Funding for interventions, programs, and initiatives
As public health officials, it is important that we understand where funding for interventions, programs, and initiatives comes from (local, state, and/or federal sources). We also need to understand the policies that exist within different states when addressing these public health issues. For this assignment, you will need to address the following issues.
Identify a program in your community or state and explain how this program is financed.
Explain the role of the federal government in funding this public health program or a program similar to yours.
Appraise the recurring importance of health policy and explain the barriers that exist in implementing public health policies on these programs. Please provide examples.
Using this same program, assess the impact of the public health policies on this program from a micro and/or a macro level.
Evaluate how this program in your state differs from a similar program in another state considering different policies in the two states.
Sample Solution
In my community of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the local government funds a program called “Bucks Home Recovery”. This program provides temporary housing for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless due to an unforeseen financial crisis. The county covers rental payments in order to provide stability and keep people housed until they can regain economic independence. Funding for this public health program comes from the state budget and money provided by local municipalities through taxes.
The role of the federal government in funding public health programs like Bucks Home Recovery is significant. Federal sources such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security Disability often provide support which helps individuals or families stay housed or become re-housed after experiencing homelessness (Foscarinis & Thomas, 2015). Additionally, many federal grant programs exist that can be used to increase access to permanent supportive housing for individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness (U.S Department of Housing And Urban Development Office Of Community Planning And Development Continuum Of Care Program [HUD CoC], 2018). These grants include the HUD CoC Program and Supportive Services Grants, both of which fund projects designed to quickly move people from homelessness into stable housing with supportive services tailored specifically to their needs (U.S Department of Housing And Urban Development Office Of Community Planning And Development Continuum Of Care Program [HUD CoC], 2018).
Overall, Federal funding plays an essential role in helping communities across the country address issues related to preventing and ending homelessness amongst its residents. Without these sources of financial support, initiatives such as Bucks Home Recovery would not be able to serve those most vulnerable within our society; providing stability while they work towards regaining economic independence is critical when it comes promoting positive health outcomes among all members of our community (Foscarinis & Thomas 2015).
