In a world where technological advancement means specialisation increases at the expense of the generalist, I can only presume New Zealand’s nurses are better at delivering health care than their unions are at understanding basic economic maths. The shameful scaremongering of the economically illiterate is dispiriting and is a much greater abrogation of responsibilities of the needs in our society than those who seek to engage through new, innovative means to solve problems… These problems after all are an overhang from times when there was a lot of government money and thus will surely only continue now that the world’s governments have spent more than they can afford – unless we change our approaches, of course.
One story from the braindead doubters, two with signs of hope, interesting reading all round as we need to know how to skewer our opponents as well as spread the good word on PFS and SIB structures.
SIBs A “Solution” Looking For A Problem
New Zealand Nurses Organisation
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Mental Health Nurses Section fears the Government’s new social impact bonds is a way to privatise mental health services and abandon its responsibility to fund public health and social services for our most vulnerable New Zealanders.
Jarrod Gilbert: Looking Beneath Surface Key To Redirecting Life Of Crime
New Zealand Herald
Locking people up is an important part of our criminal justice system that has some positive benefits, but alone it is demonstrably deficient in solving such a complex social phenomenon. If we are to reduce reoffending, and thereby create fewer victims, crime must often be viewed not as the problem but as a symptom of a problem.
The idea of “social impact bonds”, experimental and profit-based initiatives used to tackle social problems, has caused a stir. But if they are expanded into the realm of crime and justice, they neatly characterise this Government’s approach.
‘Pay For Success’ Offers The State Opportunities For Public-Private Innovation
Mike Schlossberg – Lehigh Valley
Over the past five years, much has been made of the success of Allentown’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone. As a result of this financial mechanism, there are jobs, investment and hope in places where all of those traits previously had been in short supply.
The NIZ is a fantastic example of the private sector and government working together in a creative fashion to improve society.
What if I told you we could enact similar creative financing for a variety of other problems bedeviling society? Things like early childhood education, homeless prevention and prisoner recidivism?
Education and social services have been under the incredible pressure of the state’s budget constraints, and we must consider a fundamental change in how we deliver them.
House Democrats have a plan to make that happen as part of our budget proposal.
We have introduced legislation to allow state agencies to enter into Pay-for-Success contracts with the private investors and philanthropic organizations that believe they can deliver these services more efficiently.
This program could be used to keep offenders from returning to prison, train displaced workers for new jobs, or provide long-term care to Pennsylvania seniors.