Human Services Priorities

As the tolls of physical distancing and economic uncertainty, along with anxiety resulting from the many unknowns of COVID-19, add up to emotional stress and turmoil, effective mental health services will be crucial to providing our community members stability while they wait out a return to a somewhat familiar life.

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Our communities need increased access to county-funded centers that serve as a mental health and disaster recovery hub that provides emotional support, trauma debriefing, crisis services, and basic needs to the community. 

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The COVID-19 crisis has also created new challenges and opportunities for county leaders to invest in child care. Providing emergency child care for essential workers will provide a critical component of supporting the many county employees serving on the front lines of the pandemic response. Meanwhile, our local economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis hinges on the ability of our county residents to access child care so that they can return to work.