AGENCIES TEAM UP FOR ROSAMOND; GOAL IS TO MAKE SOCIAL SERVICES ACCESSIBLE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Perched near the Los Angeles-Kern county line, the town of Rosamond often feels relegated to second-class status in terms of having access to social services.

Needy families among Rosamond's 12,000 residents frequently must travel the 15 miles to Mojave to take advantage of food banks, shelters or counseling services.

``When you have a family and no money and no phone, things that many of us have and expect to have, it's real hard to get to Mojave 15 to 20 miles away,'' Christine Hoffman, superintendent of the Southern Kern Unified School District. ``Let's say you don't speak English - it's hard to access that information.''

Looking to improve service and center more resources in Rosamond, the Southern Kern district has been working the past 10 months with Kern County Supervisor Steve Perez.

The first proposal is to offer extended-day programs at Hamilton and Rosamond Elementary schools in order to provide a structured learning environment after regular classes are over.

Hoffman estimates that 40 percent of parents in the district commute to jobs in the Los Angeles area.

``We have a lot of kids who need structured activities for after-school hours,'' Hoffman said.

The free program is slated to start next semester for first- through fifth-graders. Details are still being worked out, but the program tentatively will run until 4:30 p.m., Hoffman said.

Another proposal is for a one-stop resource center where needy families can obtain referrals for food and housing assistance. A food bank also would be operated at the center.

Statistics show that 368 local families receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Hoffman said.

The push to get more services in Rosamond arose from talks between school officials and Perez, who then encouraged other agencies to work with the district, Hoffman said.

``There are very little services concentrated right here in Rosamond,'' Hoffman said. ``When some kids come to school hungry and coming from situations where parents are homeless, obviously that does impact learning. We need to be dealing with those issues.''

Other agencies involved in the effort include the Kern County Mental Health Department, the Kern County Department of Human Services and the University of California extension program. Desert Counseling, which provides counseling services through a contract with Kern County, and a child care group called Community Connection for Child Care have also signed up.

``When agencies operate in isolation, they are limited to what they can do. When you get four or five together to contribute to a program, it becomes far more powerful and effective in delivering services,'' Hoffman said.