Henrico County's 2008 NACo
Henrico County has received 18 Achievement awards from the National
Association of Counties (NACo), more than any other Virginia
locality. The awards were presented at the 2008 NACo annual conference,
held July 11-15 in Kansas City, Mo.
List of Award Winners
Look at some of our past NACo Awards
• 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 •
Visit
the National Association of Counties' Web site
Begun in 1970, the annual National
Association of Counties' (NACo) Achievement Award Program is a non-competitive
awards program which seeks to recognize innovative county government
programs called County Model Programs. Created as a part of NACo's New
County, USA Campaign, the Achievement Award Program continues to embody
the grassroots and local government energy the program was designed
to promote. The main emphasis of the New County, USA campaign was to
modernize and streamline county government and to increase its services
to its citizens, goals that are still the main emphasis of the Achievement
Award Program today.
County governments across the country, working alone and in cooperation
with other governments at the municipal, state and national levels, continue
to develop innovative and successful programs in a wide range of service
areas, including arts and historic preservation, children and youth, community
and economic development, corrections, county administration, emergency
management, environmental protection, health, human services, libraries,
parks and recreation, transportation, volunteers and much more. The Achievement
Awards Program gives national recognition to county accomplishments, and
has enabled NACo to build a storehouse of county success stories that
can be passed on to other counties.
Conquer Your Clutter Support Group
In April of 2005, the County of Henrico Department of Building Construction
and Inspections joined forces with the Department of Social Services to
form a support group known as “Conquering Your Clutter”. The
goal of this group is to encourage individuals to make changes when they
recognize that the amount of clutter in their home has adversely impacted
their lives. Understanding what clutter is becomes the first step. Clutter
can be anything that is not needed, wanted, or used that takes our time,
energy and space. Emotionally, residing in a cluttered situation
can bring feelings of overwhelming frustration and even hopelessness.
Agency: Building Construction and Inspections and Social
Services
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Enterprise Zone: Vacant Building and Land Inventory (EZ)
The Enterprise Zone Vacant Building and Land Inventory was conducted
by the Division of Community Development in the Department of Community
Revitalization in 2007 as part of its Commercial Assistance Program. Like
so many other localities, Henrico County has several older commercial
areas experiencing increasing commercial vacancies, physical obsolescence,
changing markets, inadequate infrastructure, and declining visual appeal. Enterprise
Zone incentives have been essential in renovating a number of properties
in the County. Given the success of the Enterprise Zone program,
we decided to create the Inventory to identify vacant property within
Henrico County’s Enterprise Zones. A prerequisite for economic
development is maintenance of a suitable inventory of sites for new and
expanding commercial uses. The main objective of the Enterprise
Zone Vacant Building and Land Inventory is to identify and target areas
where vacancies are increasing, encourage investment in these properties,
and encourage appropriate uses in the current market. The Inventory
provides a focus to market EZ incentives to property owners, real estate
professionals, businesses, and developers.
Agency: Community Revitalization
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Healthy Lifestyles Initiative
“Healthy Lifestyles Initiative” began in November 2006 to
improve the health of individual participants in Henrico County Drug Court
(HCDC), and thereby improve community health. The project goal is to build
access to health-care into existing HCDC program requirements. HCDC, which
started in 2003, provides 12-18 months of intensive judicial supervision
and treatment for adult felons who previously failed on probation due
to substance abuse. The participant’s prison sentence is suspended
on the condition that he or she completes the strict requirements of HCDC.
Many Henrico County agencies work collaboratively in HCDC: Sheriff, Henrico
Community Corrections (Probation), County Manager, Police Department,
Henrico Area Mental Health, and Commonwealth Attorney, as well as the
state Court and the state Department of Corrections (Community Corrections).
HCDC participants’ overall health and family relationships have
suffered from long-term drug addiction. This deterioration can sabotage
otherwise successful strides in substance abuse treatment. “Healthy
Lifestyles” provides access to a primary care physician, on-site
health screening and education sessions once a month, assistance with
dental care, transportation to appointments, and assistance with co-payments
for medical care and prescriptions. The project also includes family involvement,
through mandatory events focused on rebuilding healthy relationships between
participants and family members.
Agency: Drug Court
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Annual Energy Fairs – Changing the Energy and Environmental
Culture
At the request of the County Manager, an annual energy fair for both
schools and general government was established to create positive change
in the municipality’s energy-use culture. Each two to three day
event focuses on individual actions and collective means to reduce energy
use and to conserve the environment. Using targeted educational objectives
and a fair-like environment, students from high schools and middle schools
attend one of several day long events each October. For the students,
each event consists of learning stations, presentation of alternative
energy and environment solutions by vendors and students, and structured
reinforcing games. For General Government employees, a day long session
allows them an opportunity to discuss energy conservation and environmental
consciousness with vendors and other government agencies. October was
chosen because it coincides with National Energy Awareness Month. It is
also where our sixth grader’s school curriculum for energy and the
environment is being taught.
Agency: General Services
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Fitness Initiative: The 3Fs – Fitness, Fun, & Food
Henrico County is literally saving the lives of its employees not with
Heimlich maneuvers, automated external defibrillators or other lifesaving
heroics but rather one sweaty workout at a time with resistance bands,
dumbbells, exercise balls, and the aid of two highly-qualified personal
fitness trainers. In June 2006, the County began a fitness initiative
with one fitness trainer and four fitness classes. A short 1 ½ years
later, the fitness initiative grew to two trainers, over 200 fitness classes,
over 11,000 participants and an overall strategy focusing on the 3Fs:
fitness, fun and food! These fitness classes, after-work fitness parties,
nutritional seminars, and personal training appointments are free to all
County employees. But that’s not all. Every employee also received
a copy of a fitness DVD starring one of the fitness trainers and featuring
County employees working out together. The results have been phenomenal.
There is a culture change occurring that is not like anything that has
occurred in Henrico County recently – a change that has great promise
for the County and its employees. This growing fitness initiative is yet
another example of Henrico County’s commitment to its employees
and its desire to remain a preferred employer in the region.
Agency: Human Resources
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Promoting Tax Credits for Working Families
Beginning in 2004, the Fairfield Area Library and the Henrico County
Extension Office, as a participant of the Greater Richmond Earned
Income Tax Credit Coalition, formed a partnership to provide
free tax assistance to citizens qualifying for Earned Income Tax Credit
(EITC) and to educate families about this under-used tax credit. The earned
income tax credit is a special tax benefit for workers who file a tax
return and meet low income requirements. The benefit could increase a
federal refund by as much as $4,000 for families and $400 for individuals;
these amounts are set annually by the IRS. Trained tax volunteers
helped eligible taxpayers prepare and file returns at Fairfield
Area Library for free. We are currently beginning our fourth
tax season with this program, anticipating a significant increase
in families taking advantage of this tax credit. To provide tax
education and a financial boost to those who work at very low wages, the
Library served as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site through
the Greater Richmond Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition. The Library offered
free parking, free internet access to e-file returns, and the room setup
which included a waiting area with bathroom facilities close by. These
services and features provided handicapped accessibility to the building
and privacy for the tax preparers and customers -- but most of all, a
chance for a bigger refund! For three consecutive years now the benefit
of this program is demonstrated by the growing number of eligible
taxpayers taking advantage of the tax credit.
Agency: Libraries
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STEP – Skills Training for Employment
Many individuals with disabilities are unemployed but have a strong desire
to work. The STEP (Skills Training for Employment) program is designed
to help build skills in productivity, social interactions and stamina
leading to employment. STEP melds the best from traditional day programs
into a program with a total emphasis on Skills Building. The individuals
who have entered the program were either unsuccessful in work programs
or were not in a work program at all. What differentiates STEP from the
traditional programs for individuals with disabilities is that it integrates
the following elements into one program:
- Volunteer activities that target specific work skills
- Real work with individualized supervision and training
- Stamina building exercises to help an individual prepare for a longer
work day
- Classroom work to help individuals improve their ability to respond
to supervision, interact with co-workers and resolve differences.
Since the program’s inception, STEP has served 25 individuals with
a ratio of one staff person to every 4 individuals. The results show the
effectiveness of STEP - 93% of the program participants have increased
their productivity, their hours worked and/or the wages earned compared
to the same time frame the previous year.
Agency: Mental
Health and Retardation Services
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Mental Health Support Services Volunteer Committee
Henrico Area Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services is committed
to providing excellent services to our clients and the community at large. The
agency has adopted and implemented the Recovery Model in our work with
clients who are diagnosed with a serious, persistent mental illness. As
part of the Recovery Model implementation, a new program was developed,
the Mental Health Support Services Volunteer Committee. The objectives
were to provide clients with an innovative way to integrate into their
community, increase active participation in support services and empower
clients. Moreover, it was also the hope that this committee could
provide benefit to the entire Henrico County community. However,
with no new mental health operational funds available and no ability to
add to the current staff complement, we needed to get creative and we
did. The volunteer committee provides clients with the opportunity
to volunteer in Henrico County and the surrounding communities. In
other words, clients are providing services, not just receiving them. In
addition, the committee allowed staff and clients to work side by side
in a manner not done previously to develop volunteer opportunities, encourage
participation, develop and publish a quarterly newsletter, and complete
the volunteer jobs. The committee was initiated with existing resources. Positive
outcomes for clients include increased self-esteem, increased community
roles, and empowerment. Other positive outcomes include benefits
to the community as a direct result of the volunteer work completed, the
reduction of the stigma of mental illness, and increased active participation
of the clients in mental health support services.
Agency: Mental Health
and Retardation Services
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Dialectical Behavioral Treatment Program
The Dialectical Behavioral Treatment Program was implemented beginning
July 5, 2006 at our community mental health center. This is an evidenced
based model serving our constituents with Borderline Personality Disorder
(BPD) who struggle daily with emotional misery and suffering most commonly
originating from childhood trauma. The program combines Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy with Eastern Mindfulness Practice as a means to stop
their unhealthy coping styles and work towards a life worth living. Skills
in the realms of Interpersonal Effectiveness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion
Regulation, and Mindfulness Practice, are taught weekly in a classroom
format. Individual Therapy is provided to help clients apply these
skills to their real life situations and to stop life threatening behaviors
such as cutting and burning themselves. Support is provided to clients
outside of the center through phone coaching on use of DBT skills via
on call staff available seven days a week.
Agency: Mental Health
and Retardation Services
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Dating and Domestic Violence Program
Hermitage Technical Center faculty and staff have formed a partnership
with Henrico County professionals and community professionals
to educate students about dating and domestic violence. Guest
speakers from our community volunteer their time and expertise
to educate students on dating violence facts and resources. In
addition, professionals teach students about how domestic violence
directly relates to their technical center classes. The program
originated out of a student’s tragic death and a conference
that faculty members attended. Over 785 students have benefited
from the education provided by the dating and domestic violence
program since 2004.
Agency: Police
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Premier Development Site Promotion Initiative
Henrico County, Virginia is a fast-growing locality just north of the
City of Richmond, Virginia. The Premier Development Site Promotion
Initiative is a multi-faceted approach to attracting and directing quality,
mixed-use development to the County in the appropriate areas where adequate
public services are available. Through the proactive promotion of
sites already designated for potential development, the initiative strives
to streamline the decision making process involved in the development
process. The initiative combines the efforts of the County’s
Planning Department, Economic Development Authority, and Media Services
Department. Materials used for the initiative include a display
for trade shows, a booklet outlining the available sites, a web site,
and an interactive mini-disc. The booklet, website, and interactive
mini-disc provide a straightforward delivery method for disseminating
information to perspective developers, elected and appointed government
officials, and the general public. Using multi-media and focusing
on trade shows and other gatherings of the development community, the
County has raised their profile on both the local and national level. This
approach provides a forum for exchanging information more readily.
Agency: Planning
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Cemetery Identification Project
The Cemetery Identification Project began as a collaborative effort between
the Henrico County Division of Recreation and Parks and the Henrico Historical
Society. The project entailed locating, identifying, and recording private,
family, church, public, and national cemeteries found in Henrico County.
The information gathered was used to create a database that could be accessed
by the general public for historical and family research and by the County
staff for reviewing proposed planning and development projects within
the County. The documentation was also used to publish a book titled Henrico
County Cemeteries.
Agency: Recreation and Parks
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Careers on Wheels
The purpose of the Career and Technical Education Careers on Wheels bus
project is to introduce students to career options. Through the use of
a converted school bus, elementary, middle and high school students have
the opportunity to “experience” careers through hands-on
learning activities. The bus is outfitted with equipment and reality-based
projects designed to provide a better understanding about many career
choices. All career clusters are represented, and the “onboard” teacher/career
coach is available to provide further information about students’ career
interests. The project was a culmination of efforts by students, teachers,
specialists, businesses and industries from design to completion. The
students in the Career and Technical Education programs have had the opportunity
to gain hands-on experience by participating in the project. It has also
helped them understand how to apply the skills they have learned in their
program of studies. The Career and Technical Education bus project is
a valuable resource to students, teachers, and administrators as they
explore career paths and options. Over $50,000 has been donated by our
business and industry partners to make this project possible, with the
only investment from the school system being a surplus school bus. Businesses
are encouraged to participate in the project so that students have an
opportunity to work directly with professionals in their field of interest.
Agency: Schools
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College and Career Night
The Career and Technical Education (CTE) and School Counseling Services
departments of Henrico County Public Schools work collaboratively in planning,
coordinating, and hosting a unique, annual, county-wide College and Career
Night. To accommodate all potential participants, the venue rotates
among the eight comprehensive high schools year to year. The county’s
middle and high school students and their parents are invited to meet
with representatives from over 135 colleges as well as representatives
from county agencies, local businesses (approximately 50), and all branches
of the military. The purpose of this event is to provide an information-rich
experience by exposing middle and high school students to post secondary
opportunities. Participating spokespersons have the opportunity
to meet, promote, answer questions, and provide feedback to the attendees. The
attendees have the opportunity for personal interaction with representatives
from numerous avenues of higher education and work opportunities, gather
brochures, set up appointments or interviews, and compare college, career,
and military service options.
Agency: Schools
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Data Quest Website
Henrico County Public School (HCPS) system is committed to creating and
implementing data-driven programs and best practices to maintain a high
quality of education for students. Complex interactions within the school
setting and limited opportunities for teacher training in teacher preparation
programs create challenges to the ongoing effective use of available information.
In order to improve the administration of the educational program in Henrico
County, upgrade the level of data-oriented training and facilitate instructional
program decision-making, various types of demographic, program, and student
outcome data are collected and provided to school leaders. With the amount
of data available, principals and their data teams needed further guidance
with the data analysis process and how to use findings to develop goals
and strategies for the school’s improvement plan on an ongoing basis.
As a result, the Data Quest website has been developed to provide an innovative
month-by-month “how-to” guide for using data analysis and
interpretation tools. The intranet-based website can be accessed by the
70 school administrators and 3,760 teachers of HCPS to facilitate the
ongoing monthly review of data and collaborative planning by utilizing
guiding questions developed specifically for each data report. Use of
the month-by-month framework has promoted a more frequent and comprehensive
approach to data analysis within the schools and has lead to more detailed
and thoughtful instructional decisions and planning.
Agency: Schools
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Electronic Elementary Report Card
The Electronic Elementary Report Card Program (EERC) was designed and
developed specifically to standardize and centralize the elementary report
card data for Henrico County Public Schools. This web-based program was
designed to allow teachers to enter grades and comments, note areas needing
strengthening and indicate student reading levels. School-based coordinators
can easily determine when teachers have completed data entry and can print
report cards which reflect the highly customized format developed with
the assistance of a 100+ parent, teacher, and administrator committee.
EERC allows the school system to capture information electronically directly
from the classroom teacher and output it in a customized format while
offering the flexibility for data to be compiled and analyzed.
Agency: Schools
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NBC 12/Free GED Testing Partnership
The 2000 data obtained from Census Scope for the state of Virginia estimates
there are approximately 864,610 (18.53%) adults in Virginia who did not
complete high school for various reasons, thus lowering their ability
to obtain viable employment and earn wages above the poverty line and/or
further their education at a post-secondary institution. In Henrico
County, the data indicates there is a total population of 177,191 who
are 25 years and older, with 23,715 (13.38%) people who have not achieved
a secondary credential (high school diploma or General Educational Development). The
goal of the Henrico County Adult Education Center is to provide services
to this segment of the population so they can obtain a GED credential
and increase their earning potential and/or further their education. During
FY2005, our center served 675 adult students in classes for GED preparation
and administered 806 official GED tests. In FY2006, we served 727
adult students for GED preparation and 861 GED tests were administered. With
13.38% of the community needing services to obtain this credential, the
staff at the Adult Education Center is continually researching methods
to increase the number of credentials awarded. Through research,
we found that in FY2005 there were approximately 60 individuals who had
not obtained a GED due to their financial limitations and the inability
to pay the $43.50 official GED tests fee. We felt this barrier could
be overcome by putting a comprehensive program in place to address these
issues and ensure that our adult students completed their goal of obtaining
a secondary credential.
Agency: Schools
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Student Incentive and Retention
During FY2005, out of a total enrollment of 1167 adult students in our
Adult Basic Education/General Educational Development (ABE/GED) Preparation
and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, 328 students
left the program before completion. Completion is defined as advancing
one or more educational levels according to the National Reporting System
(NRS) or obtaining a GED credential. This data indicated that our
retention rate had dropped from 78% of our adult students remaining in
our program in FY2004 to 72% in FY2005. This was cause for significant
concern as we work each year to increase our retention rate with a goal
of 90% or more retention by the year 2010. It was necessary to take
not just the data from the NRS system to develop a plan to address this
issue, but to also survey our adult students to determine why they were
leaving from our program before completion. Although the survey
was completed on an informal basis, it still provided the necessary information
to determine our best course of action. It became obvious that an
incentive program of some type would be necessary in order to motivate
our students to continue in the program until they reached their educational
goal(s).
Agency: Schools
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