Experts from various fields offer thoughts about how the Social Development Commission can continue to provide services despite its financial and organizational challenges.
By Devin Blake and
PrincessSafiya Byers
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
The state is considering stripping the Social Development Commission of its status as a community action agency, which would seriously limit its ability to help the low-income Milwaukeeans it has historically served.
NNS asked community leaders and experienced advocates about potential avenues forward.
Here’s what they said.
‘There’s no magic answer’
Mike Lappen has been the administrator for the county’s mental and behavioral health services for nine years. (Photo provided by Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services)
Name: Mike Lappen
Occupation/Organization: Behavioral health services administrator at Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services
Area of expertise: Mental and behavioral health services
Given its current state of affairs, what advice would you give to residents and organizations who want to help the city’s most vulnerable residents?
“There’s a web page that’s been set up – it’s www.healthymke.com. It’s a resource page that has all of our (the county’s) services, but it also lays out some strategies for finding care in the community and tools and whatnot. It’s very user friendly.”
“But,” Lappen added, “there’s no magic answer.”
Those in a mental health crisis can also call the county’s crisis line at 414-257-7222.
Is there a path forward for these individuals and/or SDC?
“One of the many reasons there aren’t a ton of clinics in the ZIP codes that we’ve targeted are that the great majority of the residents are either underinsured, uninsured or they have Medicaid. It’s almost impossible to operate a clinic exclusively serving Medicaid clients. You need a payer mix that includes some of the private payers that pay a lot higher, and if your customer base doesn’t have those payers, then it’s really hard to make it work.”
‘I certainly hope that there is a path forward for SDC’
Reggie Jackson is a public historian in Milwaukee who incorporates his expertise at Nurturing Diversity Partners as well as America’s Black Holocaust Museum. (NNS file photo)
Name: Reggie Jackson
Occupation/Organization: Co-founder and lead trainer at Nurturing Diversity Partners
Area of expertise: Local history and workforce diversity
Given its current state of affairs, what advice would you give to residents and organizations who want to help the city’s most vulnerable residents?
“I would suggest that residents and others support SDC through this challenging time because the services they offer are so critical to the community at large.”
Is there a path forward for these individuals and/or SDC?
“I certainly hope that there is a path forward for SDC to be back in place serving the needs of thousands in the Milwaukee community.”
‘There’s definitely a need’
Kaye Hartmann recognizes the importance of the Social Development Commission’s beginning in the anti-poverty movement of the 1960s. (Photo provided by Kaye Hartmann)
Name: Kaye Hartmann
Occupation/Organization: Vice president of planning and resource development at UMOS
Area of expertise: GED support
Given its current state of affairs, what advice would you give to residents and organizations who want to help the city’s most vulnerable residents?
“We are part of what’s called the ‘community based organization network,’ or ‘CBO network.’
Therefore, we have MATC (Milwaukee Area Technical College) instructors come on site at our facility at Chase Avenue (2701 Chase Ave.). But there’s more than 30 community-based organizations that are a part of the network. We’re just one of those.”
Is there a path forward for these individuals and/or SDC?
“Like SDC, UMOS was founded under the anti-poverty movement back in the 60s, and there are certainly important roles for anti-poverty organizations. Obviously, the future for an organization like that is outside the scope of what we can determine, but there’s definitely a need for organizations that do this work.”
‘Maintain the vigilance to serve those who are most vulnerable and marginalized’
Before becoming a professor and researcher, David Pate was a social worker – experience he uses to inform his academic work. (Photo provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Name: David Pate
Occupation/Organization: Associate professor at University of Wisconsin–Madison
Area of expertise: Human ecology
Given its current state of affairs, what advice would you give to residents and organizations who want to help the city’s most vulnerable residents?
“Milwaukee has always been, in my opinion, attentive to the most vulnerable and needy families through a variety of programs like the Urban League, as well as other services in a variety of places. … You lose a resource that’s a major resource, that’s a big deal – in any city.
So I think the job of everyone, which it has always been, is to maintain the vigilance to serve those who are most vulnerable and marginalized in the city. People in the City of Milwaukee, from what I recall, are doing the best they can with the resources they have to attend to that.”
Is there a path forward for these individuals and/or SDC?
“I don’t know whether they have any other choice but to adapt. It’s all based on funding. If their funding allows them to do the same thing, then they’ll be where they were. But if their funding is less, and they’re a name that people recognize, I would hope that they come back in a space where they’re able to do some of the services they provided.”
‘We were proactive in trying to find ways that we could support folks’
Daniel Idzikowski said the county is actively recruiting to bring on at least 40 senior companions to help Milwaukee’s residents who are 60 years or older. (Photo provided by Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services)
Name: Daniel Idzikowski
Occupation/Organization: Director of aging services at Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services
Area of expertise: Services for seniors
Given its current state of affairs, what advice would you give to residents and organizations who want to help the city’s most vulnerable residents?
Idzikowski said it’s difficult to determine exactly how people historically served by SDC can be absorbed by other entities, in part, because SDC was serving so many people in many different areas.
Is there a path forward for these individuals and/or SDC?
Idzikowski said the county pivoted to make sure seniors had access to similar support, including companionship and health care guidance.
“Part of the story, in my view, here is that there was an effort by Milwaukee County and other agencies to pick up some of the pieces to make sure that these programs continue to run, and Milwaukee County played an important role in that. … So that’s also the positive spin that I want to put on this. We were proactive in trying to find ways that we could support folks and to continue making sure that Milwaukee County residents had access to these really important social programs.”
‘Hopefully the state will make a decision that leads to those dollars being redistributed’
probMaudwella
Kirkendoll of Community Advocates says his organization strives to help everyone in need. (Photo provided by Maudwella Kirkendoll)
Name: Maudwella Kirkendoll
Occupation/Organization: Chief operating officer and director at Community Advocates
Area of expertise: Basic needs
“I know there’s been ongoing issues every three or four years, similar to what’s happening now. So, I can’t speak for them.”
“But I think in terms of the community members, hopefully the state will make a decision that leads to those dollars being redistributed in a fashion that has benefit to the community.”
“As for former SDC employees, of course, there’s a shortage of human service workers in Milwaukee. So it should be relatively easy to find employment if they’re looking at Milwaukee County. There’s a lot of agencies that are hiring right now and experiencing challenges hiring folks. If they’re actually ready to look for work, this is probably really a good time to be shifting through another organization or the other careers, because there’s definitely work out there.”
‘Look to the community for the path forward’
Markasa Tucker-Harris said the SDC should look to the community for a path forward. (NNS file photo by Sam Woods)
Name: Markasa Tucker-Harris
Occupation/Organization: Executive director at African American Roundtable
Area of expertise: Social justice
Given its current state of affairs, what advice would you give to residents and organizations who want to help the city’s most vulnerable residents? Is there a path forward for these individuals and/or SDC?
“AART believes that those closest to the problems are closest to the solutions. We encourage the state and SDC to look to the community for the path forward. Create spaces to hear from the community during accessible times and spaces. We believe in community care, which means the responsibility lies with each of us to meet the needs of one another. Whether it’s individuals or organizations, let us remember that we hold the power to move Milwaukee forward and possess the necessary tools and resources to take care of our most vulnerable.”