Sept. 1, 2006
Investing in our Families and Communities: Recommendations for Stabilizing the King County Regional Human Services System
Healthy Families and Communities Task Force releases final report, addressing human services need
The Healthy Families and Communities (HFC) Task Force recently issued a report addressing human services needs and the stability of King County's social safety net.
The HFC Task Force, convened by King County Executive Ron Sims in July 2005, concluded that due to continued cuts to human services programs, current funding levels fall significantly short of the needs of the region's low-income individuals and families, now and in the future, even with the passage of last year's Veterans and Human Services Levy. With recommendations designed to stabilize the regional human services system for the future and provide the needed dollars for housing, health and social services for people in need, the HFC Task Force presented their final report and recommendations to Executive Sims.
In convening the task force, Executive Sims was responding to serious shortfalls in available funding for safety net services, as well as state and federal budget cuts made to housing and social services. This year, the President's budget continues a trend of reducing or completely eliminating programs that result in significant cuts to human services. Cuts that were proposed by the President would impact low-income families, children, and elderly and disabled people.
The federal budget thus includes cuts in many programs and services for low-income households. These cuts would come on top of the cuts made in Medicaid, child-support enforcement, Supplemental Security Income for the elderly and disabled poor, and other low-income programs in the budget reconciliation bill that Congress just approved, and would come at a time when the number and percentage of Americans living in poverty has increased for four consecutive years.
The HFC Task Force, co-chaired by King County Councilmember Larry Gossett and Renton Mayor Kathy Keolker, met over a period of 11 months. Members included a broad representation from local and county government, social services, business, charitable foundations, education and the faith community.
"There are many critical and essential human service needs among the poor and disadvantaged in King County, and as a region we are failing to meet those needs," said Councilmember Gossett. "We must find a way to help our citizens access the services they need for a better quality of life."
"Providing and funding human services is a countywide responsibility, and one that our task force members took very seriously," said Mayor Keolker. "Working together, we can create the affordable housing and access to food, health care and supportive services needed by individuals and families across our region."
The HFC Task Force was asked to determine the amount of regional funding needed to address the unmet need for services and recommend a means by which to raise those funds. The task force was also charged with defining the roles and responsibilities for a regional human services board to oversee the new fund source, and developing a public education campaign to demonstrate the importance of human services to the health and safety of the county's communities.
Working closely with the King County Office of Management and Budget, the HFC Task Force determined that, as of fall 2005, available funding fell over $83 million short of the need for services. The shortfall pertains to a range of countywide human services funded and provided primarily by the county and its partners; it does not address shortages in other regional services principally funded by state or federal governments such as child and family welfare, mental health and housing. While passage of the Veterans and Human Services Levy in November will help to reduce the funding gap, it does not come close to closing the gap. The task force determined that a longer-term solution was needed to stabilize funding for human services for the future.
The funding recommendations call for utilizing new fund sources that became available during the course of its work, including portions of the levy proceeds and new state funding allocated for 2-1-1 information and referral services. The funding package also calls for a 0.1 percent sales tax increase to fund critically needed mental health and substance abuse services, allowable under a state law that enables counties to raise local sales taxes to fund treatment services and therapeutic courts. The funding package is rounded out with the call for future property tax measures as deemed viable by the Executive and County Council.
"It is critical that our region provide health and human services for our most at-risk citizens," said Executive Sims. "I am grateful to Councilmember Gossett and Mayor Keolker for their leadership and to all of the members of this extraordinary group for their time, energy, passion and expertise. I look forward to working with the County Council and our regional human services partners as we explore these recommendations and build a financial infrastructure for the future."
A copy of the report is available online at the HFC Task Force Web page, at your.kingcounty.gov/dchs/hfc.