NH CARES Budget
Issues on DCYF PREVENTION PROGRAMS - 3/23/09
Child & Family Services of NH and NH Children’s
Lobby
Division of Children Youth & Families Budget Pages: HB1 Page 1355 and HB 2 Section 49.
DCYF (County Diversion) Prevention Program Grants
FY 09 Authorized |
Maintenance |
2010 proposed |
2011 proposed |
|
$3,583,135 |
$3,868,682 |
$1,562,160 |
$1,559,606 |
Page 1355
contains the funding to enable and encourage cities, town, and counties to
develop and maintain child abuse and neglect prevention programs, and juvenile
court diversion programs and alternative dispositions programs for children at
risk of CHINS or delinquency. Given the
decline in Division of Juvenile Justice cases, these community-based programs
are working.
The
amount in this class is established by formula in RSA 170-G: 4, XVI at
currently no less than 6% of the funds in DCYF Child and Family Services
(Accounting Unit 5855), page 1354, Classes 533 & Class 535. Under DHHS rules, funds are distributed to
each court base on a formula. DHHS,
county representatives, and others are mandated to sit on a board that
determines local needs and solicits requests for proposals for programs. Cities, towns, and Family Resource
Centers are among the entities that can compete and receive support. Awards require matching funding so these
funds leverage a significant amount of other funds.
The
reduction proposed 2010 and proposed 2011 lines reflect the $4M cut in each
year to CHINS services and the reductions in federal & general funding for
all placement services and the reduction to 3% (from the 6% in current) in
Section 49 of HB 2. These reductions
will cripple the local initiatives for prevention and court diversion programs
with likely increases in cases of delinquents, CHINS, and abuse/neglect.
Please
restore the funding to the 6% Requested Maintenance level and eliminate Section
49 of HB2 reducing the percentage to 3%.
Cynthia
Herman, Child and Family Services
of NH, hermanc@cfsnh.org 603.518.4119