Group provides voice for Ohio's most vulnerable citizens
May 14, 2009As economic conditions continue to worsen in Ohio and the needs of Ohioans continue to increase, an organization called The Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future is stepping forward to stand up for those Ohioans who don't have a voice. The Campaign for Ohio's Future is a coalition of health, human services, primary and secondary, and higher education organizations.
The Campaign lists its main objective as protecting Ohio most vulnerable citizens by seeking to restore or secure adequate funding for the most vital services that fulfill basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and medical care to Ohio's children, families, seniors, and others having trouble in this economic downturn.
The organization lists the following priorities for the 2010-2011 Ohio Budget on it's website:
1. Ohio's public officials should adopt a responsible human services budget that has as its primary priority to meet basic human needs (food, shelter, clothing and medical care) and provide a safety net for the most vulnerable Ohioans. A responsible human services budget should ensure opportunity for low-income Ohioans to achieve self-sufficiency through education, training, work, and supportive services.
2. Ohio public officials should fund and support quality, seamless services and education for all children to ensure safe, healthy, successful learners and ensure adults accessible lifelong learning opportunities.
3. Ohio's public officials should ensure access to physical and behavioral health care services for all Ohioans. Prevention, treatment and supportive services for comprehensive health care, long-term care, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse and addiction should be available. Services should be provided in a wide variety of cost effective community settings based on consumer need and choice.
4. Ohio's public officials should adopt a fair, progressive, diversified system of taxation that eliminates Ohio's structural deficit and provides stable revenues sufficient to fund services and invest in Ohio's future. Spending caps that discourage government from making informed spending choices based on the needs of its citizens are inconsistent with this principle.
Across the state of Ohio, there were an estimated 60,000 children ages birth to five who were without health insurance in 2008. Closer to home, Athens County saw 2,850 children living in poverty in 2008. To put things in context, that's one out of every four children in Athens County living in poverty. We cannot afford to turn our backs on these children and their families.
For more information on the Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future and how you can raise your voice to protect Ohio's most vulnerable citizens, please visit protectohio.org.
(Sources: Ohio Department of Development, http://www.odod.state.oh.us; Public Children Services Association of Ohio, http://www.pcsao.org; Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future, http://www.protectohio.org)
