Draft Recommendation related to social service contracts (Item 2biii) — original pdf

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BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Early Childhood Council 20220412-2biii: Recommendation related to community engagement for APH social service contracts WHEREAS, the Strategic Direction 2023 identifies GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL as a strategic outcome that includes believing that city government works effectively and collaboratively for all of us— that it is equitable, ethical and innovative; and WHEREAS, in 2016 the City of Austin established an Equity Office to focus on advancing equity in all aspects of City operations; and WHEREAS, the Equity Office works across all City departments and with major institutions, non-profits, and other community organizations working in Austin to build capacity and leadership in working from a racial equity lens; and WHEREAS, a June 2018 report regarding the implementation of the Equity Assessment Tooli identified weaknesses in community engagement by City departments but also strengths within Austin Public Health which “Uses formal processes to gather community feedback, including: focus groups, client surveys, public meetings, stakeholder groups, consulting with social services contractors and quality of life”; and WHEREAS, principals of equitable public engagement (premised on the belief that everyone has the right to be involved in decisions that will affect their life) includes providing equitable financial compensation to individuals and communities with lived experience, valuing their time and expertise in planning and implementationii; and specifically, for early childhood systems, centering parent voice in developing recommendationsiii; and WHEREAS, among major U.S. metro areas, Austin saw the 12th biggest increase in the cost of living from 2010 to 2020, according to a new analysis of federal dataiv; and WHEREAS, “Care work is vital to individual, household, and economic stability. Unfortunately, this highly demanded and demanding work is deeply undervalued and undercompensated. The care workers who allow those in their care—and their families—to flourish are paid persistently low wages with few employer benefits.”v NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Early Childhood Council encourages the Austin City Council to consider requirements in City-funded social service contracts that: • Include opportunity for community and client voice and input by requiring community and client engagement and feedback in the development and implementation of programs and services; and • Provide a stipend to compensate for community member and client participation in planning and implementation of programs; and Include Cost of Living Increases for social service contracts for staff • Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: _____________________________ Attest: _____________________________________________ i https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/pio/document.cfm?id=300307 ii https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/community-voice-expertise iii https://earlysuccess.org/allies-convene-to-share-tips-and-best-practices-for-centering-parent-voices/ iv https://austin.culturemap.com/news/city-life/02-01-22-austin-spike-in-cost-of-living-filterbuy-aus/ v https://www.epi.org/publication/higher-wages-for-child-care-and-home-health-care-workers/