The Operations Team continued to prepare DCHS for the move to a new single location, managed the Department’s budget, maintained all facilities to ensure execution of essential operations, and supported the human resources and information technology needs of the more than 650 employees in DCHS.

Operations facilitated logistics through the design and construction phases of the Department’s planned 2023 move to a newly rebuilt City of Alexandria location (shown below). Named the Redella S. “Del” Pepper Community Resource Center and located at 4850 Mark Center Drive, this new location will provide a single site for health and human services, increase operational efficiencies and service integration and allow easier outreach and access for clients and community partners. 

The Finance Unit provided in-person services on-site throughout the pandemic to ensure that residents could obtain enough food for their families through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, for which Finance issued electronic benefit transfer cards to clients. This Unit also ensured payment to foster care families and contractors who support the work of the Department. Finance managed the Federal CARES Act funding for DCHS and supported the allocation of the $102 million  multi-sourced budget to fund DCHS and partner support services for City residents.

The Facilities Unit continued essential operations without disruption, working in multiple locations and City residential sites five days per week, regardless of the changing COVID statuses. The Unit hired a permanent Facilities Maintenance Specialist skilled in building trades and plumbing and the Unit was instrumental in the renovation of client independent living units, making them compliant to meet the needs of persons requiring special accommodations.

The Human Resources Unit advocated for increased compensation for employees who utilize other languages in service to clients and the City through the development of the City’s Multilingual Pay Program to incentivize the recruitment and retention of staff. The Unit also led a workgroup to analyze and recommend changes to existing human resource practices in support of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Tech Support staff further increased support of teleworking by providing additional laptops to employees, adding cloud-based telehealth services, delivering new online collaboration and presentation tools and expanding the use of electronic signatures. Tech Support also implemented a new Customer Call Center text line to support overflow from regular calls and provide clients with an additional way to connect with DCHS.

 View enlarged Financial Information charts.

Learn more about the new DCHS Mark Center location.