NH CARES Budget Issues for DCYF FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS
Child & Family Services of NH and NH Children’s
Lobby - 3/23/09
Promoting Safe- Stable Families
DCYF
HB1 Pages: Page 1370, Class 527,
Family Resource Centers
Page |
Class |
FY
2009 |
FY
2010 & 11 Maintenance |
FY
2010 Gov |
FY
2011 Gov |
|
1370 |
527 |
120,000 |
120,000 |
0 |
0 |
Family Resource Centers around NH promote the
inherent strength of individuals and families in order to reduce crisis
intervention and other costly services.
All are grassroots community-based organizations
that operate independently but all provide a common set of core services
following proven Principles of Family Support:
·
Parent education, training & support on the
full range of parenting issues
·
Family activities to promote constructive time
·
Information & referrals to local and state
support services such as medical, mental health, nutrition, social services,
fuel assistance
·
Community development for local issues such as
discussions about delinquency, lack of housing, improving local economy.
Family
Resource Centers also work closely with DCYF, the NH Children’s Trust Fund, and
Family Support NH (their association) to strengthen programs and collect the
same data tracking their considerable success in strengthening families and
reducing dropouts, family violence, substance abuse, and teen births. This data shows they are one of the most
cost effective health and human service programs.
Currently, centers serve communities throughout NH
including in the Lakes Region, Strafford County, Greater Peterborough,
Hillsborough, and Cheshire, and Merrimack counties communities. Two more are in the development stages. All families need support at some time
regardless of economic and social status.
This is $120,000 is basic operating funding that
allows the centers to just open their doors in the morning in the face of
reduction in county budgets, fundraising, and DCYF Prevention Programs (Page
1355).
Please restore the funding to Maintenance level of
$120,000.
Cynthia Herman, Child and Family Services, hermanc@cfsnh.org (603.518.4119) and Family Support NH.