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Unfinished Agenda
Background and Context of the Unfinished Agenda
Conversations about the future of the state need to include the health and human services sector as well as transportation, water, economic development, tax policy and education.
Too often, health and human services state budget allocations have been the scraps of the budget rather than setting an agenda of what's needed to seriously address our social concerns.
We get trapped into thinking in terms of limitations rather than the possibilities for real solutions for families and children on the margins.
We must keep the needs of vulnerable people on the public policymakers radar and the public's awareness agenda with the need for investments in health and human services as Arizona moves forward
We must NOT tolerate in subtle or overt ways, poverty, hunger, homelessness, neglect of our children or elderly, or accept family violence and neglect our direct caregiver service workforce needs.
We must not fall further behind for needed investments but begin to think in terms of the possibilities by beginning to systematically address these issues with long term plans and incremental progress.
Our future quality of life demands attention to the health and human services infrastructure and the needs of Arizona's most vulnerable citizens. The public and policy makers must be educated and understand the need for investments and infrastructure for schools, transportation and other economic development and quality of life issues.
We must find new ways to educate the public, public policy makers and create the political will and power to address the unfinished agenda of health and human services.
We have learned the hard way that the marketplace, the faith based communities, nonprofits by themselves, volunteerism and corporate donations can not solve these problems.
Poverty persists, hunger and homelessness have grown, the health crisis deepens and widens, family violence continues.
We must find new ways to make the public investments necessary rather than perpetuate illusionary methods which have not resolved these community needs.
Current approaches will only continue failed solutions rather than stimulate creative and new thinking and political will. New thinking and new solutions with new investments are needed.
Examples of Health and Human Services Unfinished Agenda
All sectors suffer from workforce issues based on historically low rates and low wages for direct worker caregivers which have not kept up with marketplace wages. Qualified, caring staff leave sensitive jobs due to poor pay and working conditions in which they help elders, children, and others to remain independent.
Hundreds of thousands of children and low income working adults go without needed health care coverage.
Thousands of women and children continue go without safety and shelter from domestic violence each year.
Child care rates are at least seven years outdated limiting parents' choices of quality services.
Funding for services for persons with serious mental illness and substance abuse seeking healing and recovery has not addressed the need.
Children's services for the most vulnerable are constantly stretched beyond the system's capacity to respond.
Poverty, hunger, and homelessness persist without comprehensive systematic plans for elimination.
Affordable housing is in short supply throughout the state.
People with disabilities have limited opportunities while independent living services go under-funded.
We must find new ways to overcome societal attitudes that subtly tolerate poverty, homelessness, family violence, and inadequate care of our children and vulnerable members.