Extension Program & Compliance Review

1. Extension Program & Compliance Review

2. Overview • Review Procedures • Benefits of a Review • Definitions • Review Team Report • Terms & Terminology • Staff Interview Guide • Physical Compliance • County Office Operations • Program Development • Support Materials

3. Procedures • Set dates 1 yr in advance • Send letter to full county at least 30 days in advance of review date (request copy of completed document at least 7 days in advance) • Conduct review • Orientation • Terms & Terminology • Program Highlights • Allow support staff to resume duties • Interview total faculty (Section 1 & 2) • Interview faculty individually (Section 3)

4. Procedures • Summarize findings • Within 6 weeks, submit written findings and recommendations to county office with copy to Associate Director for County Operations • Within six months, county submits a county report on actions taken to DEA with copy to CP office • Follow up on county report as needed

5. Benefits

6. Benefits • added means of program evaluation • allows for focus on services to minority groups or under-represented groups • encourages new programs, methods, and strategies • allows agency to meet laws, regs, policies • allows for a review without cloud of pending complaint or investigation • increases staff understanding for documentation and records

7. Benefits • provides a basis for making and measuring improvements • increase staff awareness of management responsibilities • documents information for the Director • increases knowledge of staff and skills to share with planning groups • uncovers areas requiring attention • supports annual program planning process in relation to CR/EEO requirements

8. Definitions • Title VI • Title VII • All Reasonable Efforts • Adequate Public Notification • Title IX • Americans with Disabilities Act • Affirmative Action

9. Definitions • Racial/Ethnic Categories • Black, not of Hispanic origin • White, not of Hispanic origin • Hispanic • Asian or Pacific Islander • American Indian or Alaskan Native • Additional sub-categories based on national origin or primary language

10. Section 1: Physical Compliance • Office Location & Public Access • Can the public find us and gain access to the building? • Can we be found on the internet? • Can we be found on courthouse directory? • Does Google Maps direct them to the right place? • Do we have signage? • Is it accurate? • Is it visible? • Is our office accessible for people with physical disabilities? • Are USDA posters posted in plain view? • Employee Access • Is space allocated in compliance with Title VII • Are all facilities, equipment, supplies, support staff available to all?

11. Section 2: County Office Operations Human Resources • Hiring Practices • Review files of most recent hire • County & State EEO guidelines • Any evidence of activities or actions that promote segregation, disparate treatment, or other forms of exclusion • Training & Development of Staff • What training has been provided for staff? • Dates, topics, types • Performance Evaluations • Have they been completed for all staff? Location? • Do they provide for dialogue, goals, development, resources? • Job descriptions? Updated? Accurately reflect duties?

12. Section 2: Operations (cont.) • Assignment of Human Resources • Are support staff equitably assigned? Who supervises? • Office Conferences • How often? Record of minutes? How distributed? • Who attends? Is attendance record kept? Where? • What items are discussed? • Are compliance issues discussed?

13. Section 2: Operations (cont.) Fiscal Resources • County Budget • How is this developed and utilized to ensure equal input, access, and support for all agents/programs?, professional development, support staff, etc? • Compliance with county policy • Best Management Practices • Support Groups, annual reviews & findings, training, actions to remediate • Compliance Issues for Other Funding Sources • Grants, state funds, state accounting procedures • Records & Reports • HR files, Budget documents, others as needed

14. Section 3: Program Development Reviewed for each agent • Extension Planning Groups • committee structure, participation, training, demographic characteristics • Programs and Services • issue id, programmatic responses, audience, plans, marketing, all reasonable efforts • Compliance Issues • Review of documentation, use of mass media, ADA/EEO, all reasonable efforts documentation, special requests from any protected group

15. Section 4: Actions & Documentation One report for County Unit • Physical Compliance • Public Access • Employee Access • B. County Office Operations • HR • Fiscal/Budget • C. Program Development • Planning Groups • Program and Services • Compliance Issues

16. Resources • Items Agents Need to Have Available During a Review • Sample Agenda • General topical information on Compliance and Diversity