Steiner Puts Focus Where It Belongs

Re “Steiner Proposes a New Focus on Social Programs,� Jan. 8:

At long last, recognition of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of preventive social programs has been openly enunciated.

Residents can now take heart when the Board of Supervisors’ new chair, William G. Steiner, advocates rational measures to deal with Orange County’s escalating health and social problems instead of the emergency, dead-end reactions of the last 15 years.

Strengthening community clinics instead of leaving people to fill expensive hospital emergency room facilities, spending $1,000 for prenatal service instead of $25,000 for a damaged infant, creating job training and jobs for welfare clients instead of dumping poor women and children into the streets, are all preventive ways to save public moneys.

With the federal and state governments shifting responsibility for health and welfare programs to the counties with less money than has been the practice, Orange County will have a formidable task being the jurisdiction “of last resort� for 500,000 health-care deprived and 300,000 economically poor.

Orange County’s Health Care Council, a voluntary coalition of 73 professional, business, labor, minority and civic organizations, welcomes this recognition of rationality and congratulates Steiner on his bold leadership.

CHAUNCEY A. ALEXANDER

Member

HCC Executive Committee

Huntington Beach