BLUEPRINT

3.5 Designate a Mayoral appointee responsible for the City’s workforce development
strategy, supported and informed by a broad-based council of advisors.
Committing to an integrated workforce development strategy for the City will
promote better outcomes for New Yorkers in need of job training and employment
opportunities. This appointee will coordinate all local, State, Federal
and philanthropic resources available to City agencies that provide workforce
development services.
3.6 Commit the City’s Workforce1 Centers to serving all New Yorkers in need of employment
services, including individuals who face significant barriers. Modifying
the mission of Workforce1 centers to better accommodate individuals who lack
a high school diploma or have a criminal justice record is necessary to ensure
limited Federal resources are targeted to assist those with the highest need.
3.7 Enact a local law that bars employers from discriminating against individuals
based on their credit history. This protection for workers will ensure that job
seekers and current employees are not unfairly penalized for credit reports
that often contain errors, reflect financial duress as a result of the Recession,
and do not reflect an applicant’s qualifications.
3.8 Enact a local law that protects job seekers from employment discrimination
based on arrest record or criminal convictions. This worker protection will
ensure that job applicants are able to compete for employment based on their
merit and not be dismissed out of hand by employers. This change is necessary
to break the cycle of incarceration, inability to secure employment and
eventual re-incarceration in many communities.
C. Build, Support, and Sustain Healthy, Livable and Inclusive Communities
Healthy, stable, and inclusive neighborhoods depend upon certain critical elements
of community infrastructure. This section outlines recommendations to
address inequities between communities citywide and other policies that will
allow low-income neighborhoods to thrive. Informed by UNH members’ track
record of supporting vibrant communities, this set of policies will improve
health and mental health, sustain affordable housing, support older adults,
provide immigrants with a voice in their communities, and improve residents’
relationships with law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
4. Health and Mental Health
4.1 Expand school-based health centers to operate on every school campus and in
community-based organizations. By expanding school-based health centers to
every school campus, tens of thousands of children and youth can receive crucial
preventive and primary health care at a critical time in their development.
4.2 Fund community-based health programs. Community-based organizations
like settlement houses provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services
for their communities. Embedding health services at community-based
organizations allows residents to access “wrap-around” human services.
4.3 Expand the Children Under Five Initiative. Diagnosing and treating mental health
problems early in life helps children grow and succeed in school. Expanding mental
health services for children under five years of age will ensure that issues of
trauma and mental health disorders are identified and addressed early on.
Comprehensive Support Services for Older Adults
4.4 Double funding for case management for seniors. Rather than requiring
seniors to leave their homes to receive the services they need, the case
management approach deploys social workers to visit older adults’ homes.
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