Health, Safety, Human Services

Mission Statement

"Evaluate, develop and recommend challenging, comprehensive, community-wide goals which will encourage public and private policies, practices and cooperation to insure efficient delivery of highest quality health, safety and basic human services to the citizens of Lubbock."

Committee Members 

Chair 		Greg Garrison

Vice Chair 	Susan Stanton

Members 	Dr. Bernhard Mittemeyer
		Oscar Reyes
		Dave Knapp
		Ashley Pfeiffer
		Marie Taylor
		Delbert McDougal
		Rebecca Wallace
		Heenan Johnson, Jr.
		Shirley McManigal

Introduction

The Health, Safety and Human Services Subcommittee was charged by the City Council to recommend community-wide goals which will encourage policies to insure the highest quality health, safety and basic human services for the citizens of Lubbock. Public safety is an issue that affects every citizen within a community. Police and fire protection are areas which concern each and every one of us on a daily basis and maintaining a strong presence of public safety contributes to a healthy community. Protecting the public health is also of great concern to citizens, especially with the ever increasing number of environmental regulations being developed.

The subcommittee considered a large and diverse number of issues and concerns which were received from the subcommittee members. Concerns were focused most heavily on the areas of crime, youth problems, and health care needs. Discussions of problems in these areas were targeted toward first identifying root causes and then identifying strategies for improvement. Also included among the most significant root causes that were identified were breakdown of the family, lack of self-confidence, lack of responsibility, lack of parental responsibility, lack of youth activities, and job opportunities and a need for more preventive health education and health care.

When considering specific health and safety issues, the committee spent a large amount of time on crime and gang issues. Approaches recommended included removing the very violent criminals from the streets and providing assistance for marginal youth. Emphasis was placed upon revising the state Family Code to adequately provide municipalities with tools to address the juvenile crime problem.

In investigating the areas of health and human services, the committee focused on issues of better coordination and information processes among agencies which provide services to the community. Increasing public awareness of services available was also emphasized. In the area of fire protection, the committee stressed public information and the use of technology.

GOAL 1:

Eliminate violence and criminal activities associated with gangs. 

OBJECTIVE 1.1:  	Remove dangerous youth from street.

OBJECTIVE 1.2:  	Provide alternative classrooms to remove 
			disruptive children from schools.

OBJECTIVE 1.3:  	Increase rehabilitation programs.

OBJECTIVE 1.4:  	Increase county and state incarceration 
			facilities for juvenile offenders.

OBJECTIVE 1.5:  	Develop programs to address the issues of
			disruptive children.
OBJECTIVE 1.6:  	Revise the state law that pertains to 
			offenders under 18 years of age.

			* Develop state-wide depository for juvenile 
			criminal records.
			* Allow juvenile probation officers to hold 
			detention hearings.
			* Lower the age for youth to be tried as an
			 adult for violent crimes.
			* Retain adult status involving future crime, 
			once certified as an adult.
			* Include civil/criminal responsibility of 
			parents in the Family Code.
			* Increase penalties for violence shown against
			educators (teachers, school staffs and school 
			administration) and law enforcement officials.

OBJECTIVE 1.7:  	Enhance public awareness of the extent of youth
			crimes.

OBJECTIVE 1.8:  	Increase juvenile justice system resources.

OBJECTIVE 1.9:  	Develop and enhance programs for reclaiming youth
			from gang activities.

GOAL 2:

Enhance intervention programs to address problems related to youth (i.e., teenage pregnancies, substance abuse, school issues, etc.) 

OBJECTIVE 2.1:  	Enhance parental accountability for the activities
			of their children.

OBJECTIVE 2.2:  	Assure sufficient programs and facilities for youth
			treatment and rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE 2.3:  	Expand and improve mental health services for
			juvenile offenders.

OBJECTIVE 2.4:  	Increase youth activities to deter initial gang
			involvement.

OBJECTIVE 2.5:  	Increase intervention programs to prevent crime.

OBJECTIVE 2.6:  	Improve attitude among our young people.

GOAL 3:

Enhance law enforcement and crime prevention programs to address societal changes within the community. 

OBJECTIVE 3.1:  	Improve and expand law enforcement and crime
			prevention resources such as:

			* Facilities
			* Operational Units
			* Administrative Units

OBJECTIVE 3.2:  	Improve and expand county and state adult
			incarceration facilities.

OBJECTIVE 3.3:  	Adequately address destructive behavior when it
			occurs, including both adult and youth offenders.

OBJECTIVE 3.4:  	Reduce violent crime related to crack cocaine and
			other substance abuse by:

			* Increasing incarceration capacity
			* Increasing severity of penalties

OBJECTIVE 3.5:  	Improve crime prevention through public education
			and intervention.



GOAL 4:



Develop a comprehensive system for delivery of human
services.




OBJECTIVE 4.1:  	Increase coordination between agencies which
			provide human services.

OBJECTIVE 4.2:  	Increase and enhance basic life and job skills
			programs.

OBJECTIVE 4.3:  	Enhance substance abuse prevention programs.

OBJECTIVE 4.4:  	Ensure adequate day care for those in need.  (see
			Economic Development, Objective 5.7 and Education, 
			Objective 4.12)

OBJECTIVE 4.5:  	Ensure adequate housing for those in need.

OBJECTIVE 4.6:  	Provide transportation for those in need.





GOAL 5:



Provide a comprehensive health information system to
increase public education and effective administration and planning
of health services.




OBJECTIVE 5.1:  	Develop community-owned health information database
			which contains at least:

			* Patient Demographics
			* Chronic Diseases
			* Hospital Discharges & Admittance
			* Births & Deaths
			* Injuries
			* Disabilities
			* Communicable Diseases
			* Preventable Diseases
			* Mental Disorders
			* Available Services

OBJECTIVE 5.2:  	Increase and enhance preventive health programs.

OBJECTIVE 5.3:  	Educate the general public about the effects of
			lifestyles.

OBJECTIVE 5.4:  	Start education in early childhood.

OBJECTIVE 5.5:  	Hold parents accountable for the neglect of the
			health of their children.

OBJECTIVE 5.6:  	Increase efficiency of the health care system by:

			* Improving accessibility to health services and 
			emergency care
			* Providing services which are age-appropriate
			* Eliminating duplication of services
			* Enhancing public education regarding mentally ill

OBJECTIVE 5.7:  	Enhance service for the mentally ill.

			* Medical Care
			* Dental Care
			* Housing
			* Inpatient Beds





GOAL 6:



Protect life and property through efficient delivery of fire
protection, fire prevention and public safety programs.




OBJECTIVE 6.1:  	Improve protection of life and property and reduce
			costs through technology and other means.
			* Increase the use of smoke detectors and 
			residential sprinkler systems.
			* Improve CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) and management
			information systems for the fire department.
			* Establish backup emergency communications 
			capabilities area-wide.
			* Provide for a mobile communication vehicle for 
			on-scene coordination and command at major emergencies.

OBJECTIVE 6.2:  	Improve protection of life and property through
			public safety education.

			* Increase public awareness of common fire prevention 
			methods.
			* Increase public awareness of smoke detectors and 
			sprinkler systems for saving lives and property when 
			fire occurs.

OBJECTIVE 6.3:  	Manage fire prevention and fire control resources
			to meet changes in the City.

			* Analyze and plan for appropriate location of fire 
			stations, present and future.
			* Continued analysis and planning for improvement in
			equipment, procedures, training, management and 
			facilities to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
			* Improvements through intergovernmental cooperation 
			or consolidation of services.

OBJECTIVE 6.4:  	Enhance training levels of the fire department to
			assist EMS (Emergency Medical Services) in urgent, 
			life-threatening situations.

OBJECTIVE 6.5:  	Develop an early warning system for disasters.




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