46th 2018 DRAFT HUMAN SERVICES
People are not born with bootstraps. The community has a responsibility to provide comprehensive and quality human and social services to ensure the basic needs of its people are met, allowing everyone to attain their full potential.
We support:
- Ensuring that human and social services are among the highest priorities of federal, state, and local government, especially in times of increased income inequality
- Assuring homelessness is rare, brief, and a one-time occurrence; and, that all people have access to safe and affordable housing
- Weighting subsidies towards those who need them most, particularly lower-income people, families, older adults, people with disabilities, those with mental illness and those recovering from substance use disorder
- Housing at prices accessible to people at all income levels, particularly workforce housing for those whose income falls between minimum wage and a living wage (about 30% to 80% of area median income)
- Restoring the disability stipend, which safeguards the dignity, health, and well-being of people with disabilities who are unable to be self-sufficient
- Transition plans for people with disabilities that include housing and, when appropriate, employment options upon release from institutions
- Quality, comprehensive and affordable services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities--including the end of a waitlist for services--so that they may live at home with the supports they need and participate in communities that value their contributions
- Quality, comprehensive and affordable supports and services for families using social services (including child care, education, training and health care) that support them on their path to self-sufficiency
- Programs that provide healing, recovery and reintegration for people coping with behavioral health, mental illness and/or substance use, and those who have experienced disasters, violence or exploitation
- Restructuring and adequately funding the child welfare system to ensure children and their families have the supports, opportunities, and resources they need to thrive, and that children are safe, have a permanent family connection and are supported socially and emotionally for healthy development; comprehensive training, sufficient and holistic respite options for foster families, and the recruitment of diverse foster families
- A long-term care system that provides Medicare and Medicaid-reimbursable community-based and in-home services and supports, as alternatives to institutional care, as well as a long-term care insurance plan that makes care affordable
- Comprehensive eldercare services that promote independence, quality of life, and health as well as increased awareness, prevention and response to elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation
- Increased support for family caregivers, including paid family and medical leave, training, support groups, respite and caregiving tax credits
We oppose:
- Equating the use of human and social services with moral or personal failure
- Confining people experiencing a mental health crisis in hospital emergency rooms or jails
- Drug testing as a prerequisite for social services and employment requirements as a prerequisite for Medicaid services
- Discriminatory policies that permit providers to deny services to individuals based on religious or moral objections