New Department of Human Services moves into Crossroads Building
The newly formed Washington County Department of Human Services is the first county department to relocate to Crossroads Center office building.
The building at 95 W. Beau St. in Washington will be used as the county’s new office building and is moving staff and departments there from the Courthouse Square building.
The new humans services department includes Aging Services, Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Early Intervention, Intellectual Disabilities/Autism, Child and Adult Mental Health services, Children and Youth Services, Housing and Homeless Coordination and Veterans Affairs. The department is located on the third floor of the new county-owned building.
“Co-location helps service coordination,” said Kim Rogers, who was promoted to human services director last year. “We believe it important to support individuals through a comprehensive person-centered approach (and) more important that the public has one location to find us.”
Earlier this year, the commissioners approved the plan formally creating the Department of Human Services and bringing those agencies under one umbrella. The commissioners hope it will offer a “single point of contact” to administer, coordinate, plan and oversee human services and programs in the county.
Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said the new building will serve as a “one source stop” for people seeking assistance from federal, state and county services.
“Navigation of individual systems can be cumbersome, and challenging, for individuals and families seeking support” Irey Vaughan said. “We now have one dedicated space for all county agencies within the Human Services Department.”
Commissioner Larry Maggi touted the close access between services benefiting veterans and other offices.
“Veterans benefit from one building location to access either the benefits office, or Valor Healthcare’s Washington County Outpatient Clinic,” he said. “These two offices are only one floor apart providing ease to admission.”
Commissioner Nick Sherman said the additional space will allow people working in the multiple agencies to spread out to avoid contracting COVID-19, while giving them more room once the pandemic is over.
“When I walked through CYS and saw firsthand of how four to five people shared small office spaces, I knew we needed to improve the working environment,” Sherman said. “The newly dedicated space includes open work areas, a new child and parent visitation area, and ample room to privately meet individuals and families. No longer will the confidentiality of clients be comprised due to the lack of space.”