Press Release:

PRESS CONFERENCE: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2002
Governor’s proposed budget undermines stability for children and families.

Charlottesville, VA-- A group of local human service and education agencies believes that the Governor’s proposed budget jeopardizes family stability and support for children. "It is critical to our community's success and well-being that we assure that our children are safe and afforded necessary services, ”says Saphira Baker, Director of the Charlottesville/Albemarle Commission on Children and Families (CCF.)

Citizen and agency members of the Commission note that agencies are prepared to take cuts, given the current economic climate, but they believe the proposed budget is disproportionately unfair to the most needy children and families. Local school and social service agencies point to over $2 million in cuts to children services for the most needy in Charlottesville/Albemarle, including the loss of $900,000 in treatment for children with severe psychiatric disorders. Because state and local law require services for these children, responsibility for funding them will fall to the localities. The budget also cuts $300,000 in programs aimed at keeping juvenile offenders away from future crimes.

“This budget,” says Ruth Stone, Director of Piedmont CASA, “risks destabilizing a system of support for children who have been neglected and abused, and are living in unsafe homes.”

“These savings are somewhat artificial,” says Jack Gallagher, Director of Community Attention, “These children have extensive daily supervision and residential care needs and will not ‘go away’ if these juvenile justice funds are cut. “Most of these children will end up in other human service systems like foster care or out of community institutional or correctional facilities, expanding the crime rolls, and local agency and police caseloads. These costs will simply be transferred to other funding streams with no real budget savings at all.”

A press conference detailing these cuts and their impact on Charlottesville/Albemarle children is being held on Tuesday, February 12, at 12:30 p.m. at Tonsler Park, 435 Cherry Avenue, Charlottesville, VA. Speakers include Sally Thomas, Chairman of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Charlottesville City Police Chief Longo, Buz Cox and Kathy Ralston from local Social Service departments, and persons involved in local community agencies.

For more information or to get directions, contact the CCF office at 872-4545.

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