ANOKA, Minn. – (Aug. 11, 2015) – Anoka County has been honored with three Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards recognize innovative, cost-effective county government programs that enhance services for residents.
“These awards acknowledge the hard work and creativity of Anoka County employees,” said Board Chair Rhonda Sivarajah. “We are using innovative ideas like these to deliver quality services to citizens, all while keeping a close eye on the bottom line.”
The first award is for Anoka County’s FastTRAC Health Care Pathway Program, an innovative training initiative that helps low income, low skill level adults begin a pathway to a health care career. The program integrates basic skills education, health care specific training, and support services for adult learners. Program participants earn seven college credits while training to become Certified Nursing Assistants. The FastTrac Program is a collaborative effort between the Anoka County Job Training Center, Metro North Adult Basic Education, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Anoka Technical College, the Anoka County Workforce Council, and several local employers. Since its inception in 2011, 79 percent of program graduates found jobs in health care.
A redesign of how services for seniors are delivered earned Anoka County a second NACo award. Requests for services from a burgeoning senior population were stretching county resources beyond capacity. In response, Anoka County Senior Social Services staff conducted a detailed analysis to determine where services were most needed. They then contracted with outside agencies to deliver services in the community, partnered with other county departments to coordinate elder abuse investigations, and reallocated staff to achieve more timely and effective outcomes for seniors and their families.
A new employee-driven organizational planning process at the Parks and Recreation Department earned a third NACo award for Anoka County. Seeking to improve the quality of the workplace, enhance communication, build teamwork, and develop a more effective workforce, an employee committee that included both front line staff and managers was established. The Park Employees Recommending Future Enhancements to Communications and Teamwork (PERFECT) Committee was charged with developing, analyzing, and prioritizing ideas and strategies to improve the workplace. The committee partnered with Anoka-Ramsey Community College’s Professional Workforce Development Center to design and implement employee surveys, facilitate employee work sessions, and assist in strategic planning. The PERFECT Committee established four major areas of focus, along with 24 priority strategies, which are now being implemented.
