2023 Annual Report
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Mission Statement:
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To help improve and enrich the lives of those we touch by providing financial, social and educational services; to empower, encourage and assist in every opportunity for self-sufficiency, respect and independence.
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From the Director:
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President Franklin Roosevelt began some of the earliest welfare programs in 1933 under the banner of Relief, Recovery and Reform and thus promised Americans a New Deal. President Lyndon Johnson initiated a War on Poverty in 1964 promising a Great Society. In 1996 President William Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act saying it will “end welfare as we know it.” Today, the Wayne County Department of Job and Family Services (WCDJFS) implements programs that support these promises.
President Roosevelt said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” To that end, the department helps the poorest of our neighbors by determining eligibility for cash and food assistance. The poor, aged, blind and disabled are assisted through Medicaid programs administered by the WCDJFS staff.
President Ronald Reagan said, “We should measure welfare's success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added.” These words led to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. The Department works with individuals to remove barriers to employment so people move from government assistance toward self-sufficiency. Child care and emergency assistance keep people in the workforce. The Ohio Means Jobs-Wayne County division helps people prepare for employment through training opportunities and work experience programs.
WCDJFS staff ensures the tax money supporting such efforts is spent wisely, and protects the taxpayer by investigating the over issuance of benefits and recouping funds when appropriate.
WCDJFS staff also investigates cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation of elderly, which often involves law enforcement, the County Prosecutor, the Courts, and other community supports.
Presidents often make promises to the American People. The Wayne County Department of Job and Family Services is tasked with making sure those promises are kept.
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Richard A. Owens, Director
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Nondiscrimination Statement:
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:
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mail:
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
Alexandria, VA 22314; or -
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.