Secretary of state visits coi

New York Secretary of State Randy A. Daniels praised Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. during a visit in October for the agency's efforts to assist residents throughout Chautauqua County. 

Secretary Daniels oversees the Department of State's Division of Community Services, which administers more than $55.6 million federal Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) for community action agencies across New York State. Chautauqua Opportunities Inc., the designated community service agency in the county, received $219,425 in CSBG funding to provide services such as home care housing assistance, literacy services, child care, and family development training.

"The Community Services Block Grant Program makes investment in children and families, helping them over adversity, attain self-sufficiency, and have the opportunity to pursue and realize their dreams, " Secretary Daniels said. "Chautauqua Opportunities has done an outstanding job in utilizing and leveraging public and private funding to assist more than 45,000 county residents annually, offering services to help individuals and families escape from poverty.  I commend Executive Director Roberta Keller and all the staff at Chautauqua Opportunities for providing innovative programs that address the needs of their clients.  I am pleased to have the opportunity to visit the West Courtney Street facilities to see first honad how this program operates, especially the new central intake and assessment system," said Daniels.  " It is fitting that Chautauqua Opportunities is located in the heart of the community since the agency also reflects the heart of the community.  We are proud to have such a dedicated partner in our effort to help New Yorkers reach their fullest potential."

The new central intake and assessment system is designed to improve service delivery and outcomes for clients served by COI.  The centralized, electronically -integrated system allows agency to make instant pre-eligibility determinations that will direct clients to appropriate service programs and improve tracking of the services they receive.  This helps to ensure that a client's needs are met, with CI staff serving a navigators who steer individuals and families to a full range of assistance programs.

By implementing this new system, COI now offers a single point o entry, a holistic assessment and screening of clients, and a bundling of services whereby clients are made aware of all the programs they are eligible to receive.  Under the system, service delivery and follow up services are streamlined, intakes can by conducted by phone, in person, through mail,  or via the Internet and clients are directed to the "right door' when applying for assistance.