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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04202010 - C.21RECOMMENDATION(S): AUTHORIZE Chair of the Board of Supervisors to sign attached letter signing on to the "Protect Our Children - Protect Our Future" Coalition, as recommended by the Employment and Human Services Director. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact to County General Fund of joining Coalition; potential restoration of funding child welfare programs through Coalition efforts. BACKGROUND: The County Welfare Director’s Association (CWDA) has formed a coalition of over 150 public agencies, child-serving organizations, current and former foster youth, social workers, caregivers and advocates to try and restore and stop future cuts to Child Welfare. Last year, the Governor vetoed $120 million ($80 million of which is State General Funds) from the Budget (July Revision) for the Child Welfare Services program which was unexpected and not heard or approved by any budget committee in the Legislature. In addition, while this was thought to be a one-time cut, this cut is continued in APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 04/20/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: L. DeLaney, (925) 335-1097 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: April 20, 2010 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: KATHERINE SINCLAIR, Deputy cc: C.21 To:Board of Supervisors From:David Twa, County Administrator Date:April 20, 2010 Contra Costa County Subject:Authorization to Join "Protect Our Children - Protect Our Future" Coalition BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) the Governor’s proposed 2010-11 Budget. The Coaltion is meeting with members, developing a grass-roots strategy and media campaign. The main focus of the Coalition is to get media attention and to have participants attend the Budget hearings that are scheduled on April 22 and April 28 to hear the proposed cuts to Child Welfare. Please see the attached Fact Sheet and Call to Action for details on advocacy. By signing the attached letter, Contra Costa County will join the Coalition and can better advocate to oppose the proposed reductions. ATTACHMENTS Coalition Letter Coalition Fact Sheet Coalition Call to Action Who We Need: Foster Youth, Foster Families, Social Workers, Kin Caregivers, Nonprofit Organizations, County Directors… anyone who cares about abused and neglected children. Location: State Capitol, Room 4203 What We Need From You: 1. Attend the Hearing. Show your support for abused and neglected children by wearing our coalition buttons and attending the Senate hearing. Testimony will be limited, but your presence and providing a “me too” statement is critical. Numbers matter and we need to pack the hearing room! 2. Visit your Senator and Assemblymember. Stop by the offices of your Senator and Assemblymember and drop off coalition handouts, which will be made available to you the morning of the hearing. Thursday, April 22    Senate Budget  Subcommittee  Hearing  9:30 a.m.    CALL TO  ACTION     For more information contact the   County Welfare Directors Association   of California (CWDA)   (916) 443‐1749     Diana Boyer Sarah Jimenez  dboyer@cwda.org sjimenez@cwda.org     Wednesday, April 28    Take a Foster Youth to the Capitol  Kick‐off and Press Conference  10:30 a.m.    Assembly Budget   Subcommittee Hearing  1:30 p.m.  Who We Need: Foster Youth, Foster Families, Social Workers, Kin Caregivers, Nonprofit Organizations, County Directors… anyone who cares about abused and neglected children. Location: State Capitol North Steps; Hearing Room TBD What We Need From You: 1. Attend the Press Conference. Participate in the kick-off event as foster youth from across the state spend the day with legislators and share why Child Welfare Services are essential to their lives, and how the Governor’s $120 million veto devastated the programs they depend on. 2. Attend the Hearing. Stay at the Capitol following the kick-off event and attend the Assembly hearing to again show your support for abused and neglected children. Testimony will be limited, but your presence and providing a “me too” statement is critical. Numbers matter and we need to pack the hearing room! 3. Visit your Senator and Assemblymember. Stop by the offices of your Senator and Assemblymember and drop off coalition handouts, which will be made available to you the morning of the hearing. Protect Our Children. Protect Our Future. is a broad-based coalition of organizations and individuals committed to protecting California’s abused and neglected children. We need your help to create awareness about the plight of California’s 67,700 foster children, and how the Governor’s $120 million veto to Child Welfare Services has devastated the support system vulnerable children depend on to have a chance at a brighter future. Please join us for the following events: Coalition members include: The Alliance for Children’s Rights;   American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL‐CIO;   California Alliance for Child and Family Services; California State Association of Counties; California State PTA;   California Youth Connection; Child Abuse Prevention Center; Children’s Advocacy Institute;   Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles; County Welfare Directors Association of California;   John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes; Laborers’ Local 777; Laborers’ Local 792;   National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter; Regional Council of Rural Counties;   SEIU; Urban Counties Caucus; Youth Law Center  March 15, 2010 Honorable Members California Legislature State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Dear Legislator: We, the undersigned coalition of elected officials, county agencies, legal representatives, current and former foster youth, social workers, service providers and many other organizations, associations and community-based agencies, urge you to reject Governor Schwarzenegger’s $120 million ($80 million General Fund) reduction to Child Welfare Services in his 2010-11 budget and to reject any further cuts in this vital safety net program. The Governor first made this reduction as a line-item veto in 2009 and has sustained the cut in his proposed budget, released in January. Indeed, this cut is already yielding devastating consequences to children that will ultimately shift the financial burden of caring for them to other state programs:  It slashes the last remnants of State protections for our most vulnerable children: The Governor’s cut dramatically reduces services across dozens of child welfare programs, which together form the backbone of California’s child welfare system. In addition, the budget slashed funding for nearly 400 child welfare workers tasked with the critical job of keeping children safe. This has shredded the safety net for abused and neglected children. The cut has resulted in increased social worker caseloads and has left counties struggling to staff their child abuse hotlines, investigate allegations of child abuse, assist families to safely prevent the removal of children, and work with families to safely reunify children or otherwise find them permanent, loving homes.  It harms children and adds costs to future California budgets: Abused and neglected children are traumatized by their experiences and suffer adverse outcomes that are costly to taxpayers and society. The impacts of abuse and neglect are seen in lower educational attainment, higher teen pregnancy rates and juvenile delinquency. Abused children become adults who often struggle with obesity, alcoholism, depression and other maladies. Nationally, child abuse and neglect costs taxpayers over $104 billion annually, according to Prevent Child Abuse America. A broad‐based coalition of  organizations and individuals  committed to protecting California’s  abused and neglected children.  The Alliance for Children’s Rights  American Federation of State,  County, and Municipal  Employees, AFL‐CIO  California Alliance for Child   and Family Services  California State Association   of Counties  California State PTA  California Youth Connection  Children’s Advocacy Institute  Children’s Law Center   of Los Angeles  County Welfare Directors  Association of California  John Burton Foundation   for Children Without Homes  Laborers’ Local 777  Laborers’ Local 792  National Association   of Social Workers, California Chapter  SEIU California State Council  Urban Counties Caucus  Youth Law Center  CWS Coalition Letter March 15, 2010 Page 2  It abandons those who “age out” of foster care: The $120 million reduction eliminated stipends for youth who have “aged out” of the foster care system. Those stipends were used to assist youth to attain self-sufficiency by helping defray some of the costs to attend college, and assist them with obtaining housing and employment. Financial aid for foster youth attending college was also severely reduced. Former foster youth will likely become homeless because of cuts to transitional housing programs.  It subverts the will of the Legislature: Last Spring, both the Senate and Assembly determined that cuts to Child Welfare Services would put California children at risk and cost the State over $40 million in federal funds. Nevertheless, Governor Schwarzenegger unilaterally reduced the Child Welfare Services budget.  It jeopardizes millions in Federal funds and will cost California in steep Federal penalties: As stated above, the Legislature determined that $40 million in Federal funds is at risk with these cuts. Additionally, failure to responsibly execute these activities puts California at risk for a federal penalty for non-compliance with the Child and Family Services Review. It also leaves more children in harm’s way, without social workers or services to help them, resulting in an increase in costs to taxpayers. California can and must do better for its abused and neglected children. Please sustain the progress California has made and protect vulnerable children’s lives by restoring the $120 million ($80 million General Fund) veto to Child Welfare Services in the legislature’s proposed 2010-11 budget. Sincerely, The Coalition to Protect Our Children. Protect Our Future. Please reference the attached list of organizations and individuals in support of this request. pg. 1  The undersigned support this request to restore the $120 million veto ($80 million State General Funds) in Child Welfare Services and oppose further cuts in this program: Updated 3/15/10. We will update regularly throughout the budget process. Public Agencies & Officials (27) Alameda County Social Services Agency Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services Calaveras Works and Human Services City of Chico, Housing and Neighborhood Services Contra Costa County Independent Living Skills Program Contra Costa County Supervisor Susan Bonilla Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services. Glenn County Human Resource Agency Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Imperial County Department of Social Services Inyo County Health and Human Services Kings County Human Services Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services Mariposa County Human Services Department Merced County Human Services Agency Monterey County Board of Supervisors Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services Napa County Child Welfare Services Placer County Health and Human Services Riverside County Department of Public Social Services San Francisco Human Services Agency San Luis Obispo County Department of Social Services Santa Clara County Social Services Agency Siskiyou County Human Services Stanislaus County Public Health Services CHDP/Foster Care/Lead Programs Tehama County Social Services Department Tuolumne County Child Welfare Services Associations, Coalitions & National Organizations (22) The Alliance for Children’s Rights Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO California Alliance for Child and Family Services California Coalition for Parent Advocacy in Child Protective Services California Coalition for Youth California State Association of Counties California State PTA California Youth Connection Children’s Advocacy Institute pg. 2  Children's Defense Fund – California Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles County Welfare Directors Association of California John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes Laborers’ Local 777 Laborers’ Local 792 National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter National Center on Shared Leadership National Coalition for Parent Advocacy in Child Protective Services SEIU California State Council Urban Counties Caucus Youth Law Center Non-Profit Organizations (83) Abode Services - Formerly Tri-City Homeless Coalition Fremont, CA ACTION Council of Monterey County Salinas, CA A Home Within San Francisco, CA AJE Partners, Dion Aroner Berkeley, CA Alameda Family Services-DreamCatcher Youth Shelter Oakland, CA Alfa Homes, Inc. San Francisco, CA Alternative Family Services Vallejo, CA Amador Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Jackson, CA A Safe Place Oakland, CA ASPIRAnet South San Francisco, CA Bay Area Youth Center pg. 3  Hayward, CA pg. 4  Beyond Emancipation Oakland, CA Caring S.H.O.S., Inc. Stanton, CA Casa de Amparo Oceanside, CA Changing the Health of Adolescents Impacting the Nation Reaction, Inc. Los Angeles, CA Charlee Family Care, Inc. Yucaipa, CA Child & Family Institute Sacramento, CA Children's Hope FFA/Center for Hope THP-Plus Yuba City, CA Community Housing Partnership Sam Francisco Corporation for Supportive Housing Los Angeles, CA Covenant House California Hollywood, CA David & Margaret Youth and Family Services La Verne, CA Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Berkeley, CA EMQ FamiliesFirst Campbell, CA Environmental Alternatives Quincy, CA EPA CAN DO East Palo Alto, CA pg. 5  Everychild Foundation Pacific Palisades, CA Family and Youth Services Stockton, CA First Place for Youth Oakland, CA Five Acres The Boys’ and Girls’ Aid Society of Los Angeles Altadena, CA Fred Finch Youth Center Oakland, CA Folsom Lake College Sacramento, CA Guardian Scholars Program California State University, Fullerton Fullerton, CA Guardian Scholars Program California State University, Sacramento Sacramento, CA Happy Faces Foster Family Agency Banning, CA Home Start, Inc. San Diego, CA Huckleberry Youth Programs San Francisco, CA iFoster.org Sacramento, CA Inland Temporary Homes Loma Linda, CA Japanese Community Youth Council San Francisco, CA John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation Palm Desert, CA pg. 6  Journey House Inc. Pasadena, CA. 91104 Juma Ventures Oakland, CA 94610 Larkin Street Youth Services San Francisco, CA Legal Advocates for Children & Youth San Jose, CA Lincoln Child Center Oakland, CA 94602 Lutheran Social Services of Northern California Concord, CA Lutheran Social Services of Southern California Orange, CA Mariposa Safe Families, Inc. Mariposa County, CA Mary Graham Children's Foundation French Camp, CA Murrell’s Farm and Boys Home Lancaster, CA National Center for Youth Law Oakland, CA New Alternatives, Inc. San Diego, CA New Direction of Humboldt Foster Parent Association Humbolt County, CA Operation SafeHouse Riverside, CA Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services Los Angeles, CA pg. 7  Orangewood Children's Foundation Santa Ana, CA Parents Anonymous Inc. Claremont, CA Peacock Acres Inc. Salinas CA Prime Property Investments Sacramento, CA 95821 Redwood Children’s Services Ukiah, CA Redwood Community Action Agency Eureka, CA 95501 River Stones Residential Services Inc. Redlands, CA San Francisco Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) San Francisco, CA San Gabriel Children's Center, Inc. Glendora, CA Santa Clara County Office of Education Foster Youth Services San Jose, CA St. Anne's Los Angeles, CA Seneca Center for Children and Families San Leandro, CA Silicon Valley Children’s Fund San Jose, CA The Smith Renaissance Society at UC Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Stew's Love N Care Inc. Oakland, CA pg. 8  Strengthening Families All Around the World, Inc. Claremont, CA Sun Valley Foster Parent Association Fresno, CA T&T House of Champion, Inc San Francisco Bay Area, CA Thornhill & Associates, Inc. Chatsworth, CA Triad Family Services Sacramento, CA Unity Fellowship Social Justice Ministries Los Angeles, CA Victor Community Support Services, Inc. Stockton, CA Victor Treatment Centers, Inc. Chico, CA Village of Childhelp West Beaumont, California WestCoast Children's Clinic Oakland, CA YWCA Santa Monica / Westside Santa Monica, CA 90405 YMCA Youth & Family Services Santa Barbara, CA Youth for Change Chico, CA Youth Homes, Inc. Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Children, Families Suffering Under Child Welfare Cut Abused, neglected children not receiving services, stuck in foster care ‘limbo’ Across the state, abused and neglected children are suffering the effects of the Governor’s veto of $120 million ($80 million General Fund) in the Child Welfare Services program. This huge funding cut has decimated services to abused and neglected children. More children are remaining in foster care “limbo” with unmet needs, which will cost these children, and California, much more in the long run. After years of improvements in the foster care system, early data shows California is now headed in the wrong direction because of budget cuts, leading to disasterous outcomes for children in the areas of safety, permancency and well-being. The following information is based on a survey of 58 county child welfare agencies by the County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) on the impacts of the $120 million veto in the 2009-10 budget year. Because of the Governor’s $120 million veto to Child Welfare Services… Abused and neglected children remain in limbo.  Abused and neglected children in foster care aren’t receiving the urgent care and attention they need, leading to further trauma, because their social workers have been cut. Children are suffering unduly long waits to be safely reunited with their families, and others who can’t be reunified are delayed in finding other permanent homes. o Sacramento County has lost 30% of its staff since May 2009 and has another round of staffing cuts pending. Nearly 3,000 children remain in foster care longer than in past years as the remaining staff struggle to meet their needs. o Imperial County eliminated its Intensive Family Reunification Services program intended to serve approximately 80 families per year, leaving families without this support unlikely to get their children out of the foster care system. o San Joaquin County estimates it will have 60 fewer foster families able to take in children because of cuts in licensing and recruitment.  Court hearing delays in 22 counties and an increase in continued court hearings in 23 counties means children are waiting longer in foster care for needed services, and for critical life-changing decisions regarding reunification with their families or permanent placement elsewhere. Nearly 2 million children will be left in potentially life-threatening situations each year.  Counties cut 509 social workers who are on the front lines, making life-and-death decisions every day to protect abused and neglected children. While local programs absorbed the cuts in different ways, the cuts in staff means less services to abused and neglected children and families: o The loss of 509 social workers if absorbed entirely in Emergency Response services means calls into county CPS hotlines will go unanswered for up to 2 million abused and neglected children annually, and 96,500 reports of abuse and neglect will not be investigated. o The loss of 509 social workers if absorbed entirely in Family Maintenance programs means 17,815 children will go without services to prevent foster care placement and help children remain safely at home with their own families. This translates into higher costs as children instead are placed into foster care. A broad‐based coalition of  organizations and individuals  committed to protecting  California’s abused and  neglected children.          Protect Our Children. Protect Our Future. Fact Sheet Page 2 o The loss of 509 social workers if absorbed entirely in Family Reunification means 13,743 children would be unable to reunify with their families, and 27,486 children would languish in foster care because they cannot find permanency through adoption or legal guardianship.  Another 235 support workers were cut. These workers ensured relative caregivers were assessed, recruited foster parents, transported children to court hearings, and arranged visitations between children and their parents. Abused and neglected children do not get the dedicated attention they need.  California needs 1,817 additional social workers to meet minimum recommended standards to serve abused and neglected children, and 4,270 more social workers to ensure positive outcomes for children. In Permanent Placement, for example, this would reduce the number of children served per worker, from 54 children per worker, to 12 to 17 children for whom permanent, loving homes can be sought. Budget cuts yield fewer prevention services designed to keep families intact and avoid higher costs in foster care.  Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Yolo counties all reduced and/or eliminated early intervention services to families who come to the attention of child welfare agencies, leaving nearly 6,000 families without the support needed to avoid children being removed from homes.  Sacramento County severely scaled back services, including home visitations, offered through its Birth and Beyond family resource centers, eliminating services for 8,500 families.  Nevada, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Tuolumne counties have cut services that provide crisis relief to parents in distress. San Mateo County cut services by 33%, San Francisco County eliminated its respite program for at-risk families, afflicting 50 families in that county. Abused and neglected children aren’t receiving care to recover from maltreatment, and support systems needed to help mend families are diminishing.  San Mateo County cut the number of public health nurses available to meet the basic health needs of abused and neglected children from seven to four nurses, impacting 42% of children in the county system.  Butte and San Diego counties were forced to reduce counseling services for sexual abuse victims, impacting 35 exploited children in those two counties. San Diego County eliminated a mental health therapy program for troubled teens designed to reduce criminal behavior and prevent youth from being removed from their homes.  Alcohol and drug services, mental health services, and parenting counseling and support are critical services needed to protect children from abuse and neglect in their homes. Yet, these programs have been devastated: o Contra Costa County cut parenting services funding, forcing nearly 70% of its families to seek these services elsewhere. o Merced County reduced several services including family counseling, which will impact 35% of families served. o Butte County reduced parenting counseling, support and education services impacting 200 families in that county. o Riverside County eliminated a substance abuse treatment program, affecting more than 3,000 families, and reduced various parenting and support programs and impacting 7,028 families.       Protect Our Children. Protect Our Future. Fact Sheet Page 3 Foster youth who “age out” of the system are in danger of becoming homeless and unemployed because of less assistance to become self sufficient. An estimated 16,800 current and former foster youth statewide lost out on $3.6 million in Foster Youth Stipends used to help these youth transition to self sufficiency. This means youth will go without modest grants of $50 to $500 for critical items such as bus/transit passes, emergency auto repairs and utility payments, security deposits for a first apartment, participating in certificate programs leading to employment and other emergency needs. For Orange County the loss of $74,500 had been used leverage an additional $650,000 from community partners that will now no longer be available to the 900 emancipated foster youth served in Orange County.  Many counties have reduced Independent Living Services, which provides skills training for youth as they exit foster care. Imperial County no longer offers these services at multiple sites, Merced County reduced ILP classes impacting 50% of its foster youth. Early data shows out that California is headed in the WRONG direction and not protecting children. California’s Child Welfare Outcomes and Accountability System tracks child outcomes in the areas of safety, permanency and well-being. While it is too early to know the precise impact of the veto, early indicators show California is headed in the WRONG direction. Our review of CWS/CMS data as complied by Safe Measures, a tracking tool used in many counties to track work processes, indicates:  Statewide, reports of abuse and neglect are less likely to be timely investigated, dropping from 92.9% to 89.2% between July 2009 and February 2010. CPS hotline calls requiring a 10-day response are not timely being met, dropping from 95.9% to 93.1% between September and December 2009 alone, and many counties such as Contra Costa and San Bernardino are having difficulty keeping up with demand.  Fewer children being served by Child Welfare Services have an approved case plan in place, and foster children who should be seen at least once a month by their social worker are being visited less frequently. Parents of abused and neglected children are also being seen less frequently by social workers, dropping from 81% statewide in August 2009 to 78% as of February 2010.  Foster children are being moved more frequently and are less stable in their placements. Since the veto, placement changes are trending upward, increasing 5% since last summer.  Children’s health is at risk. The percentage of children with timely health exams is steadily decreasing, dropping from 86% to 80% since July 2009.  Even abused and neglected children in the Title IV-E Waiver demonstration counties were not shielded from the budget ax. The $17 million in state cuts to Los Angeles County translated into 108 fewer emergency response social workers and support staff to meet local demands and keep children safer. The end result is that thousands of children in Los Angeles County are less safe due to the Governor's actions last summer.  CALL TO ACTION: We urge the Legislature and Governor to spare abused and neglected children from the budget ax. Restore Child Welfare Services funding and protect these vulnerable children from further trauma and devastation. For questions about this fact sheet, contact Frank Mecca, CWDA Executive Director, at fmecca@cwda.org or (916) 443-1749. For information about the Coalition or to get involved, contact Diana Boyer at dboyer@cwda.org.