GOALS

The commission's goals are to: (1) maximize federal funds through the efficient use of available state and local resources; (2) provide a system that delivers prompt, comprehensive, effective services to individuals of this state by: (A) improving access to health and human services at the local level; and (B) eliminating architectural, communication, programmatic, and transportation barriers; (3) promote the health of individuals of this state by: (A) reducing the incidence of disease and disabling conditions; (B) increasing the availability and improving the quality of health care services; (C) addressing the high incidence of certain illnesses and conditions in minority populations; (D) increasing the availability of trained health care professionals; (E) improving knowledge of health care needs; (F) reducing infant death and disease; (G) reducing the impacts of mental disorders in adults and emotional disturbances in children; (H) increasing nutritional education and participation in nutrition programs; and (I) reducing substance abuse; (4) foster the development of responsible, productive, and self-sufficient citizens by: (A) improving workforce skills; (B) increasing employment, earnings, and benefits; (C) increasing housing opportunities; (D) increasing child-care and other dependent-care services; (E) improving education and vocational training to meet specific career goals; (F) reducing school dropouts and teen pregnancy; (G) improving parental effectiveness; (H) increasing support services for individuals with disabilities and services to help those individuals maintain or increase their independence; (I) improving access to work sites, accommodations, transportation, and other public places and activities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.); and (J) improving services for juvenile offenders; (5) provide needed resources and services to individuals of this state when they cannot provide or care for themselves by: (A) increasing support services for adults and their families during periods of unemployment, financial need, or homelessness; (B) reducing extended dependency on basic support services; and (C) increasing the availability and diversity of long-term care provided to support individuals with chronic conditions in settings that focus on community-based services, with options ranging from their own homes to total-care facilities; (6) protect the physical and emotional safety of all individuals of this state by: (A) reducing abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly individuals and adults with disabilities; (B) reducing child abuse and neglect; (C) reducing family violence; (D) increasing services to children who are truant or who run away, or who are at risk of truancy or running away, and their families; (E) reducing crime and juvenile delinquency; (F) reducing community health risks; and (G) improving regulation of human services providers; and (7) improve the coordination and delivery of children's services.