CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES INC

Programs: Senior companion program - to reduce isolation and help seniors remain independent and in their own homes, 102 trained older adult volunteers provided 106,701 hours of peer companionship and assistance to 427 homebound, frail and disabled seniors throughout franklin, licking, delaware, and fairfield counties last year. In addition to serving the general population, the senior companion program strives to maintain its diversity by working with the somali, cambodian, chinese, hispanic and russian communities. The senior companion program is the only program of its kind in central ohio. In a recent survey sent to all clients, 92% of survey participants reported an increase in social ties/perceived social support.

supportive services - the supportive services program employs licensed social workers to provide case-management to persons 60 years of age and older who reside in their homes and who live in franklin or licking county. The overall goal is to enable the older adult to remain safe and independent in their home for as long as possible. The program includes an initial assessment of a person's general health, safety, housing, and material needs. The social worker and client work jointly to develop an individual service plan which tracks the progress of clients in meeting their goals. In 2014 the program in franklin county provided 4,461 hours of direct case management to 335 clients. In licking county, 1,086 hours of direct services were provided to 105 clients. The program also has provided money management services to assist persons 60 years of age or older in franklin county plan, organize and handle their financial resources, including paying bills. In 2014 the worker provided 1,165 units of service to 55 clients. The supportive services program continues to be successful in keeping older adults safe and independent in their homes.

mental health counseling is provided in franklin county by licensed social workers and counseling professionals. In 2014, css provided 1,990 hours of confidential counseling, helping 250 clients develop new skills to deal with various life challenges and decrease their level of symptom distress. According to the client surveys, more than 90% of clients were satisfied with the staff's understanding of their needs and 90% were satisfied with services overall. In late 2014, css positioned our counseling program toward maternal health counseling services to meet an unmet, critical need in the community and respond to high rates of infant mortality by providing greater support to expectant and new mothers.

the home choice program affords qualified, medicaid eligible, long-term nursing home residents the opportunity to return to a house or apartment. Css serves as a transition coordinator and assists with direct case management, linking with any necessary home health support as well as other basic goods, and services necessary to increase the likeliness of success and maintaining independence. In 2014, css assisted 119 clients with transitioning from long term care to the community. Transportation services - assists senior citizens and qualifying veterans of licking county with maintaining their independence in the community by providing transportation to essential, non-emergency medical appointments. Without css' transportation services, many of our elderly would not be able to attend needed medical appointments. In 2014, transportation services provided 9,632 one-way trips for 494 clients. Css' vehicles traveled 180,160 miles from licking county to medical facilities throughout the state of ohio. Payee services - provides individualized financial assistance services to those who are unable to appropriately manage their finances for everyday living needs. As the named payee for the person's income, the payee program accounts for all income and pays monthly bills on time on behalf of the client. Css has one of the largest payee programs in the state of ohio. In 2014, payee services provided these services for 665 elderly and disabled individuals. Css' payee services managed in excess of $6. 5 million in client benefits, while handling more than 81,000 financial transactions. During 2014, 100% of payee clients met their essential living needs met each month. The payee program is successful because it allows the client access to his/her money when needed, but assures that bills are paid on time and funds appropriately safeguarded. The program provides security and peace of mind to each client. The our lady of guadalupe center continues to respond to the increasing need for emergency food assistance. In 2014, the pantry provided 9,227 units (a 3-day supply of emergency food) to 598 households which provided over 83,000 meals. Our lady of guadalupe center focuses on serving the hispanic community and provides culturally sensitive food items for this population. Our lady of guadalupe center is a choice pantry where clients "shop" for items that their families like and will eat. The choice system decreases waste and is similar to shopping with money at the regular grocery store. When able, the food pantry purchases fresh produce, dairy and poultry to have available to the clients. Nutritional information is passed out to educate those coming to the pantry. Our lady of guadalupe center also coordinated several special projects that provided 114 christmas dinners in partnership with saint andrews knights of columbus. The pantry also partnered with several community agencies that provided nutrition education and health screenings and services. Violence intervention - in portsmouth, css provided 1,040 hours of direct service to 105 clients through its sixteen week domestic violence batterers' intervention program, anger management program for adolescents, and first offenders program for individuals referred by the court system. Friendly visiting program - css launched the friendly visiting in june of 2013. The friendly visiting program is a community-based program that utilizies volunteers to provide support and one-on-one assistance to isolated seniors in franklin county. Friendly visiting volunteers are matched with local, isolated, and lonely individuals in an effort to help seniors living alone, to remain independent in their own home. 64 volunteers provided 1,448 volunteer hours to 57 clients in 2014. Pathways to hope - the focus of this program is to provide housing assistance and long term supportive case management (up to 24 months if necessary) to women exiting the local domestic violence shelter. A case manager serves as a supportive advocate to help clients acheive the immediate goal of transitioning from shelter to new independent housing and then helping the client achieve housing and financial stability. The case manager helps the client evaluate the need for further education or job training as well as assistance in finding more suitable employment, maintaining sobriety and addressing other barriers to long term success and maintaining economic independence. Some financial assistance is available to help with the first few month's rent. In 2014, css worked with a total of 32 clients on achieving goals related to financial stability. 20 of the 32 clients were new to the program and transitioned from the shelter into a new home. Additionally, css in partnership with the st vincent de paul conferences of holy redeemer and st mary catholic parishes (scioto county) screened and provided emergency assistance to 285 residents of scioto county. Css helped 821 persons apply for assistance with electric bills through the aep neighbor to neighbor program. The christmas giving tree program, in collaboration with local churches, businesses, schools and other organizations throughout scioto county, provided gifts to over 1,676 individuals with new clothing and/or toys. Css in partnership with holy redeemer catholic church, seton parish in pickerington, oh and usec, inc. , provided christmas food baskets to 989 families. Service saturday - on service saturday, catholic social services mobilizes volunteers to do maintenance and yard work for elderly and disabled, low income citizens of franklin county. In 2014, css mobilized 465 volunteers to serve 59 clients. Parish outreach - through the parish outreach program, catholic social services raises awareness of the reality of poverty in our area and builds partnerships with parishes and other catholic institutions in order to provide a greater service to the community. Css hosts luncheons and meetings with parish leaders to share information on available services, community needs, and possible collaborative efforts. Then css hosts informational sessions for parishioners to motivate people to care for the poor and to invite them to get involved in opportunities to improve the community.