HSN PRIORITY AREAS
Priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session include:
- The top priorities continued to be access to healthcare and mental health. The largest concerns related to these priorities included workforce development, Medicaid fixes, increasing availability of treatment options, ensuring that providers are working collaboratively, and not neglecting ancillary (i.e., transportation, housing) needs.
- Revenue generation and diversification continued to be a high priority for HSN members as Nevada seeks to rebuild robust funding and investments in health and human services. These services help to increase the quality of life for many, if not all, Nevadans by ensuring that adequate resources are in place. At the same time, monies are saved elsewhere (i.e., reduced jail expenses) because people are getting the help they need.
- Education continued to be identified as a high priority for all the myriad reasons having a strong educational system is important – i.e., children and families are supported, economic benefits including attracting new businesses whose employees want vibrant education opportunities for their children.
- Justice reform rounded out the Top 5 of priorities. There is great concern about the unequal application of the law to non-white residents of Nevada, and the resultant damaging effects.
Across all categories, the themes that emerged included:
- Develop Capacity – includes workforce development, enhancing mental health services, jail diversion programs, enhancing ancillary resources
- Increase Responsiveness of Medicaid – improve cost rates and expand covered services
- Work Collaboratively – increase effectiveness and efficiency
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About HSN:
- Nearly 10,000 employees work at the nearly 50 member organizations that make up the Human Services Network.
- Member organizations include health care and mental health providers, school districts, and those addressing food security, senior and disability issues, reproductive rights, and more.
- Member organizations are located throughout the Truckee Meadows region, Carson City, Dayton, Lyon County, and Las Vegas.
- At least 300 individuals serve on the various boards of the member organizations.
- At least 1,000 volunteers provide support to the member organizations.
- More than 600,000 individuals were reported to have been served by the member organizations, this number represents nearly 25% of Nevada’s population.
