Public Policy

Under the circumstances... I feel a need to write this Blog in an "informal" style. Unfortunately, too many professional politicians, lawyers, and others have made the understanding of politics and public policy too confusing and complex for most people when, in reality, it's all very simple.

Let us first review the definition of "Public Policy":
1. the fundamental policy on which laws rest, especially policy not yet enunciated in specific rules.
2. the principle that injury to the public good or public order constitutes a basis for setting aside, or denying effect to, acts or transactions.

So, why then, are numerous acts, laws and resolutions that affect so many residents introduced, discussed and passed that are disliked by so many residents? And, when thinking of the comments that are said by many of those residents referring to the actions of legislators, it seems that there is a misunderstanding of the role and status of elected officials. Thus, there becomes a need to help people to remember that other human beings are not elected to "govern" us; they are elected to "represent" us.

As a Public Policy Associate, I recognize the need to remind my audience of this prior to most of the presentations I may make to them. Otherwise, if I did not, as I encourage the members of the audience to contact the elected officials of their districts and express their concerns and/or positions, there would become a silence and a look of hopelessness throughout the room. People have come to believe that they are at the mercy of their elected officials. Many seem to have forgotten (or, were never taught) that it was the desire of the majority of the constituency that caused representative to vote to change laws that gave all adults equal voting rights and fair wages for labors rendered regardless of race or gender - thus, the Equal Rights Amendment and Child Labor Laws.

As a Public Policy Associate, I deliver messages to elected officials from those whom they represent who are too busy doing other duties to earn wages to support themselves and their families. I relate to the elected officials that as more and more of their constituents are becoming less and less able to manage their income-to-expense ratio that they are asking for passages of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act and the Savings for Working Families Act.

As a Public Policy Associate, I try to remind constituents and legislators that it is not the duty of elected officials to "speak for the people"... they are chosen to speak "on behalf of the people." It's an ongoing task that starts all over again with the start of every New Year. And, I love public relations and I love challenges so... I must REALLY love my work as a Public Policy Associate.

Become a UWSEM advocate!

Ronald Stewart,
Public Policy Associate
United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Policy team advocates for financial literacy

According to the Detroit Free Press, Americans have doubled their debt over the past decade to an astounding $2.5 trillion. While this excludes mortgage-related debt, news reports also continue to paint a bleak picture of Michigan’s rising number of home foreclosures.

Many of the current money issues adults in southeast Michigan face stem from lack of financial education as youths. As part of our Agenda for Change work, the United Way’s public policy team has been advocating for a financial literacy component to be included in school curriculums across the state so that more youth learn early on how to save money, avoid debt and build assets.

The effort is already reaping results.

Click here to read more.

Survey: Public Policy

United Way is focused on creating lasting solutions to social problems, and Public Policy issues on the state and federal level are key to that effort. Through its Public Policy team, citizens are able to advocate for issues that are important to metro Detroiters in the areas of Educational Preparedness, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs.

United Way is continually monitoring and advocating for these and a host of other issues that are important to you.

But they can’t do it alone.

The organization believes that collective action can affect change more than any one person working alone. By contacting your legislators, monitoring important legislative issues, and being an active participant in the legislative process, your voice can join thousands of others across the state to affect change.

United Way is interested in your thoughts on state budget priorities. Please take this brief survey:

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB226MAFBN4AR

United Way will share survey results with state legislators, ensuring your voice is heard. In the coming weeks, United Way will also be launching an online e-advocacy tool to help you monitor and advocate for those issues important to you and your family.

More information is available at www.uwsem.org/publicpolicy.

What can we do to ensure that job fairs are not needed?

Wednesday, October 11, 2006, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, for a second year, held the Southeast Michigan Employment, Training & Family Resource Expo with its myriad of public and private partners in the region and the State. By all accounts it was a huge success - over 8,000 job seekers, over 100 employers representing more than 6,000 available jobs.

And mind you these job seekers came throughout the day in a down pouring of rain. They came by bus, by car, and by foot. They came in suits, dresses, and jeans. Some had lots of work experience, some had limited work experience, and some had no real work experience.

What a sad reminder of what the community has told us. Among our most significant problems in our region are educational attainment, self-sufficiency, and the advancement of literacy. After seeing the need presented at the Expo who can argue the urgency in addressing these problems. Add to this the other problem the community talked to us about: basic need services. One can only begin to imagine the numerous basic needs so many of these jobseekers and their families must have. Common sense tells us that their children are also in great need.

So maybe we need to ask ourselves:

• What are the policies and practices in our State and in our Country that result in so many people being without jobs and education?
• What role/can we play in building the public will needed to support education, job training, and employment?
• How can we build upon the successes from Wednesday (because clearly they were some)?
• How do we use what we saw Wednesday to help others understand the extent of the need?
• What can we do to ensure that job expos are not needed because people are working?

Hopefully we are mindful of how blessed we are and have an immeasurable and renewed commitment and level of energy towards our mission. It is the right one. Each of us must do all that is humanly possible individually and collectively to improve conditions reflected in the expo.

After all, no matter what your religious belief or lack of, but for the grace of God we could be in the same situation.

Jacqueline Jones
Vice President, Public Policy
United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration

Shaping Policy to Promote Prevention And Intervention in the Lives of Ex-Offenders and Their Children

Overview
There are many challenges facing ex-offenders as they reenter society after incarceration. It is often that the obstacles they faced which led them to incarceration remain present upon release. It is imperative that there are supports present to reduce the risk of recidivism to a life of crime as ex-offenders reenter society. This is particularly important to Southeastern Michigan because approximately over 3,600 ex-offenders are released annually. Many ex-offenders come from a past of unemployment, substance abuse, and mental health challenges. An alarming 45 percent of parolees have at least one prior Michigan prison term. United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) believes that public policies must support returning parolees to advance communities as a whole. Public policy is also key in preventing incarceration from initially occurring. Making a positive impact on these issues can have a major affect on strengthening Southeastern Michigan.

Background
UWSEM’s efforts began on March 31, 2006 through a public policy forum entitled “Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration”. This forum provided an opportunity for stakeholders as well as those directly impacted by the challenges facing ex-offenders to discuss strategies to aid in their transition back into society and the prevention of incarceration from a public policy perspective. There was a moderated discussion that included expert panelists and ex-offenders followed by breakout sessions that related to various intervention and prevention measures connected to the issues faced by ex-offenders and children. The breakout sessions then reconvened to share the identified policy implications with the entire group. At the close of the public policy forum participants were asked to participate in small group meetings that would be held later in the spring.

The small group meetings were held on June 8, and 12, 2006. The purpose of these meetings was to further discuss the policy issues identified during the public policy forum and possible strategies to work toward solutions. The groups were divided into two categories: prevention and intervention. Participants were asked to prioritize the most critical issues in each category. For each issue selected there had to be:

• Feasibility
• Breadth in the number of individuals impacted
• And potentially positive outcomes for the entire region

Some of the issues discussed included job training, review of child support policies, and policies addressing the training of corrections staff. The groups’ recommendations for priorities were:

• Conditional/select expungement of criminal records
• Increased support for young adults exiting foster care.

Next Steps
The results of the small group discussions will be shared with the participants of the March 2006 public policy forum in the fall of 2006. United Way will then invite stakeholders to participate in the development of implementation strategies to address the agreed upon priorities. Recommendations from the Legal Action Center along with findings reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse will also be discussed at that time. Sharing this information is an early effort to further raise public awareness around the influence of public policy on ex-offenders’ successful reintegration into the community. We invite interested individuals and organizations to become involved with this awareness and advocacy effort.

- Rachel Harris, Public Policy Associate, United Way for Southeastern Michigan