State Budget Update: Democrats' Budget Plan Would Restore Funding For Child Welfare Programs

Last year Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger dealt a devastating blow to child welfare services in California when he line-item vetoed $80 million in general funding for children's services. An additional loss of $53 million in matching federal funds brought the overall hit for child welfare and foster care to $133 million. Speaker Emeritus Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) introduced AB 2131 in an attempt to restore the $80 million in cuts, but the bill has made little progress.

Protect Our Children, a coalition of child welfare advocates and providers, contends that the cuts have left California's abused and neglected children with fewer resources and increased vulnerability. Counties have cut more than 830 social workers and support staff. A number of counties, including Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego have reduced or eliminated early intervention services, leaving nearly 6,000 families without the support needed to prevent children being removed from homes.

Also deeply affected were counties like Los Angeles and Alameda which operated Title IV-E Waiver projects that provided for the flexible use of funding to develop proactive up-front preventative services for children and families. Los Angeles in particular suffered a $17 million cut which translated into 108 fewer emergency response social workers and support staff to meet local demands. State cuts also resulted in a $1.5 million cut to child welfare services administration.

Gov. Schwarzenegger is again proposing an $80 million cut to child welfare services for the current fiscal year which began on July 1. But during an Aug. 6 Budget Conference Committee hearing, Democratic legislators rejected the Governor's plan and voted to restore full funding to the programs, noting:

Preliminary data from the counties regarding the impacts of the 2009-10 reduction had indicated the loss statewide of more than 500 front-line social workers who investigate emergency reports, help families stay together or be reunited, and work to find permanent homes for foster children. Preliminary information also indicated less timely investigations of abuse and neglect and more frequent placement moves for foster children.

State leaders have still not agreed upon a final version of the budget at this time.

Additional Reading/Sources:

• CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET FACTS - Governor's 2010-11 May Revision Proposed Budget

• Los Angeles County Child Welfare Plan

• Senate Conference Committee Summary - August 6, 2010

• Protect Our Children: Fact Sheet