Tag: Needs Assessment Unit
New community affairs boss to staff up NAU
(CNS): Two additional staff members have been hired to work at the Needs Assessment Unit, starting today, Monday, the new acting chief officer with responsibility for community affairs, Teresa Echenique, told staff on a tour of the NAU last Wednesday. She said that efforts would also be made to fill other vacant positions to ensure […]
DCFS boss says law boosted child abuse workload
(CNS): The number of reported cases of children being neglected or abused and at risk in some way has increased significantly since the introduction of mandatory reporting under the children’s law. Speaking recently to the Public Accounts Committee, Felicia Robinson, the director of the Department of Children and Family Services said that child protection was […]
Dear PAC: more on the Needs Assessment Unit
A former NAU employee writes: What! The ministry is responsible for NAU? This is news? Mr Miller, you should not be surprised about the NAU director calling out the ministry. I guess we can expect a new NAU director soon. As I have repeatedly and consistently said via this forum, the main problems with social […]
NAU challenged by ministry action and client numbers
(CNS): Tamara Hurlston, the director of the Needs Assessment Unit, revealed that her department is helping more than 1,800 families but the number of people in need is growing. Painting a picture of a department challenged by the increase in people seeking help on one hand and a lack of direction from the ministry on […]
Novice MLA walks out of PAC
(CNS): The newly elected opposition member for Bodden Town West, Chris Saunders, was clearly frustrated during Wednesday’s Public Accounts Committee when he realised that the proceedings were not going to offer any immediate solutions for his constituents in need and walked out. Saunders said he needed to help a family who had been made homeless […]
PAC queries value of social affairs OBC
(CNS): The chair of the Public Accounts Committee and Auditor General Sue Winspear both raised concerns Wednesday that the $180,000 that government spent on an outline business case (OBC) to look at social assistance provided to the elderly, disabled and indigent was a waste of time. Ezzard Miller said he was very worried government had […]
Report on social welfare reform waiting Cabinet nod
(CNS): An outline business case (OBC) completed by KPMG on the reform of social welfare in the Cayman Islands has been completed and is awaiting Cabinet approval before it will be released to the public. Speaking to the Public Accounts Committee, Wednesday, the chief officer in the community affairs ministry spoke about the work that […]
NAU gets cash boost and expands hours
(CNS): The Needs Assessment Unit (NAU), which is dealing with hundreds of vulnerable people and families in need, is extending its hours of operation. Starting on 6 June, the unit, which has received a more than $1 million injection of funding in the budget, will now be opening Monday through Thursday until 6:30pm. Officials said […]
Needs Unit faces 340 applicant backlog
(CNS): The community affairs minister has revealed further worrying numbers regarding the challenges faced by his under-resourced and overworked Needs Assessment Unit. Osbourne Bodden said that the NAU has a growing backlog of applications from people seeking permanent financial assistance that staff cannot get to because they are coping with the challenges of some 2,000 […]
Ozzie signs off on medical welfare cases
(CNS): Public Accounts Committee members were shocked to learn Friday that the law requires the community affairs minister to sign off on all cases of people who need medical care but do not have health insurance or are under-insured. Osbourne Bodden is currently the minister holding the cheque book over who does and does not […]
NAU dealing with 2,500 families
(CNS): The director of the Needs Assessment Unit (NAU) revealed that her department deals with 2,500 families in the Cayman Islands annually and the unit is chronically underfunded. Tamara Hurlston said appointments for assessments are backed up for months and she is not expecting any additional funding in the forthcoming budget unless the minister responsible for […]
