Child Welfare System Makes Major Improvements

            Clark County is making strides in improving the local child welfare system with the help of many organizations, agencies and concerned citizens.

            Since 2001 when the county agreed to take over many child welfare responsibilities from the state, many programs and process improvements have been put into place to provide more integrated services to children and families in crisis. 

            "There are a lot of complex challenges involved with working with families and children who come into the child welfare system," said Commissioner Rory Reid. "Clark County has made many strides in a relatively short period of time to improve the system. Much of our progress is due to the support we continue to receive from agencies, organizations and concerned citizens in the community."

             The Department of Family Services is the county agency responsible for protecting abused and neglected children. It investigates child abuse cases, provides emergency shelter to children, administers foster care and adoption programs, and oversees family reunification efforts. Over the past two years, Family Services has aggressively worked with the community to improve its  procedures for caring for children and strengthening the local child welfare system. Accomplishments include:

• Creation of a round-the-clock Receiving Team and Emergency Reception Center to stabilize all children taken into protective custody. Past practice was to place children directly into Child Haven or temporary foster homes, both of which were highly traumatic to a child, and sometimes an unnecessary measure.  If out-of-home placement is necessary, the most desirable option is to place children with relatives or close family friends.

• Development of a new medical wrap-around pilot program to provide intensive, home-based medical case management services for medically fragile children age six and under who are currently placed in group homes or emergency shelter care, or are at risk for removal from their home.

• Dramatic reductions in the number of children placed at Child Haven - 25 on Dec. 28, 2007 compared with 230 on June 10, 2006.

• More foster care homes due to recruitment efforts. A foster care licensing snapshot for December 2007 reported an average net of 10 new regular foster care homes were licensed per month, which averages to about 20 new beds per month.

•  Reduced wait times for processing adoptions - from 30 months in 2006 to 23 months in 2007.

• In 2005 and 2006, the County Commission approved funding for 16 new investigator positions, and nine in-home caseworker positions dedicated to monitoring and providing services to children who can safely remain with their families. Caseloads for some caseworkers were triple the national average prior to the addition of the new positions. Nineteen positions were added to Child Haven.  In 2006, staffing for the child abuse hotline also was increased from five to 19 positions, and the number of telephone lines dedicated to the hotline was increased to 32.

           In January, Tisa Evans also was appointed to serve as the first-ever ombudsman for the county. In her position as Ombudsman for Dispute Resolution for Children and Families, Evans serves an independent fact finder to review and resolve complaints related to the Department of Family Services. The County Commission created the ombudsman position as part of recommendations it adopted in March 2007 from the Youth Law Center, a San Francisco-based child welfare advocacy group and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.

           "Children who enter our system must be safe and well cared for," Commissioner Reid said. "The ombudsman office adds an extra layer of accountability to ensure our child welfare system is responsive and effective."

Paradise Park Dental Clinic Serves 4,500 Kids to Date

              When Children´s Dental Care International opened its doors in April 2005 as the Paradise Park Children´s Dental Clinic, the group had committed to serving 500 impoverished low-income children annually with low cost or free dental care. 

             Since then more than 4,500 children have received care at the clinic, located in District G at 4770 Harrison Drive, near East Tropicana Avenue and McLeod Drive. Another 2,588 children have participated in the clinic´s educational outreach programs to date. This year alone the clinic is expected to offer dental care to 2,300 children.

            "The Paradise Park Children´s Dental Clinic is a real success story for our community," Commissioner Reid said. "It´s an example of a what a public-private partnership can do when we set out to accomplish a worthy goal, and providing dental care to Southern Nevada´s most vulnerable children is certainly an important service."

              Located at the former home of the Paradise Community Center, the Paradise Park dental clinic has an open-door policy, and is committed to providing high-quality pediatric dental care to Clark County's uninsured, underinsured and working poor.  The clinic provides comprehensive dental care services to children in the community, regardless of their family´s ability to pay.

             "This project is dedicated to a fundamental principal - that people who are cared for as children grow up to become productive, happy and healthy adults," Reid said.

               Many clients are referred to the clinic from a variety of local social service organizations particularly those assisting Native Americans, the homeless, the unemployed/underemployed, new immigrants, and schools.  Patients receive free or reduced-rate service based on family income eligibility guidelines. A broad range of comprehensive dental services are available, including diagnostic and prevention procedures, disease management, primary restorative treatment, oral hygiene instruction, and emergency services. 

              Dental care is provided by specialists in pediatric dentistry and CPR certified trained staff, many of whom volunteer their time at the clinic or receive reduced fees for their services. The clinic´s pediatric dentists are approved providers of various human-care agencies assisting the poor including:  Nevada Medicaid, Nevada Check-Up, Safeguard, and AccessHealth.

              Clients referred by County Departments receive immediate attention. New patients usually receive appointments within one week, while children requiring emergency treatment are generally seen within 24 hours.  Currently there is no waiting list as the clinic is expanding services to meet the ever-growing patient demand. 

               To schedule an appointment, please call 432-3334. The Paradise Park Children´s Dental Clinic is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and alternating Fridays and Saturdays.

Pollen Season to Bloom Through May

             With mulberry trees now blooming, Southern Nevada´s pollen season has officially arrived.

 "In addition to the Mulberry trees, the types of pollen we are currently seeing include ash and cedar," states Monte Symmonds, Clark County Air Quality Technician.  Symmonds reports, "Pollen counts from these trees and other plants tend to start climbing in March and the season is usually over in May."   

            Mulberry trees, in particular, can trigger hay fever and asthma symptoms, including stuffy noses, runny eyes and coughing. The worst of the mulberry season will be over by the end of March just as olive trees start to bloom. Olive trees are another major source of aggravation for allergy sufferers, and they will start pollinating in April, according to Symonds.

               From March through May, Air Quality staff double pollen collection efforts from once to twice a week at eight monitoring stations located throughout the Las Vegas Valley. The samples are then processed in the department´s lab. During the spring season, pollen count reports are updated usually on Wednesdays and Fridays. Each report is posted on the county´s website at www.accessclarkcounty.com. Pollen counts and air quality reports also are recorded once a day, Monday through Friday, on the following telephone number: 385-4613.

 The following tips can help you minimize your exposure to pollen:

• Keep windows in your home and car closed as much as possible.

• Wear a mask while gardening or mowing the lawn.

• After being outside, you should change your clothes and remove your shoes.

• Take a shower and wash your hair to remove pollen.

Daily air quality forecasts are posted on Air Quality´s web site. You can receive air quality advisories via your pager or E-mail through the county´s free Direct Connect service. Subscription information is available on the Public Communications page of the county´s website.

Firefighters Honored for Quick Response to Hotel Fire

These Clark County firefighters were the first to arrive on scene at the Monte Carlo Hotel fire in January.  Many were shown in television news footage battling the blaze from windows on the 32nd floor of the resort. 

         Clark County firefighters who responded to the fire on top of the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino recently received a big thank you from Commissioner Rory Reid and the entire County Commission at a recent board meeting.

          Chairman Rory Reid praised the firefighters´ swift response to the three-alarm fire during the Feb. 5 meeting when the firefighters and Clark County Fire Chief Steven Smith were formally recognized for their actions. Within three minutes of receiving the first calls about the Jan. 25 fire, county firefighters were on scene at the property and heading to the roof of 32-story property where the exterior façade was burning.

           "If any of you saw the TV footage of our firefighters hanging out windows almost 400 feet above the ground, directing their hoses on the fire, you know we have the bravest, and the best firefighters in the nation right here in Clark County," Commissioner Reid said. "Thank you for a job well done."

          In all, about 120 firefighters helped battle the blaze, including firefighters from the cities of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas. Metro Police also stepped in to keep the traffic and crowd away from the fire and out of harms way.

            "The Clark County Fire Department was in the nation´s eye that day," said Chief Smith. "Our firefighters did a great job and made us proud."

           The fire brought back memories of the MGM and Hilton fires of the early 1980s for many long-time residents.

            "Your great work, combined with improvements made in fire safety and building safety systems during the last 25 years, quickly contained this fire and showed us all how far we´ve come as a community," Reid said.

            Clark County´s fire-safety building requirements and codes are among the strongest in the nation. Building Division inspectors and staff from the county´s Department of Development Services also responded quickly to the scene of the Monte Carlo fire. They helped inspect the entire building to ensure its structural integrity. Building Division staff also ensured that all the property´s life-safety systems were operating properly prior to the Monte Carlo´s reopening to the public.  

Pictured are Clark County Fire Department Battalion Chiefs Roy Session and Gina Hall. Chief Session was in command for the length of the fire, while Chief Hall provided key assistance during the three-alarm blaze.

April 19 Graffiti Cleanup Scheduled in Whitney Area

          Commissioner Rory Reid will pitch in on Saturday, April 19, for a graffiti clean-up project in the Whitney area of District G.

Volunteers should report to the Whitney Community Center, located at 5712 Missouri Ave., by 9 a.m. to receive paint and paint brushes.  Refreshments will be served. 

To volunteer for the cleanup, call Blanca Vazquez at: 455-8531.

April is Graffiti Awareness Month in Clark County, but residents are encouraged to organize cleanups throughout the year. Call the Southern Nevada Graffiti hotline to request free paint for cleanups or for information about Neighborhood Pride Zones. The Graffiti Hotline number is: 455-4509.

Clark County has many of active Neighborhood Pride Zones dedicated to beautification efforts in the community. Residents may be able to join an existing program or start up a new one. More information is posted on the county´s Public Response Office web site.