April 07, 2008

Child welfare wrong place for cuts

What have we come to that the Florida Legislature feels forced to cut services for abused children in order to balance the state budget? Both the House and Senate have produced devastating budget cuts to services for abused children who have already suffered enough. Nearly $20 million in service cuts to abused children is on the table and the House has proposed an additional $7 million cut to children who are aging out of the foster care system.

As if that weren't bad enough, both House and Senate budgets almost unimaginably propose reducing the number of Child Protective Investigators available to search out abused children after a hotline call is made. These investigators literally mean the difference between life and death for vulnerable children. They already have one of the toughest jobs in the state and now it will be even tougher.

It was only a few short years ago that Florida's child welfare system was a national embarrassment. A system under nearly constant fire for poor performance with far too many tragedies played out in the media. Then Florida's legislators (many of the same ones cutting budgets now) retooled the system, involved communities and invested enough new money to allow local communities to step up and solve their own problems.

Florida's community-based care system is far from over-funded. In fact, we spend only 70 cents on the dollar compared with the national average and less than that compared with other large states. Still, the system is beginning to perform in ways that prove that the investments made a few years ago are making a positive impact. We still have a long way to go, but do we really want to go back to the bad old days? Would you risk losing the progress local communities have made in keeping children safe if it put a child you care about in greater jeopardy?

The frontline work force is the key to keeping children safe, rebuilding families and making a better future for the victims of child abuse. In the past, high

caseloads prevented these dedicated, caring people from doing more than just keeping up with the massive paperwork required by federal and state laws. Children were lost amid caseloads of 40, 50 or even higher. Today, the state average is closer to 25 for caseworkers and 14 for investigators. Although acknowledging this improvement, we also must note that national best practice standards call for 12 and nine children respectively. These hard-working frontline staff make a difference every day in the lives of abused children. They work longer hours for less pay under more demanding conditions than other comparably trained professionals.

Again, the system is not over funded. Caseworkers and investigators are not a luxury. They are an absolute necessity and one that the state can ill afford to lose.

Secretary Bob Butterworth, head of the Department of Children & Families, has widely acknowledged the importance of the collaboration of state experts with local charitable organizations to form the community-based care system. These community organizations employ the frontline workers, recruit and train foster parents, hire therapists and oversee the many activities that must go on to keep children safe and give them a better future. These organizations also recruit dedicated volunteers who donate goods, services, time and money to bridge the gap between state funding and the true cost of caring for abused children.

Many Floridians contribute to these local charities so they can continue to meet their obligation to care for every child that is removed from their own home. The heart of the people of Florida is with our children. Shouldn't the heart of our Legislature be there as well?

We ask our legislative leaders to please follow the example of Gov. Charlie Crist and tap state reserves created for hard times in order to protect Florida's abused children. Give our children an opportunity for a bright future free from fear. Like the governor, we believe in Florida's future, we believe that our economy will rebound from hard times. We also believe that moving abused children from safety to jeopardy is not something that should be negotiated. Once the state goes through the extensive legal process required to remove a child from his or her own home, we have an absolute duty to keep that child safe and give him or her a shot at a better future.

As leaders of our state, our legislators, have invested in helping our children to a better life and have made a difference. For this, they deserve our thanks. We ask them now to keep the promise we have made and keep children safe and allow the dedicated frontline workers to continue their lifesaving work with children and families. Because truly -- budget cuts to abused children never heal.

Casel is CEO and president of Community Based Care of Florida and chair of the Florida Coalition for Children. Frye is vice chair of the coalition and vice president of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches.