City on social development
30 November 2006
The Department of Social Development (DSD) is hosting a delegation from the
New York City Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services
(HRA/DSS), responsible for amongst others social welfare and social security
services in that city.
The delegation is led by the head of the HRA/DSS, Commissioner Verna
Eggleston.
The DSD seeks to explore co-operation in, among others, the following
areas:
* Programme management, Reporting, Analysis and Accountability
* Management Information Systems
* Performance management
The delegation will be in the country until the 5th of December, and will
hold meetings with the DSD and South African Social Security Agency. The two
departments (DSD and New York City HRA/DSS) intend to finalise a memorandum of
understanding defining areas of co-operation soon.
Commissioner Eggleston was appointed by New York City Mayor Michael R
Bloomberg in January 2002 as the Administrator/Commissioner of the NYC Human
Resources Administration/ Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS), the nation's
largest municipal social services agency. Commissioner Eggleston oversees more
than 15 000 employees, a $5.6 billion operating budget, $15 billion in
contracts, a $25 billion medical services portfolio, and provides vital
services to more than 3 million people. These services include public
assistance and public health insurance programmes, homecare for senior citizens
and the disabled, adult protective services, food stamps, HIV/AIDS support
services, domestic violence, homelessness and emergency intervention
services.
Background
Biography of Commissioner Verna Eggleston
Verna Eggleston was appointed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in January 2002
as the Administrator/Commissioner of the New York City (NYC) Human Resources
Administration/ Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS), the nation's largest
municipal social services agency. Commissioner Eggleston oversees more than 15
000 employees, a $5.6 billion operating budget, $15 billion in contracts, a $25
billion medical services portfolio, and provides vital services to more than 3
million people. These services include public assistance and public health
insurance programmes, homecare for senior citizens and the disabled, adult
protective services, food stamps, HIV and AIDS support services, domestic
violence, homelessness and emergency intervention services.
Ms Eggleston was reappointed in January 2006 and is the first HRA/DSS
commissioner to be appointed to serve for two consecutive terms. Under her
administration New York City's welfare rolls have been reduced to fewer than
395 000, their lowest level in forty-two years. At the same time as welfare
rolls have declined, the number of families who are not on welfare and are
helped by receiving food stamps has increased by 110%; public health insurance
enrolment has increased to more than 2.5 million recipients; and child support
has increased steadily.
A dynamic leader and skilled administrator, Commissioner Eggleston obtained
the commitment of HRA staff and enlisted the support of New York City
Government agencies and community stakeholders to develop a shared vision and
work together. Through the inclusive process she established, HRA/DSS developed
model offices for each of HRA's programme areas.
New York City's job centres have been converted to model offices that put
clients more quickly on the road to self-sufficiency. Nineteen new public
health insurance offices have been established in all of New York City's public
hospitals and three private hospitals that streamline the insurance application
process and greatly improve the health insurance retention and accuracy rates.
The HIV/AIDS Services Administration's service centres have been converted to
model offices with services restructured to meet the needs of people living
with AIDS today.
HRA's model offices have had an enormous positive impact on client and staff
morale. The agency's initiatives developed under Commissioner Eggleston to meet
the challenges of welfare reform have been recognized nationally and have
attracted international delegations.
Ms Eggleston returned to HRA/DSS as Commissioner after having served within
the agency as Deputy Administrator of Child Welfare under Mayor Ed Koch,
responsible for the safety and well-being of all young people in the City's
group homes. Under Mayor David Dinkins, she served as the Director of New York
City's Family Shelter programmes, where she oversaw the provision of emergency
services for as many as 1,400 homeless families with children per night. During
the height of the homeless crisis, she ran all the emergency welfare assistance
units in the five boroughs. In addition, Ms. Eggleston opened the City's first
AIDS facility for HIV-infected infants. Prior to her appointment in the
Bloomberg Administration, Ms Eggleston served as the Executive Director of the
Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk School.
In a career spanning three decades, Ms Eggleston has worked as an
administrator, advocate and policymaker in public, private and not-for-profit
agencies to help children, adolescents and families rise above limiting
circumstances to fulfil their potential and achieve self-sufficiency. Ms
Eggleston has consulted as a spokesperson and authority on a wide range of
issues confronting youth and their families. She served on the National Board
of Directors for the Child Welfare League of America; worked on the Oprah Bill
with Oprah Winfrey and the former governor of Illinois; and worked with former
President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, New York State Senator Hillary
Clinton, and Attorney-General Janet Reno to advocate for hate crimes
legislation, youth violence prevention, and adolescent mental health
issues.
Enquiries:
Lakela Kaunda
Tel: +27(12) 312 7653
Cell: 082 782 2575
E-mail: Lakela.Kaunda@socdev.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Social Development
30 November 2006
