Legislative Update: Life Rafts Floated in Children's Budget
Week Eight
April 21 - April 25 2008
Life Rafts Floated in Children’s Budget
What is the vision for Florida’s children, the future of our state? In a moment of candor, one senator made it clear in his impromptu comments to state public safety workers and service providers: "Your organizations will be crippled but you should still be able to function..."
The efficacy of the organizations and their stability in the wake of these rising budget cuts will be determined over time. Many agencies are reporting already that experienced staff have left or are leaving. While they care for Florida’s most vulnerable, they also have families to support. They are tired and fearful of the annual debate in Florida whether to invest in programs and services or if the state will “cut and run”.
While health and social service organizations ponder how to remain functional, this much is known. This budget does more than hurt individual kids. It will produce problems – expensive problems – that we will have to pay for later.
To some degree, the debt to be paid was lessened because the community of those effected and those who care came together and supported each other. With the help of Florida’s media and broadcast professionals, and organizations like ours, they sounded the alarm. Thousands of phone calls and letters flooded Tallahassee and poignant stories were told of how the programs to be cut have literally saved lives and created success out of personal crisis and tragedy.
Insightful legislators responded to these cries and floated some life rafts pumped up with rescue funding. In some cases, the funding is as wobbly as toddler. Recurring revenue was replaced with non-recurring funds, portending that this saga will repeat itself if not during this fiscal year then next. But non-recurring funds keep some programs and services in the life raft for another shot at survival which is better than the alternative.
House and Senate leaders are working now to iron out the details on unresolved issues “bumped up” to them after the Conference Committees completed their work. Those announcements will be known by the beginning of the week when the budget will be published for the short “cooling off” period before the final vote is taken.
Programs “In the Water” Still Need Rescue
Programs facing significant cuts include Healthy Families, School Readiness and Afterschool Programs, CINS/FINS runaway services, and the Girls Advocacy Project. While this is only a partial list of the damage done, they are compelling and representative examples. Each of these programs rescues kids at critical stages in their life. They prevent abuse and its life-long aftermath. They prepare children for school and keep them safe in the hours between the ringing of the school bell and dinner bell. Children are rescued from the hazards of the street and in-crisis families, and youth are pulled out of the juvenile justice system before it’s too late. If these programs are not fully restored in the final days of legislative session, more kids will need additional support and rescue in the future, at a very large cost to taxpayers.
Budget Overview by Promise Area
Reconsideration of proposed cuts have put some programs “In the Life Raft” while others remain “In the Water” and still in need of help. Here is the latest from the ongoing budget negotiations by promise area.
Promise 1: Maternal, Infant and Children’s Health
In the Life Raft: Healthy Start , once threatened with a substantial state cut that would have been compounded with the loss of federal funds, now looks to go unscathed. This represents a major victory. Infant mortality is a persistent problem in Florida. The Sunshine State ranks behind most others when it comes to babies surviving to their first birthday. We are thankful that legislators have seen fit to support healthy moms and babies by fully restoring funding of this program.
In the Life Raft: Children’s Medical Services , once faced cuts as much as $11.6-million to the Pediatric Aids Network, Infant/toddler Step Down, regional genetics, and other programs. Funding has been fully restored.
Promise 2: Child Protection
In the Life Raft: Child Abuse Investigators , at one time facing the loss of 70 positions, had the personnel slots restored. What made the difference? Strong admonishment of planned cuts by DCF Secretary Bob Butterworth made a large impact. Also vital was the input of a number of Sheriff Departments who handle child abuse investigations. The media reported that they would cancel their contracts and policy makers took notice. In addition, thoughtful editorials by the CEOs of prominent child protection agencies pointed out that child abuse incidents increase during times of economic decline.
In the Life Raft: Independent Living , a program to help children transition from foster care to adulthood, was the target of a $7-million proposed cut, but, after reconsideration, has been spared.
In the Water: Healthy Families is anationally credentialed, statewide program proven to prevent child abuse and neglect before it starts. The program was originally faced with a $3.8-million cut, however, $1.3-million was restored in GR to the program resulting in a total of $2.5-million cut to services. Healthy Families Florida provides voluntary, community-based home visitation services focused on promoting child health and development and positive parent-child interaction.
In the Water: Guardian Ad Litem provides vital legal support for Florida’s most vulnerable children. By matching carefully trained volunteers with children in need, Guardian ad Litem ensures the interests of abused and neglected kids will be heard in Florida courtrooms. Despite already being woefully under-funded, the House and Senate agreed this week to cut the $32-million program by $1.25-million.
In the Water: Community Based Care still needs rescue. Privatized child protection, foster care and adoption and welfare services are facing cuts of upwards of $16-million. The issue has been bumped up to leadership for resolution.
Promises 3 & 4: Early Education and After School
In the Water: School Readiness and After School programs share a common funding source, and are therefore in the water together.They will be cut by $11.6-million. The full impact of these cuts are uncertain because young children needing subsidized child care share a funding stream with older children needing safe after-school experiences. Generally, the older children lose out more when scarce dollars are allocated. Compounding the dilemma, some after-school programs are funded through counties or by individual school districts, both of which are scaling back support in the aftermath of Amendment One. It is currently impossible to say how many individual programs will cut services and by how many children, but the final tally will be in the thousands or even tens of thousands.
Promise 5: Juvenile Justice
In the Life Raft: Juvenile Assessment Centers, “JACs”, were targeted for elimination of their $7-million allocation. They will now receive a cut of about $390,000. JACs have been uniquely successful in reducing the number of young people detained in Florida and winding their way through the system, all the way to prison. But not all the funds are recurring.
In the Life Raft: PACE Center for Girls will not have to close any of their existing centers because their cut was reduced from 8% ($800,000) to 2% ($200,000). One Center closed in Monroe County ( Key West) during legislative session has been the subject of great controversy in that community. Another closed Center, in Polk County (Lakeland), also the subject of intense community pushback, was re-authorized this week when the PACE full board of directors reversed the previous decision of its executive committee.
In the Water: CINS/FINS (Children in Need of Services / Families in Need of Services), a network put in place over three decades, is a Florida gem: a nationally known and respected leader in prevention and early intervention programs. Based on Senate and House action, CINS/FINS will suffer deep cuts of 11.4% or $1.8-million. The end result will be thousands of kids in crisis not being served. The cuts will also result in a lack of nurses in centers, and reductions in training and other support services.
In the Water: Girls Advocacy Project (GAP), located inside four detention centers in Miami, Ft. Myers, West Palm Beach and Orlando, provides special assistance to girls who have been arrested. Girls who have run-ins with the law are often running from abuse and neglect. GAP slows the path to incarceration by finding out if individual girls just need a helping hand rather than a jail cell. None of the four sites are in the budget but the Children’s Campaign has been informed that legislative leaders are poised to save 3 of the 4 sites. We must hold our leaders to that promise. Going forward, GAP must be included in the Department of Juvenile Justice core budget. Their lack of inclusion by DJJ, in spite of GAP’s successes, has created this annual fight to preserve these programs.
In the Water: Day Treatment was originally set to receive a $2.9-million cut but the size of the loss has been reduced to $2.16-million. Like JACs, another low-cost alternative to incarceration for kids in the juvenile justice pipeline will be reduced, resulting in more expensive residential treatment.
In the Water: Residential cuts include both low-risk and high-risk beds. Beds currently dedicated to those overcoming mental health, sexual abuse and addiction issues are uniquely valuable. The final decision rests with leadership since the House and Senate could not come to a final agreement.
State to Use Lawton Chiles Endowment to Stave Off Health Care Cuts
Children’s Campaign, Inc. has advocated since the start of session that funds from the Lawton Chiles Reserve should be utilized to offset cuts. Governor Crist has consistently supported this approach, proposing originally that $400-million of the $2.2-billion in reserve should be used. House and Senate leaders flatly rejected the idea for weeks but agreed on Wednesday to use $300-million of the fund to preserve two programs serving as many as 40,000 poor, sick and disabled Floridians. This will float some life rafts and help ease the $1-billion pain facing health clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and other medical services.
The House and Senate agreement remains $100-million short of the Governor’s original proposal, but a far departure from their earlier rejection. We welcome this necessary action and urge legislators to “go the distance” as recommended by the governor. The Children’s Campaign also urges lawmakers to consider other sources of funding. Advocacy to utilize the rainy day fund has not yet been successful. There is still time for legislative leaders to find revenue to offset more of the proposed cuts.
Statement of Priorities
Every year, passage of the state budget is the legislature’s most important act. It renders irrelevant the platitudes and the photo-ops of elected officials. Budgets are a clear and direct statement of priorities. Budgets allow citizens to truly understand their legislators’ collective vision for the future.
Governor Crist’s January State of the State address outlined “five priorities” that must stand as “ pillars that must be in place for us to be strong: Healthy Families; World Class Schools; Safe Neighborhoods; A Vibrant Economy; and Sustainable Natural Resources.” As is clear to all who read them, four of these five “pillars” rely directly on investment in our children. We are all aware that the Governor’s signature will soon be requested to finalize these massive cuts in Florida’s children’s programs.
When it comes to policy makers and the budget, especially this budget, we should all keep Albert Einstein’s words in mind: “Don't listen to their words, fix your attention on their deeds.”
Non-Budget Bills and News by Promise Area
Proposals outside the budget process also saw action this week. Here are some of the latest developments in each of the five promise areas.
Promise 1: Maternal, Infant and Children’s Health
Autism Off Track?
SB 2654 (Geller) was approved by the Senate on Wednesday. The bill would require health insurance plans to provide cover autism spectrum disorder and protects those with Autism from the denial of insurance coverage. While the Senate moved this bill briskly through to completion, House action is not so clear cut. Under Speaker Rubio’s leadership the House companion bill has been altered to strip insurance protections from the bill in favor of allowing all families with autistic children to access KidCare insurance. KidCare advocates and some legislators are expressing concern with this approach. Such a step would increase costs and allow high-income families to access KidCare benefits, thereby reducing the number of poor children who could participate in the program. With House and Senate bills now differing so substantially, enactment of an autism bill in this session becomes more difficult. Action is needed.
Promise 2: Child Protection
Children’s Zones Passes
Legislation to bring Children’s Zones to Florida, has passed both the Senate and the House. The proposal awaits only Governor Crist’s signature to become law. Following its enactment, local governments will establish special areas to coordinate governmental programs while providing mentoring and other support to children. House and Senate sponsors, Rep. Bendross-Mindingall and Sen. Bullard, deserve recognition and thanks for successfully navigating the funding for this project through their respective chambers in this incredibly difficult session. Final funding details will be worked out but the range will most likely fall between $3.6 – 4.0-million.
Promise 3: Early Care and Education
Pre-K Now Report
The annual state-by-state comparison of state pre-k leadership efforts was released by Pre-K Now and posted on their website www.preknow.org. The report lauds Governor Crist for his support of degreed teachers and mentions the efforts of Children’s Campaign, Inc. in support of the initiative. As stated in the report, “Florida Governor Charlie Crist (R), despite an estimated FY09 budget deficit of $3.4 billion, is proposing to increase funding for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) by $32 million of which $24 million would restore cuts made by the legislature in FY08. He has also come out in support of a bachelor’s degree requirement for pre-k teachers, responding to the concerns of advocates and citizens who have made this a very public issue.” PreK Now Leadership Matters Report, April 2008
Promise 5: Juvenile Justice
Controversial Detention Bill
The progress of SB 792 and HB 273 is counterproductive in its impact but it did pass the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. Children’s Campaign, Inc. along with the Florida Association of Counties continues opposition and have engaged in serious discussions with key Senate leaders. Children’s Campaign, Inc. this week challenged the fiscal impact numbers released by the Department of Juvenile Justice. The fiscal impact on public defenders, state attorneys and the courts for thousands of additional hearings to be held each year has not been provided. There is no doubt that the bill if passed will add to an already serious problem in Florida of minority over-representation in the state’s juvenile justice system. An April 22 Palm Beach Post story highlighted concerns with the bill.
Blueprint Bill Boosted
The Blueprint Commission Bill (HB 7087) passed in the House with three amendments by its sponsor, Representative Needelman (R-Melbourne). The bill’s amendments focus on the Redirection Program, a program designed to provide an alternative to residential treatment for eligible youth. The amendments removed language that would keep girls who had been tried for domestic violence from being eligible for the Redirection Program, clarified that the Redirection Program must provide community-based services that have been identified as model programs as determined by nationally recognized research, including valid study methodologies, and must have demonstrated effectiveness beyond the treatment stage.
To read bills for each of the Promise areas simply click on the Promise of interest:
1. Promise 1 - Pre-natal, Infant, and Child Health Care
2. Promise 2 - Safety, Permanence, and Services to Children in Out-of-Home Settings
3. Promise 3 - High Quality Pre-K, Child Care, and Early Learning Opportunities
4. Promise 4 - Safe and Enriching Before and After-School Experience
5. Promise 5 - Delinquency Prevention Programs and Services to Treat Children with Problem
Legislative Update was brought to you by:
Roy Miller, President
Christen Smiley, Communications Coordinator
Amanda Ostrander, Legislative Update
We acknowledge the entire Legislative Team of Children’s Campaign, Inc. who work tirelessly during legislative session on behalf of Florida’s children.