U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) launched his Fair Shot Agenda this week during a series of roundtable discussions with community leaders in several Indiana locations.
Sen. Young’s Fair Shot Agenda, a statewide initiative that aims to support each individual’s success, focuses on the four pillars of opportunity, safety, health and better government, as well as identifying specific barriers to success and how to break them down.
“Every Hoosier deserves a fair shot to succeed — regardless of their age, or where they go to school or what challenges they face,” Young said at the Shepherd Community Center in Indianapolis where the Feb. 20 roundtable was held. “Today, we discussed issues ranging from education and jobs and safe neighborhoods, to tackling the opioid crisis and making government more efficient.” Additional roundtables were held in Hammond, Ind., on Feb. 21 and continue on Thursday in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Roundtables were held to discuss each focus area of the initiative. For instance, the senator wants to improve upward mobility opportunities through apprenticeships, career and technical training, higher education and increased access to affordable housing. During the roundtable on Feb. 20, Area 31 Career Center and the Lumina Foundation discussed novel education programs in the Indianapolis area, while the Shepherd Community Center and Purposeful Design talked about joint efforts to end poverty and ramp up job training, among other issues, according to Young’s office.
“Career and Technical Education programs are preparing students for the workforce of tomorrow,” said Patrick Biggerstaff, director of career programs at Area 31 Career Center. “Students of all backgrounds are developing academic, technical and employability skills while finding their path toward meaningful employment and life-long learning.”
Regarding how to enhance state and national safety measures, Sen. Young pointed to the bipartisan Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017, S. 867, which he introduced last April with U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) in the Senate. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on Jan. 10.
Among several provisions, the law directs the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and services that could be adopted by law enforcement agencies, and requires DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to report on programs that address the psychological health and well-being of law enforcement officers, according to a congressional record summary.
And to enhance public health, Young emphasized the need to expand access to health care, combat the opioid epidemic, and strengthen adoption and foster care programs during the roundtable.
Andrew Green, chief program officer for the Shepherd Community Center, said Sen. Young’s passion and time spent with the community were appreciated. “His goals for this agenda align with Shepherd’s mission to break the cycle of poverty here on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis,” Green said on Feb. 20. “By discussing opportunity, safety and health in our community, we begin to address root issues of poverty and solutions that empower our neighbors. We are grateful to participate in these meaningful conversations.”
The Fair Shot Agenda’s focus on improving government programs that better support citizens included discussions around building upon social partnerships and leveraging public-private funding partnerships to address myriad challenges, according to Young’s office. Some of the roundtable participants were the Nurse-Family Partnership, a social impact partnership that connects registered nurses with low-income pregnant women; the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation, which supports homeless and at-risk veterans; and Phelco Technologies, Inc., a female-owned business that works with federal, state and local governments on policies supporting Indianapolis businesses.