To: Governor David Ige
Governor Abercrombie: Stop Funding Salvation Army's Abusive Treatment Programs
Governor Abercrombie: Demand that Hawaii Department of Human Services cease funding The Salvation Army’s abusive addiction rehab facilities and promoting a so-called “Christian” religion. Tell DHS Acting Director Barbara Yamashita to put an end to promoting religion and supporting discriminatory and abusive welfare requirements.
Why is this important?
For years, The Salvation Army has operated discriminatory, homophobic, and abusive “Christian” addiction rehab facilities and slave labor work camps funded by State of Hawaii taxpayers through the Department of Human Services. The Federal 9th Circuit court decision in Inouye v. Kenma sent a clear message to our government that Twelve Step recovery programs contain religious content and are inappropriate for our government to force participation in them as a condition for receipt of benefits. Yet, the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services continues to require applicants for welfare benefits who have substance use problems to participate exclusively in Twelve Step-based inpatient or recovery groups such as those offered by The Salvation Army.
Beyond that, contracted service providers like The Salvation Army discriminate against Buddhists, Muslims, agnostics, and atheist citizens, as well as those who otherwise refuse to participate in Twelve Step programs as an exercise of their Constitutional First Amendment rights. The Salvation Army further demeans and abuses gay, lesbian, and transgendered participants. They enslave impressionable and vulnerable persons into conscripted work programs for no pay, yet charge participants for their evening meals and sundries. State welfare applicants who “fail” to put up with these abuses are denied public welfare benefits and end up living on the streets.
Beyond that, contracted service providers like The Salvation Army discriminate against Buddhists, Muslims, agnostics, and atheist citizens, as well as those who otherwise refuse to participate in Twelve Step programs as an exercise of their Constitutional First Amendment rights. The Salvation Army further demeans and abuses gay, lesbian, and transgendered participants. They enslave impressionable and vulnerable persons into conscripted work programs for no pay, yet charge participants for their evening meals and sundries. State welfare applicants who “fail” to put up with these abuses are denied public welfare benefits and end up living on the streets.