Upped demand for social services worries agencies
Friday, 05 February 2010 01:01
by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
THE anticipation of over 35,000 civilians who will make Guam their home once the military buildup has reached steady state by 2014 and the impact of increased demand for services are a serious matter that department heads acknowledged yesterday.
However, officials have yet to quantify the financial impact of providing social services to these newcomers.
“This information is critical because these costs need to be quantified and I was hoping that was what these departments and agencies had. It was very, very disappointing. It’s a lot of information, I understand this,” said Sen. Frank Aguon Jr., chairman of the health committee.
“The problem is that they’re working their daily job, but it might be that they don’t have the capacity or the expertise to be able to go out and get those numbers. If you don’t have the resources to get those critical numbers, then how are we going to know exactly how much it’s going to cost to meet our needs,” he added.
During the committee’s roundtable discussion, heads of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, the Department of Public Health and Social Services and the Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disablities, informed lawmakers that their departments are not ready for the additional influx of people.
However, not all of them could provide numbers as to what their agency would need and what each agency’s plan was to meet the increase.
Each one reiterated the shortages at all levels of critical health care positions such as the lack of doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and psychologists, social workers, case workers, and other health and social care providers that are critical to the daily operations of each department.
Aguon said he had hoped that the presentations would have provided solid information that were quantifiable in terms of how much each department will need to hire, maintain and enhance its department so that the information will be provided to the federal government in which Guam can say it has the numbers and will the government assist in funding these critical needs.
DISID director Rosanne Ada identified buildup-related issues that would greatly affect the services it provides and the direct impact to its disabled consumers.
Ada said the influx of immigrants from neighboring islands and military dependents seeking jobs may reduce the number of job opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Nevertheless, Ada said that military dependents and families of contract workers may be a source of professional and technical resources for specialized needs of individuals with disabilities such as therapeutic foster parents, teachers, nurses, therapists, job coaches and language interpreters.
Ada did not know if the military will give seeing impaired vendors first priority to operate vending shops on military property under the Randolph-Sheppard Act, or whether the military dining and recreational facilities would train and hire individuals with disabilities.
Another issue is that DISID has not had the chance to establish credible policies and procedures and standards of care that are anywhere near the Department of Defense standard of care and so DISID stands at risk of providing services that may be perceived by the military as sub-standard care, said Dr. Zeni Natividad.
Showing posts with label Social Services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Services. Show all posts
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Sunday, January 03, 2010
EIS hearing Thursday at Santa Rita
EIS hearing Thursday at Santa Rita
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 4, 2010
Southern residents will get the first chance to provide feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement with public hearings starting this week.
The first round of hearings on the draft EIS begins 7 p.m. Thursday at Southern High School in Santa Rita, and Agat Mayor Carol Tayama is encouraging people in the south to come out and express their views.
The mayor said she has been receiving e-mails from residents in her village informing her of their concerns, and she wants them to know that this is the venue where they can act.
"They have to come out and voice their concerns," Tayama said. "This is the time now if they want to see any changes. I really encourage residents in the south that if they have any concerns, that this is the time to bring them up."
The draft Environmental Impact Statement will provide a detailed account of how Guam's community will be affected through changes caused by the buildup. These include access to recreation locations, safety, labor-related issues, population increase and associated effects, increases in traffic, utility requirements, noise, land use, educational facilities, public health and social services and impact to tourism.
Concerns
Tayama said she plans to attend the public hearing to listen and make her concerns known.
Other residents are planning to do the same.
Cerila P. Skvaril, a 52-year-old living in Nimitz Hill, said she plans to attend at least one of the hearings on the environmental impact report because she has five children who are likely to be affected by the decisions that will be made with the military buildup.
Skvaril is concerned about the environmental impact of the military buildup on the island, and the fact that local land could be taken by the federal government.
"It is devastating to know the United States government has so much resources and the little resources we have they want to destroy it," Skvaril said.
She said residents who will not attend the hearing should remember that in the end "they will pay for it and their children will pay the price."
Nevertheless, there are some who won't be sharing their point of views at the upcoming hearings.
"I will not attend because I don't have the time. I am always working," said Jhune Cortes, 39, from Astumbo. "But I think people should say whether they want the buildup or not, and I think the buildup is going to be better for the economy."
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 4, 2010
Southern residents will get the first chance to provide feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement with public hearings starting this week.
The first round of hearings on the draft EIS begins 7 p.m. Thursday at Southern High School in Santa Rita, and Agat Mayor Carol Tayama is encouraging people in the south to come out and express their views.
The mayor said she has been receiving e-mails from residents in her village informing her of their concerns, and she wants them to know that this is the venue where they can act.
"They have to come out and voice their concerns," Tayama said. "This is the time now if they want to see any changes. I really encourage residents in the south that if they have any concerns, that this is the time to bring them up."
The draft Environmental Impact Statement will provide a detailed account of how Guam's community will be affected through changes caused by the buildup. These include access to recreation locations, safety, labor-related issues, population increase and associated effects, increases in traffic, utility requirements, noise, land use, educational facilities, public health and social services and impact to tourism.
Concerns
Tayama said she plans to attend the public hearing to listen and make her concerns known.
Other residents are planning to do the same.
Cerila P. Skvaril, a 52-year-old living in Nimitz Hill, said she plans to attend at least one of the hearings on the environmental impact report because she has five children who are likely to be affected by the decisions that will be made with the military buildup.
Skvaril is concerned about the environmental impact of the military buildup on the island, and the fact that local land could be taken by the federal government.
"It is devastating to know the United States government has so much resources and the little resources we have they want to destroy it," Skvaril said.
She said residents who will not attend the hearing should remember that in the end "they will pay for it and their children will pay the price."
Nevertheless, there are some who won't be sharing their point of views at the upcoming hearings.
"I will not attend because I don't have the time. I am always working," said Jhune Cortes, 39, from Astumbo. "But I think people should say whether they want the buildup or not, and I think the buildup is going to be better for the economy."
Monday, December 07, 2009
Guam not ready today, even less for buildup
Guam not ready today, even less for buildup
By Gerhard Schwab • December 6, 2009
Before we ask what needs to change for the human services sector to be ready for the military buildup, we need to ask why our human services of today still are not fully prepared to deal with the social problems associated with Guam's buildup during the past 30 years.
In this time period, the population in Guam almost doubled, from 105,979 in 1980 to about 200,000 expected in the 2010 Census. Although we had three decades to adjust our human services to the increased population and to the socioeconomic changes in Guam, we cannot help but feel "mamalao" and frustrated when federal courts intervene to enforce the delivery and quality of basic public social services, when children in private and public child welfare organizations experience neglect and abuse, when hard-working families do not have the health care and family support they need to care for their elderly and sick family members, when our best local social service professionals leave Guam because of poor working conditions and/or lack of support and resources for their work, when ... when ...
If we, despite the many hard-working caring, and professionally competent people in the human service field still cannot get our human services competent enough to fully address today's social problems, then it is safe to expect that we shall be even less prepared for the planned military buildup.
The magnitude of changes proposed by the military planners are unprecedented in our community; the rate of speed and lack of local input and control in the planning process do not allow an accurate forecasting and planning for the social consequences and problems associated with the military buildup.
Because we are not ready for today, and even less ready for tomorrow, we need to look at the societal, structural factors that produce and maintain our social problems. In order to prevent the increase of social problems, we need to reduce the forces that produce social problems in the various realms of our lives. In other words, slow down and make the military buildup incremental and contingent on the achievement of critical communal quality of life indicators; such as political self-determination, education, health, housing and employment.
Hence, the military buildup only should be allowed to proceed, if:
# A timeline for the exercise of political self-determination of the Chamorro people is agreed upon and gradually implemented;
# The federal government allocates resources to gradually raise the funding levels of Guam's public schools to the same funding levels as military schools;
# A health-care plan is developed and approved to guarantee all residents of Guam access to health-care facilities equally well-equipped and resourced as Guam's military hospital;
# A set of public policies ensures that the quality of housing inside and outside the military fences equally meets human needs; and
# Buildup construction projects are linked with investments into the development of a sustainable local work force.
Gerhard Schwab, Ph.D. is a professor of social work at the University of Guam.
By Gerhard Schwab • December 6, 2009
Before we ask what needs to change for the human services sector to be ready for the military buildup, we need to ask why our human services of today still are not fully prepared to deal with the social problems associated with Guam's buildup during the past 30 years.
In this time period, the population in Guam almost doubled, from 105,979 in 1980 to about 200,000 expected in the 2010 Census. Although we had three decades to adjust our human services to the increased population and to the socioeconomic changes in Guam, we cannot help but feel "mamalao" and frustrated when federal courts intervene to enforce the delivery and quality of basic public social services, when children in private and public child welfare organizations experience neglect and abuse, when hard-working families do not have the health care and family support they need to care for their elderly and sick family members, when our best local social service professionals leave Guam because of poor working conditions and/or lack of support and resources for their work, when ... when ...
If we, despite the many hard-working caring, and professionally competent people in the human service field still cannot get our human services competent enough to fully address today's social problems, then it is safe to expect that we shall be even less prepared for the planned military buildup.
The magnitude of changes proposed by the military planners are unprecedented in our community; the rate of speed and lack of local input and control in the planning process do not allow an accurate forecasting and planning for the social consequences and problems associated with the military buildup.
Because we are not ready for today, and even less ready for tomorrow, we need to look at the societal, structural factors that produce and maintain our social problems. In order to prevent the increase of social problems, we need to reduce the forces that produce social problems in the various realms of our lives. In other words, slow down and make the military buildup incremental and contingent on the achievement of critical communal quality of life indicators; such as political self-determination, education, health, housing and employment.
Hence, the military buildup only should be allowed to proceed, if:
# A timeline for the exercise of political self-determination of the Chamorro people is agreed upon and gradually implemented;
# The federal government allocates resources to gradually raise the funding levels of Guam's public schools to the same funding levels as military schools;
# A health-care plan is developed and approved to guarantee all residents of Guam access to health-care facilities equally well-equipped and resourced as Guam's military hospital;
# A set of public policies ensures that the quality of housing inside and outside the military fences equally meets human needs; and
# Buildup construction projects are linked with investments into the development of a sustainable local work force.
Gerhard Schwab, Ph.D. is a professor of social work at the University of Guam.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Public Health outlines priorities for buildup
Public Health outlines priorities for buildup
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • November 13, 2009
There are four priority issues the Department of Public Health and Social Services are looking to improve in preparation for the military buildup.
Those priority issues are strengthening workforce capacity, more capital improvements, increasing funding for infrastructure and services, and placing a greater focus on regulations, licensing and insurance.
"We have to ensure that these four priorities will allow for a road map to get us through the next five years," said Public Health Director J. Peter Roberto.
Roberto was addressing attendees of the Guam Community and Economic Development Forum at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort yesterday.
In strengthening the workforce, he said nurses and doctors need to be acquired. Their training, development and retention is also important, he added.
Similarly, an expansion of current health facilities is a must. Clinics in the north and south of the island are being prepared as such. These expansions must include new equipment and upgrades.
By 2015, Guam will get 20 years of growth in five years because of the military buildup. About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be brought to the island along with 15,000 to 20,000 civilian residents, according to Pacific Daily News files.
"With this huge increase in our population we have to lay down the priorities. ... If we don't make the improvements in our infrastructure, then we can't deal with the buildup," Roberto said.
The department's Division of Environmental Health will be given first priority when the military buildup takes effect, he said.
"In the bigger picture, it plays a critical role in that health and safety is ensured," Roberto said. "We are talking about health and sanitation, the inspection of the barracks and food safety."
He said divisions dealing with communicable diseases and child protective services is the next priority.
But some say there is one priority that needs to top the list.
"I am very concerned that the topic of human services in health is very low on the list," said Sarah Thomas Nededog, executive director of Sanctuary Inc.
"We are already experiencing a host of other social issues, from mental health to disabilities, and we have not been successful in doing the job. There is no consensus in place for the quality of life for the people," she added.
Nededog said a comprehensive social development plan that will quantify the number of people on the island with disabilities, how many are homeless and the number of them who suffer from mental health issues is needed.
She said policies, funding and programs for the local population are areas that are "largely underdeveloped" when it comes to human services in health.
"We have some work to do now and we need to start paying attention. Prosperity of the population should be first and foremost," Nededog said.
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • November 13, 2009
There are four priority issues the Department of Public Health and Social Services are looking to improve in preparation for the military buildup.
Those priority issues are strengthening workforce capacity, more capital improvements, increasing funding for infrastructure and services, and placing a greater focus on regulations, licensing and insurance.
"We have to ensure that these four priorities will allow for a road map to get us through the next five years," said Public Health Director J. Peter Roberto.
Roberto was addressing attendees of the Guam Community and Economic Development Forum at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort yesterday.
In strengthening the workforce, he said nurses and doctors need to be acquired. Their training, development and retention is also important, he added.
Similarly, an expansion of current health facilities is a must. Clinics in the north and south of the island are being prepared as such. These expansions must include new equipment and upgrades.
By 2015, Guam will get 20 years of growth in five years because of the military buildup. About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be brought to the island along with 15,000 to 20,000 civilian residents, according to Pacific Daily News files.
"With this huge increase in our population we have to lay down the priorities. ... If we don't make the improvements in our infrastructure, then we can't deal with the buildup," Roberto said.
The department's Division of Environmental Health will be given first priority when the military buildup takes effect, he said.
"In the bigger picture, it plays a critical role in that health and safety is ensured," Roberto said. "We are talking about health and sanitation, the inspection of the barracks and food safety."
He said divisions dealing with communicable diseases and child protective services is the next priority.
But some say there is one priority that needs to top the list.
"I am very concerned that the topic of human services in health is very low on the list," said Sarah Thomas Nededog, executive director of Sanctuary Inc.
"We are already experiencing a host of other social issues, from mental health to disabilities, and we have not been successful in doing the job. There is no consensus in place for the quality of life for the people," she added.
Nededog said a comprehensive social development plan that will quantify the number of people on the island with disabilities, how many are homeless and the number of them who suffer from mental health issues is needed.
She said policies, funding and programs for the local population are areas that are "largely underdeveloped" when it comes to human services in health.
"We have some work to do now and we need to start paying attention. Prosperity of the population should be first and foremost," Nededog said.
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