Community Services Initiatives

In 1998, Lancaster County in conjunction with the City of Lincoln and United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County, retained Hanna:Keelan Associates to conduct a needs assessment and comprehensive plan to guide delivery of human services in the county. The assessment was completed and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Human Services Comprehensive Plan was approved by the community in February 1999.

In November 2000, the Lincoln/Lancaster Joint Budget Committee and United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County entered into a partnership with the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center on Children, Families and the Law to facilitate implementation of the Lincoln/Lancaster County Human Services Comprehensive Plan. Nine areas of human service needs became the focus for the Community Services Implementation Plan.

In January 2005, the Human Services Federation began facilitation of the current Community Services Initiatives project. A re-evaluation of priorities, with consideration given to already existing community projects, led to the focus on four areas and development of the current coalition planning structure. As our community evolves and grows, the planning will need to do so as well, in order to continue assisting human service agencies and funders in meeting our community’s needs with limited resources.