FY 2017-2018 Accomplishments

• Summer Youth Employment Program
  

  This term, 77 area youths had the opportunity to participate in the county’s second Summer Youth Employment Program to promote career development for those between the ages of 16-24. The program provided upfront job readiness training workshops, nine weeks of on-the-job training at a designated work site, post-employment debriefing and evaluation which culminated with an award ceremony for program completion. The participants were placed in a variety of jobs in county departments such as Public Safety, West Florida Public Libraries, Corrections, Information Technology, Risk Management, Neighborhood & Human Services, Animal Services, Engineering, Parks & Recreation, Facilities Management, Growth Management, Building Services, Purchasing, Natural Resources, Human Resources, Mass Transit/ECAT, Extension Services and County Administration along with the Tax Collector’s Office, Supervisor of Elections Office, Escambia County School District and Property Appraiser’s Office. Participants worked up to 30 hours per week and were paid at the state minimum wage rate of $8.25 per hour.

• Indigent Burial/Cremation Program
  

  The program is designed to provide payment of the expenses incurred for the disposition of deceased persons declared unclaimed/or indigent (by program standards), resident or non-resident if the death occurred in Escambia County. This is a cremation only program with the exception for honorably discharged veteran/spouse (burial at Barrancas National Cemetery only, graveside committal service) or request of law enforcement not to cremate (buried at program cemetery/no graveside service). 

  • Reviewed 171 requests for assistance through the county’s Indigent Burial/Cremation Program, with 144 requests being approved. Four were veterans, and there were 27 denials or families opting out of the program 

• Job Readiness Training Workshops
  

  The workshops were designed to assist job seekers with information that will enhance or develop their chances of being work ready when the right job comes along. The training session topics included: Job application and resume development, interviewing techniques, dress for success, time management, finding the right job for you, customer service skills in the workplace, getting along with others in the workplace, keeping the job, social media effects on the workplace and more. These free public workshops were sponsored by the Neighborhood & Human Services Department with collaborative efforts from Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast.

• Low Income Direct Emergency Assistance Program 
  

  The Low Income Direct Emergency Assistance Program is a county program that provides help for those who qualify for emergency utility bill payment assistance, mortgage/rental payments, food or payment for prescribed medication. This program will be considered a last resort after all means of acquiring assistance have failed. This program is administered via a grant through the EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless.

  • 140 households qualified for assistance and were approved for the requested emergency assistance.