True Reform at Human Services
-Willie Lightfoot, County Legislator
Metro Justice members might be familiar with the crisis occurring at Monroe County’s Department of Human Services. Those seeking help are met with staffing shortages, budget cuts, and worst of all, a condescending attitude from the Brooks Administration. As a member of this community, I see the results of a safety net that was meant to catch people, but instead ensnares them. As a legislator, I have a responsibility to the taxpayers of Monroe County to find the most effective ways to help people that are struggling get back on their feet, and off of public assistance. But most importantly, as a human being I find the Brooks Administration’s hard-hearted attitude shameful.
In November, I proposed changing the county’s attitude on vocational education for public assistance recipients. According to the Brooks Administration, only 5% of the people eligible for vocational training are enrolled in the program. We know that good jobs and marketable skills go hand in hand. And we know that vocational education is a proven path to marketable skills. Unfortunately, those that have never had to struggle are hard to convince of these facts and my proposal was defeated.
Since November, things have not gotten any better for the struggling families on public assistance in Monroe County. The case workers are not at fault. They spend their days genuinely trying to help, but are hamstrung by a county administration that needs a scapegoat, and a railing point for blame.
Monroe County’s current job search requirement is another prime example of a failing policy that only serves to punish people that are already suffering. Any job search requirement becomes counterproductive if it leads individuals to apply for jobs at random, simply to meet a requirement, without giving any consideration to whether or not they are qualified for the job. Currently, those receiving assistance focus far too much time on meeting a quota and not enough on exploring genuine opportunities for sustainable employment. The goal is to find a job, not just spend time looking.
This March, I offered a proposal to narrow the job search requirement to allow this to happen. Currently, those receiving Family Assistance must produce two job applications per day and those receiving Safety Net funds must produce three. I proposed reducing this number to seven per week. By making this simple change we would have seen results- people getting their lives together and finding good sustainable jobs- not just stacks of applications. But again, this proposal was defeated for the same thoughtless reasons as my vocational education measure.
I believe that we all want to see success for a neighbor that is struggling. Some say the best way for a person to get a job is look for one. I would agree. But filling out random applications is clearly not looking for a job- it is a job - a job with no future other then more public assistance. We need to think a little bit harder about what we are doing as a community to find solutions to our problems. We must remove the barriers to work that only serve to punish, not promote. Punitive policies that offer no real world solutions have no place in this County.