Arkansas is full of potential and promise, but along with potential and promise, there needs to be the proper investment in our Public Health and Safety. No longer can we afford to not properly invest in our educational systems, our communities, or our systems that power our economy. To underinvest means to undermine the Public Health and Safety of our communities.
My first campaign promise when I was elected in 2011 was to build a health unit for Southwest Little Rock. This clinic provides the essential preventative healthcare such as family planning, immunizations, WIC, and other services that ensure communities stay healthy. In addition to this clinic, I spearheaded and coordinated with leadership from Arkansas Children’s Hospital to build a community clinic. My dedication to providing healthcare to the citizens of my district is the cornerstone of my work as a legislator and will continue to be one of my chief priorities.
Looking to the future, more investments in mental health services, substance abuse services, and domestic violence services are imperative. These issues are exacerbated when law enforcement is not properly equipped to address the complexities of these issues. Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Crisis Stabilization Units, Mental Health Police units and other tools such as these must be more heavily invested in instead of the traditional policing strategies. This will enable law enforcement to more humanely respond to communities, especially communities of color who are disproportionately impacted by COVID, mental health, substance abuse issues, poverty and joblessness. The better we prepare our law enforcement to respond to the needs of our community, the better public safety system we will have for our citizens
Education, Economic Development and Public Health and Safety are key to improving our state.