§ 464-A — Legislative findings

§ 464-a. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds,\ndetermines, and declares that:\n 1. In rural areas there is a necessity to promote different approaches\nto human services delivery if programs are to properly address diverse\ncommunity and individual needs and such unique rural conditions as low\npopulation density; a large proportion of elderly persons; the absence\nof economies of scale; geographic isolation; inadequate transportation;\nfluctuating service demands; and general lack of suitable alternatives\nfor service delivery.\n 2. The human services delivery system in rural areas is often\nfragmented, consisting of isolated providers with limited financial\nresources and limited information-sharing networks. Many such providers\nare currently providing identical or similar services to the same\nclientele in the same area, often without being aware of a possible\nduplication of effort.\n 3. A full range of coordinated and integrated human services is vital\nto the health and well-being of residents of rural areas of the state\nwho are or may in the future be confronted with such intense social\nproblems as domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, migrant health\nproblems, nutritional deficiencies, suicide, hunger, unemployment, lack\nof suitable shelter, crime, drug and alcohol abuse and poverty.\n 4. A proper response to intense social problems in some rural areas\nwould be to encourage greater sharing of information and resources among\nhuman services providers in such rural areas, thereby enhancing the\ncost-effectiveness and delivery of services required to address such\nsocial problems. Such cooperative undertakings could be accomplished if\na program of financial incentives and state-level technical assistance\nwere made available to encourage providers in rural areas to embark upon\nsuch cooperative arrangements and networking of the services they\nprovide.\n