By Allison G. S. Knox
Edge Contributor
Academic literature illustrates numerous problems in society and highlights problems with social equity. Social equity is an important sociological concept involving treating people equally and with fairness.
As a part of social equity, governments are obliged to provide useful resources to the public to ensure equality, based on people’s needs. For instance, a government building must provide easily accessible wheelchair ramps so that anyone utilizing a wheelchair can access that building.
Social equity is intertwined with different policies, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is also a vital part of improving healthcare disparities and many other situations where individuals need government assistance. Children, for example, must be provided with educational resources by their respective school districts so they have the same access to education as everyone else.
Many Communities Are Struggling to Provide 911 Services
Emergency medicine and 911 services are tied to local governments. But despite the need for 911 services, many rural communities across the country struggle to provide appropriate emergency services.
Many communities, for example, cannot afford emergency medical services. In addition, some first responder agencies are unable to recruit volunteers to provide such services to their citizens.
As a result, there are significant healthcare disparities in communities around the U.S. For instance, one community may be able to provide quality medical care to its citizens, while another can’t. But if communities aren’t providing the same or equal 911 services to their citizens, isn’t this a social equity issue?
Local Governments Need to Provide Funding for Equal Prehospital Care
911 services are often offered to the public by the local government. To ensure that all residents of a community get the same level of care, local governments should provide funding to ensure equal access to prehospital care to its citizens.
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