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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 03171987 - 2.2 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on March 17, 1987 , by the following vote: AYES; Supervisors Fanden, Schroder, Torlakson, McPeak NOES; None ABSENT; Supervisor Powers ABSTAIN; None ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUBJECT; Testimony on "The Changing Family" IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that Suppervisor Sunne Wright McPeak is AUTHORIZED to present the attached testimony at the hearing of the Assembly Human Services Committee to be held on Saturday, March 21, 1987 . cc: Supervisor McPeak County Administrator 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: PHi;_ BATC ZI.C..q, Cj—t. Of the Board 01 SupervisoPs and Ccun!y Administrator 81C. Deputy The Board of Supervisors Contra W1 o'er 1od and County Administration Building Costa Cour 41515 3rniniatrator (4 )372.2371 651 Pine St., Room 106 County Martinez, California 94553 Tont Foam tat District Nancy C.Fandsn,2nd District PA600 1.Od-odsr,3rd OWW 9WM WrWd IiePssk,4e,District Tom Toefahaon,SIA Distrkt TESTIMONY CONTRA COSTA COUN'T'Y AND "THE CHANGING FAMILY TO THE YEAR 2000" SUNNE MCPEAR, CHAIR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS The 1980 ' s are bringing many major changes to Contra Costa County. Between 1985 and 1990, Contra Costa County is expected to have the highest growth rate in employment in the nine Bay Area counties. By the year 2000, the County is expected to have an increase of nearly 43 percent in residents who are employed. In addressing and planning for the changing family in the year 2000, the demographic equation must be understood. The projected demographic changes will include a 21.5 percent total population increase, with a 51 percent increase in those over 64 years old, with the most dramatic increase of 100 percent for those over 85 years old. The population of children, those under 18 years, is expected to increase 17 .5 percent; those 18 through 64 will increase by only 12 percent. The median age will Page 2 increase to 37 . 63 years, or by 15 percent. The number of households will increase while the size will be smaller. This shrinking in the household size . is a reflection of a decrease in the number of children per household, an increase in the divorce rate, and an increase in the number of individuals age 65 and older. Cost-of-living and housing costs in most areas of Contra Costa County can rarely be maintained by families with only one income. There will be more 2-income families, but the average household income is expected to increase by only 10 percent. Growth, particularly rapid growth, taxes the ability of government to maintain and expand essential services. This is especially true today for local (county and city) government given the restrictions in raising revenue and the limits placed on expenditures by the Gann Initiative. To understand what this could mean by the year 2000, we must understand what is happening to services today, especially those services that directly affect the family. If the economic, social, and population projections hold true and the demand for services to families increases at the same rates as they have for the last few years, the year 2000 Page 3 could produce results at the county level which could prove catastrophic. For example, financial assistance to families in the form of cash grants have been increasing dramatically, especially in General Assistance. For the first time, the Social Service Department' s AFDC and GA programs could potentially contribute anywhere from $500,000 to $900,000 to a projected county budget deficit for FY 1986-87 . This is the result of the increased workload or demand and emergency assistance, particularly with the homeless. Aid to Families with Dependent Children has been increasing at the rate of 5 percent this past year. Medi-Cal is seeing similar increases. The most rapid increase has been in the In-Home Supportive Services Program that provides for attendant care for the handicapped or frail elderly living in their own homes who would be in nursing homes if this service were not available. Service programs, particularly child welfare services, has seen a dramatic increase in referrals from 1981 " through 1986 of 327 percent. This reflects changes in reporting laws and an increased public awareness of child abuse and neglect. If . referrals were to continue to grow at this rate, by the year 2000 Page 4 there would be nearly 1/2 million . referrals for Child Welfare Services. This is a conservative figure as the population under 18 years of age decreased slightly ( -. 01 percent) during the first 5-year period, but is expected to increase by 17.5 percent ( if all factors remain the same) through 2000 A.D. As the population ages, increased demand for Adult Protective Services and IHSS is also expected to increase. While all of these services are expected to increase, the number of recipients will increase most dramatically among the older age groups. Increased costs could shift to the program dealing with the younger population ( C.W.S. ) as the impact of AIDS and drug abusive parents begin to increase the numbers of medically fragile children entering the Child Welfare System. Many programs, regulations, and statutory changes have been suggested for meeting this escalating service delivery problem. Programs, such as GAIN, hope to reduce the numbers dependent upon AFDC. Legislative changes to more clearly define child abuse and neglect and changes in various definitions and in the Child Welfare System are efforts to .reduce the number of referrals and, Page 5 at the same time, insure that those needing such services get them. Counties, including Contra Costa County, are mounting an effort to change the way counties get their monies in an attempt to have sufficient funding available. All of these attempts to deal with the problem deserve our attention and, in many cases, our support. However, unless there is a major effort to provide support for all families so that the stresses on these families are reduced to a manageable level, no government at any time, anywhere, will ever have sufficient funding to meet the demands and needs of people in crisis. This means that more attention and more money must be put into prevention to relieve this stress and diminish the need for such services. Crisis services are more expensive than preventive services. The State' s population projections for Contra Costa County revealed that that part of the population who form the majority of the labor market, and who are responsible for starting and maintaining families, will be besieged. Demands on their energy, time, and money--from their children and their aging parents--will, for some, become unmanageable. Page 6 Now is the time to reverse this trend toward increasing service demands. Contra Costa County has taken several steps to address the needs of families. The following briefly summarizes these actions: o In the early 1980' s our Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse advisors began exploring the concept of prevention to reduce the growing demand on these services. It was identified that lack of communication and dysfunctioning within the family were contributing factors to other social problems. o The Board of Supervisors declared 1982 the Year of the Family in Contra Costa County to promote community awareness and encourage action among various groups and organizations in the County. The Year of the Family activities included a logo contest in the schools co-sponsored by the County Superintendent of Schools, tree planting ceremonies, and workshops sponsored by community organizations. Page 7 o The Board of Supervisors has recognized the fact that economic pressures on families cause many dysfunctioning problems. Contra Costa County was the first county in California to negotiate settlements with our employees on pay equity, and we are continuing to incrementally close the wage gap in our work force. We are now working with our employees to address child care needs and parental leave policies in our own work force. o In 1985, seven different organizations formed the Contra Costa Child Care Task Force. In addition to the Board of Supervisors, the sponsors/partners included the Mayors' Conference, the Chambers of Commerce, Contra Costa Council, Central Labor Council, the Children' s Council, and the United Way of the Bay Area, who provides staff support. The Child Care Task Force has developed communitywide consensus for a strategy to develop a comprehensive child care system through a public/private partnership. Page 8 o The Board of Supervisors funds many community service agencies, such as the Family Stress Center, to address the needs of families and children. o Contra Costa County' s Family Symposium held in October, 1985, and January of 1986, has resulted in the Family Alliance. The goal of the Alliance is to help the community in developing support services for the family. These support services include development of child care (quality, accessible, and affordable) slots sufficient to meet the need in the year 2000. This will be a major accomplishment because 1983 statistics show that Contra Costa County had only 1/3 the number of child care slots needed. This "child care" gap will be more critical in our efforts to implement the State Workfare GAIN program. RECOMMENDATIONS The following recommendations may be helpful in developing an action program for the State of California in supporting families and looking forward to the year 2000. These suggestions Page 9 are based upon our own experience in Contra Costa County. The State should: Establish a high level policy body to examine the needs of families and recommend and oversee strategic actions to support families. This task force, or commission, should pay particular attention to promoting successful models of public/private partnerships to support families. Designate a California Year of the Family to focus attention and community activities on the family. Perhaps this might be done in 1991 to begin the last decade of the 20th Century and to prepare for the Family 2000. The work of the new task force, or commission, could include planning for the Year of the Family. Appropriate adequate funding for support services in the GAIN program, particularly for women' s support groups and child care. Page 10 Assist the development of community public/private partnerships to develop comprehensive child care systems for working and training parents. Integrate appropriate family support policies in the tax reform bill and develop tax credit provisions to encourage community public/private partnerships. Support and funding must be given to services, such as Family Stress Centers, to be available in all communities so that they will be accessible and affordable to all families in crises. Centers are needed for teen mothers and their babies where a teen mother could learn to care for her baby, thus reducing a tendency to child abuse. She would also learn skills and competency to make her and her family self-sufficient. This is but a sample of services that should be considered; services that aim at prevention. Crisis solutions are expensive, and the demand and the cost is rapidly becoming beyond the reach of county government to provide. SWM:clg DEMOGRAPHIC EQUATIONS State Projections, January, 1987 Contra Costa County % Increase 1985 2000 or Decrease Total Population 717 , 598 870, 558 21. 5 Under 18 Years 181 , 504 214 ,675 17 .5 Over 64 Years 73 , 557 110,828 51.0 Within which those over 85 years are the fastest growing 5, 996 11,636 100 .0 Median Age 32. 93 37 .63 15.0 Households 263 , 370 343 ,080 30.0 Persons Per Household 2. 65 2.43 - 0.8 Employed Residents 341,000 486,700 43 .0 Average Household Income 32,700 35 ,900 10.0 Social Service Statistices 1981 1986 Child Welfare Services Referrals 4,289 14,065 327.0 Population Under 18 Years 181,633 181,504 - 0. 01 — 1 oo r � i 1 � 1 It '` � � � � � mac► � i 1 ' 1 1 t o N N �'`��yS�� C4 ..................................... W CL ' l � l .......................... Ln 1 , t � i 1 ' , r�. V�' t ►, "' V � 1 ari •` • le r' t • . 1 '^1 * 1 1 • i 1 rt G 1 � r 1 i