Many of the recommendations from this subcommittee respond to the effects of the expected general economic downturn that will result from peak oil. Impacts of this downturn are already being felt among economically vulnerable populations. These populations will increase significantly as the economy worsens, increasing the demand for a wide range of social services.

Overall Recommendations for Public and Social Services

1.     Ensure that funding and support for public health, social services, and housing at the City, County and State levels does not degrade in the event of revenues falling in an economic downturn. Resources may have to be reprioritized and reallocated to ensure necessary funding. Failure to do this may cause severe stress on the social fabric that will exacerbate peak oil impacts.

2.     Strengthen community support networks and provide information about options and resources to help citizens prepare to mitigate the impacts of peak oil and natural gas on their lives. Peak oil will require increased reliance on local and community-based responses. It is critical to have cohesive, cooperative communities rather than individualistic, isolated, competitive ones.

3.     All City bureaus should plan for the growth of vulnerable and marginalized populations in developing policies, plans, programs and budgets. They should be prepared to identify resources and measures to help these populations cope with the impacts stemming from peak oil and natural gas in their daily lives.

Public Health and Medical Health Care

The focus of the recommendations related to health and public health focus on management of health care and the health care system rather than actual treatment of medical problems.

1.     Support state and national efforts and explore City options to encourage or mandate health care providers and insurers to emphasize preventive care. Prevention is by far the lowest cost societal approach to health care. Lowering costs will leave more money for those who truly need medical help. For example, immunizations are essential to public health but could decline as the marginalized population increases due to the economic impacts of peak oil - ensuring immunization to all citizens will help protect public health and avert more expensive treatment later.

2.     Facilitate a discussion among health care providers to expand health care and health care access (e.g., prescription drugs, universal care, immunization). Increasing costs of health care and numbers of uninsured will lead to more contagious diseases, more severe health issues before treatment is sought, and generally inefficient use of resources (e.g. indigent patients going to emergency rooms for treatment of non-emergency problems). Similar facilitation served a key role in bringing parties together on the Healthy Communities Initiative several years ago.

3.     The City should support prioritization models like an expanded Oregon Health Plan. Health care needs are rising independent of peak oil as the baby boom generation ages, and peak oil threatens aggravate the problem by limiting resources to meet the increased need. In the absence of a prioritization model, resources will be allocated by one’s ability to pay.

4.     Develop policies and programs to ensure reasonable employment, housing, nutritional and educational opportunities for low-income and marginalized populations. This will help prevent mental health- and health-related problems that would eventually wind up needing more expensive treatment by the medical or social services systems.

5.     Encourage health care providers to identify how peak oil and natural gas will affect their ability to provide care. For example, they should inventory products dependent on declining oil and natural gas supplies, and identify and begin to transition to alternatives. They should also accelerate efforts to reduce energy use in their facilities as a hedge against rising energy costs.

Housing and Community Development

1.     Review rules, requirements and qualifications for program participation for housing, utility, and food assistance to determine which ones may need to be modified to respond to the effects of Peak Oil. For example, the City could allow renters to access weatherization programs even if the owner is not eligible for assistance. It may also include expanding programs to help low-income household provide necessary maintenance to prevent dilapidation or future problems which could threaten their ability to stay in the house.

2.     Community (re-)development efforts should focus on improving and maintaining the existing community base, targeting areas where people have the least ability to respond. In a Peak Oil scenario, the ability of displaced people to maintain their standard of living will be reduced. Programs should therefore minimize both physical and economic displacement.

Utilities/Energy

1.     The City should work with utilities and the Oregon Public Utility Commission to ensure that peak natural gas considerations are incorporated into utility Integrated Resource Plans. The City should also work to ensure that these considerations are incorporated into utility rates, policies, and programs, including provision of service or financial assistance to marginalized populations to prevent health or infrastructure problems related to inability to pay.

2.     Accelerate efforts to improve energy efficiency and the increase the use of renewable energy. This includes programs and policies to improve efficiency of new and existing homes and buildings, reduce use of gasoline and diesel fuel in the city, and encourage the production and use of biofuels and renewable energy throughout the city. The City should also work to influence policies and programs to accelerate energy efficiency and renewable energy in the Metro area and at the state level. The goal should be to reduce use of fossil fuels.
 

Public Schools

1.     Plan for public schools to be used as distribution points for public services and community support. Design mechanisms to cover the full costs to the schools of providing these services.

2.     Plan for city subsidization of school breakfast and lunch programs in the event of lower levels of federal support.

Police/Fire/Water/Sewer/Solid Waste

1.     Police should plan for a gradual increase in drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and other problems associated with an increase in unemployment, homelessness and marginalized populations. For example, this may require an increase in staffing or a reallocation of resources, such as reinforcing the emphasis on community policing.

2.     Neither demand for nor provision of fire, water, sewer or solid waste services is expected to be greatly affected by peak oil and natural gas. However, to the extent they are affected, they are critical services and should be accorded priority access to necessary resources. In the meantime efforts should be make operations as energy efficient as possible and to transition to biofuels and renewable energy.