Kinship Support Services Programs (KSSP) will receive a 12 percent cut in funding, the THP-Plus program will be cut by an additional 0.47 percent, and county Child Welfare Services (CWS) allocations will be reduced by 9 percent, according to FY 2009-2010 state budget details released last fall by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).

Two and a half months after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unexpectedly used his veto authority to cut $80 million from the CWS line item, CDSS announced the final determination of how those cuts will be apportioned. At high risk for significant cuts, if not outright elimination, were programs funded by the state that include little or no county or federal matching funds, like KSSP and THP-Plus.

Principles Applied in Determining Levels of Cuts

CDSS staff consulted with the County Welfare Directors Association, along with several other stakeholder groups, including the Alliance, and ultimately adopted the following guidelines allocating the cuts across CWS programs.

According to CDSS, two principles were applied:

1. Preserve, to the extent possible, the core CWS program (CWS Basic) for support of county child welfare workers, and of direct services provided to children and families; and
2. Preserve federal funding and maintenance of resources needed to fulfill federal mandates and avoid federal penalties.

Very Minor Cuts

With that in mind, CDSS instituted no cut to Group Home Monthly Visits. THP-Plus received a 0.47 percent reduction representing $169,000 in cuts in addition to the $5 million cut sustained in the original budget approved by the legislature. The final amount in the budget for THP-Plus is $35.631 million.

Five Percent to 10 Percent Cuts

Funding for the CWS/CMS information system received an additional 5.89 percent ($2.4 million) cut resulting in a 16 percent total reduction when added to the 11 percent in the original budget approved by the legislature.

Funding to non-waivered counties for Child Welfare Services was reduced by 9.05 percent ($39.6 million), including cuts to:

• Child Welfare Services Basic/Augmentation and various CWS Programs
• Child Welfare Service Outcome Improvement Project Grant
• Child Welfare Services Differential Response, Safety Assessment, Youth Permanency Services (Child Welfare Improvement strategies)

Similarly, the Title IV-E waivered counties of Los Angeles and Alameda received cuts to their capped state allocations of $17,109,803 and $1,965,155 respectively, totaling $19.1 million in reductions.

Twelve Percent Cuts

The following programs received a 12 percent reduction in their funding, representing $11.6 million in cuts:

• Extended Independent Living Program, including $125,000 reduction to eliminate the teen conference
• Chaffee Post Secondary
• Dual Agency Supplement Rate
• Foster Parent Training and Recruitment
• Kinship/Foster Care Emergency Funds Health Services for Children in Foster Care
• Chafee Federal National Youth in Transition Database
• Supportive and Therapeutic Options Programs (STOP) affecting 49 counties
• Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers affecting 30 counties
• Substance Abuse/HIV Infant Program (Opt for Recovery) affecting 9 counties
• Kinship Support Services Program (KSSP) affecting 20 counties (currently $4 million less $480,000 for a new total of: $3.52 million)
• State Family Preservation affecting 15 counties
• Administration funding for Promoting Safe and Stable Families
• Health Oversight and Coordination from the Federal bill Fostering Connections
• Tribal State Title IV-E Agreements affecting two tribes
• Child Fatality and Near Fatality PQCR
• Federal Child and Family Services Review

Severe Cuts and Elimination

Funding for Child Welfare Training Program Contracts was cut by 33 percent, or $2.8 million. The Emancipated Foster Youth Stipends program was completely eliminated, representing a reduction of $3.6 million.

Information

For information or clarification, contact Jackie Rutheiser at jrutheiser(at)cacfs.org or 916/449-2273, ex. 21.