WHEREAS:

In the current recession, states have laid off or furloughed human services workers and closed offices, while workloads and caseloads escalate; and

WHEREAS: 
States are promoting call center technology and privatization as solutions to their fiscal crises, claiming they reduce staffing needs and costs; and

WHEREAS: 
Experiments with privatized call centers for public benefits in both Texas and Indiana failed, causing harm to thousands of applicants and recipients; and

WHEREAS: 
Some states have gotten federal waivers and are relying upon food banks to supplement, and in some cases supplant, delivery systems for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; and

WHEREAS:
Information intake and interviewing are integral to the process of determining eligibility for public benefits, which is an inherently governmental function.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will fight future waivers of the federal requirement that all functions in the eligibility determination process for entitlement programs must be performed by public  employees; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will promote policies, including adequate federal and state funding, that support public delivery systems for eligibility determination functions that are inherently governmental; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will fight privatization proposals at the state level.

SUBMITTED BY:
David Warrick, Executive Director and Delegate
Roger Poer, Secretary-Treasurer and Delegate
AFSCME Council 62
Indiana