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A function of the Community Services Department (formerly
External Affairs) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle,
our
Government
Affairs Committee works tirelessly to protect the partnership between
Government, our beneficiary agencies and their clients. READ
MORE...
| Join
Us for a Government and Public Affairs
Open House |
Come learn about public policy issues impacting Washington
State’s Jewish community and community agencies from legislators,
public policy professionals and the lobbyists who work in Olympia.
When:Monday, October 22, 2007, 12-1:30pm.
Where:Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle,
2031 Third Avenue, Seattle 98121
RSVP: To attend this special meeting, please contact Elle
at (206) 774-2275 or at ElleS@JewishInSeattle.org. Because of security
and space considerations
your R.S.V.P. is greatly appreciated.
Topics to include:
SCHIP and Washington State’s Children’s Health Program
Children’s Alliance
www.childrensalliance.org
I-960 and human service budgets
Washington State Budget and Policy Center
www.budgetandpolicy.org
Life as a freshman legislator
Senator Steve Hobbs (District 44)
www1.leg.wa.gov/senate/hobbs
AJAS Public Policy Leadership Group
From "The Scribe"
Advocacy is a Mitzvah
David Fuks, MSW and Daniel Reingold MSW, JD, Public Policy Leadership
Group Co-Chairs Editor’s note: AJAS membership includes Jewish sponsored
non-profit organizations serving the aged throughout North America.
The PPLG
was created to address the very serious changes occurring in the
funding and regulatory systems in the United States. The initial
focus of the PPLG will be on current U.S. domestic issues and
the upcoming presidential election. As colleagues working
together we can make a difference in helping to shape our
public policy with a focus on meeting the needs of the elders
in our communities. With the next U.S. presidential election just
over a
year away,
this is an auspicious and appropriate time to announce and describe
AJAS’ Public Policy Leadership Group (PPLG).
Conceptualized by the leadership of AJAS in 2006 and implemented
in 2007, the PPLG can play a significant role in providing
advocacy at the federal and state level on behalf of the AJAS
membership.
The United States government has become increasingly polarized
and politicized. While this consequence of the democratic process has
received criticism of late, there is also recognition that a significant
opportunity exists for AJAS’ voice to be heard in order to protect
and enhance our members’ share of the massive federal funding
which AJAS facilities and services depend upon to fulfill our mission
of caring for the Jewish elderly. Additionally, as exemplars of the highest
quality of care we can inform the decision making of public policy leaders
as they seek to reshape the system of
housing, services and care as the coming generations increase demand.
Medicare and Medicaid are two key programs which pay for medical assistance
and long-term care for low income and elderly Americans. For the almost
120 AJAS member organizations that provide long-term care, these programs
are the principal sources of revenue. Our national leaders are beginning
to ask hard questions about the sustainability of these funding sources.
They need to know there are advocates and partners across the
country that will help them to answer these questions prudently and
accountably.
In addition to direct and indirect funding for AJAS member services,
the role of PPLG is critically important as a mechanism to monitor and advocate for
and against federal or state legislation which may have a positive or negative
impact. This may relate to legislation regarding faith-based initiatives,
employment discrimination laws, or reporting requirements such
as those imposed upon for-profit corporations under the Sarbanes-Oxley
law. In addition, the AJAS PPLG will have the opportunity to participate
in various hearings and investigations conducted by the United
States Senate and House of Representatives as well as their extremely
influential committees. The role of the PPLG is consistent
with AJAS’ historical involvement in public policy and advocacy– both
to further the interest of its member organizations as well as
the Jewish community at-large.
The politics around federal
and state budgets can threaten member programs and services
and can stifle members’ abilities to meet current needs.
The political climate, in which cuts for domestic spending
have become a routine, challenge our members’ abilities to
continue their historic role of creating innovative and unique
programs. As federal deficits grow, resulting from both
our current military situation and other international concerns, we must strive
to keep the agenda of domestic human
services alive. Caring for the most
vulnerable, frail and needy elderly is a Jewish concern that stems
from the Torah. Our advocacy will help us to fulfill this mitzvah.
At the same time, there is a serious public discussion regarding
the reshaping of the entire long-term care system and developing
new mechanisms to fund a seamless spectrum of client-centered services
to the aged, provided at the appropriate site of their choosing.
Our willingness to innovate and to participate in policy
development and program development discussions at the governmental
level will give shape to the new continuum of services envisioned.
AJAS,
through the new PPLG, is in a unique position to vigorously defend
against current threats to much needed
programs and services, while engaging fully in the national dialogue
on the shape of future long-term care. There is a“
perfect storm” taking shape in which new cuts are being
proposed at the same time that seventy-eight million baby boomers are
on the cusp of retirement and when more care is needed as the
current population of the elderly enters our facilities and
services with increasing acuity and co-morbidity. Many of the
cuts being proposed at the federal and state level will
challenge AJAS member organizations.
Realizing that six billion dollars in public funds are channeled to the Jewish
community through AJAS member
nursing homes, senior housing, care
campuses and other health facilities,
AJAS’ decision to create the PPLG comes at a critical moment.
Eldercare, senior
services, Medicare and Medicaid will be a primary focus of its
advocacy efforts. AJAS PPLG will work closely with United
Jewish Communities as well as the American Association of Homes
and Services for the Aging and other national organizations
to leverage our collective voice on behalf of those we serve.
In particular, individual AJAS members have cultivated
excellent relationships at the federal and state levels. Indeed,
the proportion of senators and representatives who are
Jewish is significant, relative to the size of the Jewish population in the
United States. Through AJAS member boards, as well as relationships with
executives, Jewish and non-Jewish senators and representatives are already
familiar with the excellent work provided by our membership. Moreover,
Jewish aging services have enormous credibility among politicians
by virtue of our innovation and commitment in the field of aging.
The AJAS PPLG will serve as the
coordinating body for AJAS political
activity in the following ways:
• PPLG will elicit member concerns
regarding governmental and regulatory
policy issues;
• PPLG will gather and share information
on federal, state and regional policy
initiatives which affect or have the
(ADVOCACY , from p. 5)
potential to affect AJAS members and
people we serve;
• PPLG will leverage the political
influence of AJAS through
collaboration with UJC, AAHSA and
its state affiliates, and in coalition
within other groups as appropriate;
• PPLG will empower the AJAS
president/CEO and board of directors
to act on behalf of AJAS within the
general guidelines developed by the
PPLG in consultation with AJAS
membership; and
• PPLG will develop means to elicit
grassroots involvement and support
for AJAS advocacy issues among the
constituencies we serve and the broader
Jewish community.
The establishment of the AJAS PPLG comes at a most opportune and critical
moment in the history of our nation’s programs and services
to the elderly. Our colleagues at both UJC and AAHSA are excited
to work with us in assuring that the future for those we serve
will be a bright one. The potential for the PPLG to become
an effective advocate for our membership will be a logical outgrowth of
AJAS’ acknowledged leadership in the field of services to
the elderly. We look forward to all of our members joining us in the mitzvah of advocacy.
Portions of this article were adapted or excerpted from position
statements of the United Jewish Communities and background
paper describing the AJAS PPLG. David Fuks is CEO of Cedar Sinai Park
in Portland, Ore. Daniel Reingold is CEO of the Hebrew
Home at Riverdale in Riverdale,
N.Y.
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