As the agency charged with helping people find help, the Center for Community Resources connects Butler County residents in need with appropriate services to help them.

Financial problems put CCR at the center of a controversy about 18 months ago that saw the departure of the executive director, and a probe by state officials.

Since that time, however, CCR has made a turnaround. The level of services provided was never at issue, but now it appears that staff members have a solid infrastructure to support them.

People in need are often overwhelmed by a dizzying array of agencies and services. CCR provides a single point of contact for people needing help with mental health issues, homelessness, crisis intervention as well as drug and alcohol services and mental retardation services. The agency also provides early intervention for young children and their families and helps people needing emergency utility funding. It has also played a role in helping after natural disasters such as a flood.

Following the depature of its executive director, CCR was run on an interim basis by Dan Musko, who retired as head of Lifesteps. Then, in August 2005, Mike Robb was hired as the new executive director of CCR.

Given the financial troubles that predated Robb's arrival at the agency, one of his first jobs was to tighten the infrastructure and financial reporting systems. CCR's staff continued helping county residents get help as a few key managers were brought in to support Robb's efforts.

Deflecting some of the praise from county officials pleased with CCR's progress, Robb noted that the staff was responsible for the really important work of continuing to provide essential services while management worked through the transition.

In restructuring the agency's finances and reporting systems, Robb has earned praise from county officials. County Controller Jack McMillin suggsted that CCR's internal control procedures are so solid that they could be used as a model for other agencies in the county. Recognition has also come from outside the county, with the state selecting CCRto hold a resource day Oct. 21 for military veterans in eight counties.

It was the agency's effectiveness in working with other counties in Western Pennsylvania dealing with Hurricane Katrina evacuees that attracted state official's attention and the regional military event.

CCR, which was formed in 2003, served 6,000 people last year, according to Robb. The agency has a staff of 50 people and a $2 million annual budget.

Providing services to people in need is one of modern government's essential fuctions. But simply having services is not enough, if the people who need those services cannot access them or find navigating the system too difficult and confusing.

And that's where CCR comes in — connecting people in need to the services that can help them.

Providing a single point of contact for social services as well as case management and follow-up have demonstrated that, despite it's short history and brief bit of controversy, CCR is providing an important role for Butler County people in need.