan development.

As a rapidly growing city, Goodyear’s population and the needs of its residents are changing quickly. The Goodyear Human Services Master Plan is intended to serve as the first phase of a broader Community and Neighborhood Services master planning effort with future phases focusing on neighborhood conditions and housing availability. The human services portion was expedited in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).

Goodyear’s human services delivery system is in its infancy and is currently siloed and needs-based. Combined with existing funding sources, such as the Community Funding (CF) program and CDBG, Goodyear's ARPA allocation has provided a unique opportunity to respond to the current needs of residents while also thoughtfully planning for future growth.

At its core, this Human Services Plan is rooted in the concept of human dignity or the acknowledgement of and respect for each individual’s inherent value and worth. Operating within this core concept, the Plan creates a roadmap to a participant-responsive and participant-driven system that positively impacts the lives of vulnerable people by addressing the root causes of their personal difficulties.

Specifically, community input and data point to seven particularly vulnerable populations in Goodyear:

• People who are elderly or have disabilities, and live on low fixed incomes;
• Low-income households;
• Families with children;
• People with mental health concerns, including people experiencing or recovering from abuse, and people with substance misuse challenges;
• People experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including “doubled-up” families;
• People with limited financial literacy; and
• Disconnected youth, or youth who are not employed or in school.

This Plan prioritizes the delivery system and four service areas identified through prior planning efforts and validated through community and stakeholder outreach:

• Basic Needs;
• Mental Health;
• Sustainable Income; and
• Transportation.

Each priority area has a goal and multiple objectives with corresponding actions for implementation. Combined with knowledge of emerging best practices in human services delivery, the following goals and objectives reflect the key concerns and issues prioritized by Goodyear residents through engagement opportunities conducted during Plan development:

Delivery System Goal: Goodyear’s Human Services Delivery System is accountable and participatory. It provides a safety-net in times of crisis, supports stability for residents on the cusp of crisis, and provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and prosperity.
Objective 1: Increase awareness of available services.
Objective 2: Increase City capacity to effectively manage human services and related funding.
Objective 3: Increase systemwide capacity to deliver participant-driven services.
Objective 4: Expand the use of data and evaluation as tools to direct future funding and establish accountability systems.
Objective 5: Increase community input and transparency in the funding of human services.

Basic Needs Goal: Goodyear’s residents are able to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, and personal safety.
Objective 1: Goodyear residents seeking crisis or crisis prevention assistance report connection with needed services and supports on first contact.
Objective 2: Increase engagement with an economic mobility coach for Goodyear residents seeking crisis prevention assistance.
Objective 3: Goodyear residents do not self-report uncertain, insufficient or inadequate access to nutritious and culturally-appropriate food.
Objective 4: Promote access to any new fee-based city services by reducing barriers for vulnerable and low-income users.
Objective 5: Increase access to alternative service-delivery methods to reduce reliance on transportation solutions.

Mental Health Goal: Goodyear residents are connected to mental health services that align with their individual and family needs.
Objective 1: Reduce the time needed to access mental health services.
Objective 2: Increase the availability of facility or shelter beds and services to help individuals experiencing trauma to move from crisis to self-sufficiency.

Sustainable Income Goal: Goodyear’s residents have increased opportunities for economic self-sufficiency and prosperity.
Objective 1: Increase the number of low-income Goodyear residents participating in business formation, higher education, and employment skills and job seeking programs.
Objective 2: Increase the number of Goodyear households with emergency savings, homeownership savings, and/or decreased credit card or other short-term debt.
Objective 3: Increase the availability of high-quality and affordable child care during
non-traditional hours to support employment and participation in education, job skills and search training, and services critical to personal stability.

Transportation Goal: Goodyear’s vulnerable residents and workforce members have access to flexible and affordable transportation options.
Objective 1: Leverage transit recommendations from the 2021 Transit Study
Objective 2: Increase transportation access during non-traditional transit hours to support vulnerable residents and workforce members.
Objective 3: Increase transit affordability for vulnerable populations as transit availability expands

The framework for action in this plan is ambitious. It serves as a long-term guide that will evolve as the City and its partners gain experience and the social and economic circumstances in Goodyear and the region change. While multiple pilot programs may be pursued during the first years of this plan, long-term success is dependent on the City initially investing time to develop a shared vision and outcome measurement system with stakeholders and community members. All sectors, including the private sector must be engaged to develop a widely-accepted vision and promote true collaboration.

Pending adoption of the Plan, a budget request for first-year activities will be developed and brought forward as part of the FY23 budget process.