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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07101984 - 1.52 .S z THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on July 10 , 1984 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers , Fanden, Schroder , Torlakson. NOES: None . ABSENT: Supervisor McPeak. ABSTAIN: None . SUBJECT: ..RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ) CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CALLING ON .THE STATE LEGISLATURE) TO RECOGNIZE THE GROWING PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE AND ) RESOLUTION NO. 84/3 9.1 NEGLECT AND TO ADEQUATELY FUND CALIFORNIA COUNTIES ) TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ) WHEREAS, this nation's greatest resource is its children; and WHEREAS, the protection of our children from the abominable sickness of "/ abuse and sexual abuse must be our highest priority, and WHEREAS, our criminal justice, mental health, and other social services systems are filled with adults requiring expensive governmental services who themselves were abused as children; and WHEREAS, the reported incidents of child abuse and neglect and child sexual abuse and exploitation have been increasing at an alarming rate over the last several years; and WHEREAS, in Contra Costa County from 1979 through 1983, the incidents of reported child physical abuse have increased by 1377 while during the same period the incidents of child sexual abuse have increased by 2517; and WHEREAS, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has acknowledged this problem by adopting resolutions in previous years, and more recently adopted a resolution on March 27, 1984, declaring April, 1984, Child Abuse Prevention Month; and WHEREAS, Assemblyman Dan Hauser has sponsored Assembly Concurrent Resolution 105 which parallels this Board's resolution in declaring 1983-84 the Year of Prevention and Elimination of Child Abuse, Neglect and Sexual Assault; and WHEREAS, major financial responsibility for adequately funding the investigation of and intervention in child abuse cases rests with the state through the Title XX program; and WHEREAS, the amount of Title XX funding allocated by the state has been inadequate to allow Contra Costa County to respond to the substantial increase in reported incidents of child abuse and child sexual abuse; and WHEREAS, the allocation methodology utilized by the State Department of Social Services to determine the amount of Title XX funding each county will receive penalizes Contra Costa County for its success in achieving the Legislature's objective' of minimizing the number of children in -out-of-home placement; and WHEREAS, the crisis in the allocation of resources for these abused and sexually abused children has been exacerbated by the passage of Chapter 978 of the Statutes of 1982 (SB 14) which, while laudible in its goals, substantially increases the staff time required to successfully intervene and conclude child abuse/sexual abuse cases; and RESOLUTION NO. 84/391 (1 of .2) 000. 08 • r WHEREAS, for Contra Costa County to have relied solely on the state to adequately fund these services would have required serious cutbacks of staff even in the face of tremendous increases in need and greater legally mandated procedural requirements; and WHEREAS, the State is presently considering the state budget for fiscal year 1984-85 with an anticipated surplus over $1 billion. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors calls upon the State Legislature to acknowledge the alarming growth in child abuse and neglect and child sexual abuse and exploitation and provide adequate funds to halt the seemingly mindless prey on our children who are our most basic resources. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors hereby prays for the attention of the State Legislature and beseeches the state to translate into concrete action the universal concern of the People of the State of California for children of this state through the adequate fundi ng of county programs that directly intervene and protect them from those who would abuse and exploit them. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be forwarded to Governor George Deukmejian; David Swoap, Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency; Assemblyman William Filante; Assemblyman Dan Hauser; Assemblyman Don Sebastiani; Assemblyman Alfred Alquist; Assemblyman Tom Bates; Assemblyman John Vasconcellos; Senator Barry Keene; Senator Jim Nielsen; Senator Robert Presley; Senator Diane Watson; Linda McMahon, Director of State Department of Social Services; County Supervisors Association of California; the 57 other counties in California; the seventeen incorporated cities within Contra Costa and the County Welfare Directors Association of California. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisor on th date shown. ATTESTED: J-R. OLS C',;5, C-0,J1-4TY CLERK and ex/) off c:o C9G::; of fS:e Board r 6Y Deut p Y Orig. Dept: Social Service Dept. (Attn: Contracts Unit) cc: County Administrator Probation Dept. 'District Attorney Out of County Distribution via Social Services RESOLUTION NO. 84/391 (2 of 2) 0009