Mr. Christopher E. Finch
Commissioner

Mrs. Michal Rhymer-Charles
Assistant Commissioner St. Thomas

Mrs. Kimberley Causey Gomez
Assistant Commissioner St. Croix

U.S. Virgin Islands

Department of Human Services

Community Calendar

03/26/10

CHILD FIND

The Department of Human Services in conjunction with The Department of Education, Department of Health, Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and Lutheran Social Services will host Child Find, a free developmental screening for children age 0 to 5 years old.

 

The screening will be held on Friday, March 26th from 8 to 3pm at the:

  • Sugar Estate Head Start Complex on St. Thomas
  • Charles Harwood Hospital on St. Croix
  • Myrah Keating Smith Clinic on St. John

 

For more information contact Bonnie Roy at 774-4399 or Maureen Moorehead at 718-7997.

 

03/26/10

Food Drive

 

The Department of Human Services Office of Pre-School Services will celebrate National Nutrition Month by hosting a food drive to help feed the homeless.

 

The public is invited to drop off non-perishable food in the large green boxes labeled ‘Feed the Homeless’ stationed at each Head Start center.  The drive will continue through March 26th.

 

03/24/10

Childcare Second Public Hearing Meeting

The Department of Human Services will host a second public hearing to discuss the new rules and regulations for administering child-care facilities. The meetings will be held in response to the request of child-care providers who were unable to participate in earlier forums. The follow up hearing will be held:

 

  • Wednesday, March 24th on St. Croix at the Herbert Grigg Home for the Aged cafeteria at 6:00pm

 

With growing national health and safety standards and research on early learning development in children, comprehensive revisions will permit child-care providers to have more accountability of how child-care facilities are administered.

 

The new rules and regulations are available for comment and review at DHS main offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix, the UVI library and all public libraries and on this website.

For more information contact Ms. Leita Cummings at 773-2323 ext 2022.

 

03/16/10

Human Services Offers Mass Consultation Summer

 

The Department of Human Services, Office of Child Care & Regulatory Services will be hosting its 2010 Mass Consultation Summer Workshops for all persons interested in operating Summer Camps.

 

All licensed child care providers facilitating summer camp are encouraged to attend to receive important information from the Office of Child Care & Regulatory Services, The Division of Environmental Health, The Virgin Islands Fire Service, Department of Planning and Natural Resources and Department of Education Nutrition Program.  Persons who are undecided about organizing a summer camp are also invited to attend.

 

Workshops on St. Croix are scheduled for March 16th  and 17th  at the District Court in Estate Golden Rock from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

 

Workshops on St. Thomas are scheduled for March 18th and 19th at Sugar Estate Head Start Conference Room from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

 

For more information, please contact the Department of Human Services on St. Thomas at 774-0930 extension 4182 or 4185 or St. Croix at 773-2323, extension 2013 or 2028.

 

03/13/10

Free transition conference for parents

 

The Department of Human Services Head Start Program and Vocational and Rehabilitation Program in collaboration with the Inter Island Parent Coalition For Change, Inc. will be conducting a free transition conference for parents.

 

The conference will be held on Saturday, March 13 at the Department of Human Services, Head Start Sugar Estate Complex from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

03/06/2010

Childcare Second Public Hearing Meeting

The Department of Human Services will host a second public hearing to discuss the new rules and regulations for administering child-care facilities. The meetings will be held in response to the request of child-care providers who were unable to participate in earlier forums. The follow up hearing will be held:

 

  • Saturday, March 6th on St. Thomas at the Sugar Estate Head Start Center conference room at 1:00pm

 

With growing national health and safety standards and research on early learning development in children, comprehensive revisions will permit child-care providers to have more accountability of how child-care facilities are administered.

 

The new rules and regulations are available for comment and review at DHS main offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix, the UVI library and all public libraries and on this website.

For more information contact Ms. Brenda Jenkins at 774-0930 ext 4181.

 

01/28/10

Free training for nonprofit organizations.


The Department of Human Services announces a FREE 12 weeks training session for Directors, Managers, and board members of nonprofit organizations.
It's at DHS Video Conference Center on St. Thomas from 9:30am-12 noon.

Please call Ms. Warrington at 774-0930 ext. 4103 for more information and registration forms.

 

This training made available through ARRA - Strengthening Communities Fund for Nonprofit Capacity Building.

 

10-27-09

Human Services SNAP Program Receives National Recognition

 

St. Croix – The Department of Human Services Family Assistance Program will be doubly awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for administering the State Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). For the first time the program will receive the Best and Most Improved Program Access award (timeliness) totaling $127,370.  Additionally, $147,801 will be awarded to the Department for being one of seven states with the best payment accuracy rate in the nation. Representatives from the USDA will make a formal check presentation at 10am on Tuesday, October 27th at the Government House Ballroom, St. Croix.

 

Annually, the USDA provides high performance monetary awards calculated based on the SNAP population size.  For FY 2008 per Section 16(d)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act, a total of $48 million in bonuses were distributed to the selected states. Human Services placed 7th for the accuracy award which is reflective of maintaining a significant accuracy rate since the national performance standard is 5.01%.

The bonus funds will be used to enhance the program and to reward employees of the Division of Family Assistance for a job well done.

 

Contacts:     Monife G. Stout               Lennox Zamore     
          Department of Human Services     Family Assistance Program
          [340] 774-1166 ext 4109          [340] 715-6921
          [340] 774-3466 (Fax)               [340]777-5449
          mstout@dhs.gov.vi
          www.dhs.gov.vi
          www.aphsa.org

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Funds Available

The Department of Human Services announces funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for non-profit organizations to provide various programs and services for the following:

  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Job Creation
  • Employment Counseling Services for the Homeless Project
  • Community Re-entry Program
  • Marriage and Family Support
  • Foster Care Youth Transitioning out of Foster Care
  • Family Support Center pilot program
  • Job Readiness and Advocacy for Juvenile Offenders Transitioning from Incarceration

 

Applicants are asked to contact Clarissa Warrington at 774-1166 ext 4103 for more information.

Seniors Working with Children

Persons age 60 or older who are interested in working with children are invited to call the Department of Human Services Foster Grandparent program.

Eligible applicants can receive a tax free stipend, free transportation to the work site, a free annual physical, free monthly training and more!

Get the satisfaction of positively molding the life of a child.

For more information call 772-9811 ext 27 on St. Croix and 774-5265 ext 1 on St. Thomas.

Public Review of Community Services Block Grant

The Department of Human Services hereby informs the Virgin Islands Community of its intent to submit a state plan to the United States Department of Health & Human Services of the Community Services Block Grant American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Copies of the plan and its intended use of funds for fiscal year 2009 through 2010 will be available to the public for inspection and comment through July 6th, at the Human Services Office of the Commissioner Knud Hansen and Golden Rock locations, and the Public and University Libraries on St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix.

CCRS State Plan and Public Hearing

The Department of Human Services Office of Childcare and Regulatory Services, invites the public to a hearing to provide comment and ask questions about the 2009-2011 Child Care Biennial State Plan.

The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23rd at the STRIVE Senior Center of the Human Services Knud Hansen Complex. The second meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24th at the Human Services Golden Rock lobby. Both meetings will begin at 6pm.

Copies of the State Plan are on reserve, in both districts, at the public library, the University of the Virgin Islands Library, and the Office of Child Care and Regulatory Services. An additional copy is also available at the Human Services administrative office on St. John.

For more information please contact Leitha Cummings at 773-2323 ext 2022


Seniors Community Invited!

The Department of Human Services’ Senior Community and Employment Services Program invite all persons age 55 and older to join the program and get free training in job-related fields and community service.  
Public and private entities are encouraged to consider older Americans as experienced, mature, and committed persons to fill staff positions.  
For more information contact Cindy Rollins-Williams at Tel. (340) 774-0930 STT and Valarie Daniel at 772-9811 STX.