FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2009

Louisiana faces many critical crossroads
By Dr. Monteic A. Sizer
President and CEO
Louisiana Family Recovery Corps

With the nation sliding into a recession and headlines warning of a new round of forced budget cuts by the Jindal Administration, families across the state of Louisiana see fear overshadowing holiday cheer.

Cuts to the healthcare budget, shortfalls in oil and gas revenues, elimination of higher education programs, businesses shuttering, and continued job loss all make for a bleak outlook for 2009.

Tough times have arrived for many in our state. They are on the way for many others. And we are all, in some form or fashion, still reeling from a pair of hurricanes in Gustav and Ike that drastically affected the landscape of an already staggered Louisiana.

Despite the bad news, we must limit the direct impact that these challenges have on those still affected by the hurricanes and who still rely on government resources and services from private and public sources in order to survive.

When times are tough, everyone must bond together. More than ever, efficiency and effectiveness must permeate every decision that is made. Contrary to what many might think, it’s not always about more government assistance and more public resources, but rather ensuring the most efficient use of what we have.

The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps, which was established in 2005 in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, was charged in 2007 with coordinating the delivery of recovery services within the state by Louisiana Act 313. Part of our duties on behalf of Louisiana and our people include determining where the resources are and delivering them to those who demonstrate both a need and a willingness to help themselves manage the recovery process.

While budgets are being slashed, some portions of our state still have hundreds of millions of untouched federal dollars waiting in the coffers. That money does no good sitting in a bank. There are many who are in desperate need of rental assistance before they are evicted, utility payment assistance before the lights are cut off, household furnishings assistance so they no longer have to sleep on the floor, and new roofs overhead so the mold and mildew doesn’t destroy the remaining structure of their homes. These are all services provided by the Recovery Corps to thousands of Louisiana families via funds allocated by state, federal, and private sources. The need was great. The process was efficient. And the results saved families.

Additionally, access to healthcare and human services is a problem that runs deep within governmental bureaucracy. What good do these services do if those who need them most do not have direct access to them nor the ability to utilize the systems? A recent self-audit by the Department of Social Services determined that programs offered to families in need should focus on more evidence-based practices. We agree with Secretary Kristy Nichols, the newly-appointed head of DSS, and her assertion that there is a great need for outcome-based measures. That is a fundamental value of the Recovery Corps and we recommend that all state agencies and non-profit organizations share these views relative to outcome-based measures.

Additionally, we recommend that state agencies align human resources in a way that is consistent with the state’s overall objectives in order to ensure a tax-payer impact during times of budget cuts.

We understand that budget cuts affect many, but cuts in healthcare always seem to first greet those with fewer means. Unfortunately, those with fewer means are also likely to be the same people who absorbed impactful blows from the hurricanes and whose personal recovery process has been slow. Further cuts to needed services and resources will only further lengthen the recovery process.

Therefore, it is essential that in these challenging times government work closely with those who can assist it in moving resources quickly to its citizens. Those groups include the local non-profit sector, of which the Recovery Corps is a leading member. Responsible non-profits have the ability to coordinate resources, ensure accountability, limit waste, and allow for greater accessibility to those who need the resources most.

Further, with the use of outcome-based services in the dispersal of resources, non-profits can measure the effectiveness of the programs, quickly react to any negative issues, and integrate lessons learned from previous programs in order to increase efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, and transparency.

Finally, the core mission of the Recovery Corps is to facilitate human recovery from disaster, both natural and man-made. The state has had its share of natural disasters lately and we certainly realize that human recovery from the hurricanes will take generations for some to overcome. Be certain, the Recovery Corps will continue to identify and deliver resources to those going through the recovery process.

But, in a more broad and overarching sense, our state faces a number of disasters, all of which affect our people in a serious way. The state’s healthcare system has in the past fallen short in providing proper services efficiently and effectively to all who need them. We applaud Secretary Alan Levine as he struggles to find the most appropriate way to reform a healthcare system designed to provide essential health-related services to our citizens, many of whom are using governmental services for the first time.

Louisiana’s education system routinely ranks as one of the country’s worst despite some truly innovative accomplishments over the past few years. But, for many of those who do manage to become educated and ultimately pass through our higher education system, they will follow the well-worn trail across state lines because of a lack of quality jobs, lack of competitive pay, and an overall lack of opportunities.

As the state seeks to come out of the recession, twenty-first century thinking around research and design, entrepreneurial spirit, and investment in new technologies such as bio-tech, geonomics, and others will require an educated, healthy, and committed workforce.

These broad-based disasters face our state at a critical time. The Recovery Corps has positioned itself to help make a difference for Louisiana. Our lessons learned from three years of dealing with the country’s greatest natural disaster, our unique outcome-based program design, and our policy discussion fueled by our unique set of experiences put us in a position to help lead the state’s recovery.

The Recovery Corps prides itself on providing opportunities for all and partialities for none. The Recovery Corps is about helping people – white, black, poor, rich, Democrat, Republican, Catholic, Baptist, Cajun, or North Louisiana Protestant. Anyone who demonstrates a need, who demonstrates a willingness to help themselves, and who is willing to be accountable for their own recovery is who we have been charged to serve.

And we will do so with one common vision – One Spirit. One State. One Destiny.

Dr. Monteic A. Sizer is the incoming President and CEO of the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps. For more information about the Recovery Corps, visit www.recoverycorps.org.