Saturday, January 16, 2010
STUDY: CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES AFFECTED BY SC BUDGET CUTS
Yvonne Wenger writes in "Study: Children's health services affected":
Hundreds of thousands of South Carolina children are doing without health care, going hungry, coping on their own with mental health problems and lacking intervention for addictions and pregnancies.
And in neglecting the needs of children, the state is failing itself by adding more costs long-term and stunting South Carolina's prosperity, former Democratic Gov. Dick Riley said Monday.
Riley's comments came with the release of a new report, "The children's budget: behind the numbers," which measures the impact state budget cuts have had on the services provided to children. The report was put out by South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center with the backing of about 65 advocacy groups.
"Hungry children can't learn; sick children can't excel," Riley said. "We must step up to the plate as a state and do what's best for our children."
The report's release coincides with the Legislature's return to session today. Each legislator will be given a copy of the report and the advocacy groups will push for the state to restore programs and services to children, Sue Berkowitz, director of Appleseed Legal Justice Center, said.
Berkowitz said the state must re-evaluate how it raises revenue and decide whether to make changes in taxation to meet the needs of children.
The report found:
• More than 22,000 fewer children will receive community-based mental health services in 2010 than in 2007.
• An expansion of state Children's Health Insurance Program has room for 70,000 children, but only 16,000 are enrolled. The Department of Health and Human Services is suppressing enrollment as a cost-saving measure, according to the report.
• The Department of Social Services has not had an increase in its workforce since 1993 despite the fact that the number of individuals who receive food stamps has almost doubled since that time to 745,307 individuals, including approximately 360,000 children.
• Nearly 2,000 individuals are on the waiting list to receive Medicaid-funded mental retardation, autism and head and spinal cord services through the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
• Fewer than half of the approximately 18,500 children who suffer from substance abuse in the state will get help through the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services in this fiscal year.
• Approximately, 5,000 teens at risk of getting pregnant will not receive counseling, after-school programs and guidance to help them complete school because teen pregnancy prevention funds have been cut in half.
The coalition of advocacy groups that back the report have not adopted recommendations with regard to taxes, but John Ruoff, program director for South Carolina Fair Share, said legislators must consider some alternatives to raising money. Such ideas include removing the cap on sales tax for cars and adding a surcharge to people who earn $500,000 or more, he said.
BY THE NUMBERS
45 — South Carolina's ranking nationally for overall child wellbeing.
25 — The percentage of incoming ninth- graders who drop out of high school.
10 — The percentage of children who fail first, second or third grade.
26 — The percentage of children younger than six who live in poverty.
13 — The percentage of children younger than 17 who had no health insurance in 2007.
33 — The percentage of children between 10 and 17 who are obese.
Source: "The children's budget: behind the numbers" by the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center
And in neglecting the needs of children, the state is failing itself by adding more costs long-term and stunting South Carolina's prosperity, former Democratic Gov. Dick Riley said Monday.
Riley's comments came with the release of a new report, "The children's budget: behind the numbers," which measures the impact state budget cuts have had on the services provided to children. The report was put out by South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center with the backing of about 65 advocacy groups.
"Hungry children can't learn; sick children can't excel," Riley said. "We must step up to the plate as a state and do what's best for our children."
The report's release coincides with the Legislature's return to session today. Each legislator will be given a copy of the report and the advocacy groups will push for the state to restore programs and services to children, Sue Berkowitz, director of Appleseed Legal Justice Center, said.
Berkowitz said the state must re-evaluate how it raises revenue and decide whether to make changes in taxation to meet the needs of children.
The report found:
• More than 22,000 fewer children will receive community-based mental health services in 2010 than in 2007.
• An expansion of state Children's Health Insurance Program has room for 70,000 children, but only 16,000 are enrolled. The Department of Health and Human Services is suppressing enrollment as a cost-saving measure, according to the report.
• The Department of Social Services has not had an increase in its workforce since 1993 despite the fact that the number of individuals who receive food stamps has almost doubled since that time to 745,307 individuals, including approximately 360,000 children.
• Nearly 2,000 individuals are on the waiting list to receive Medicaid-funded mental retardation, autism and head and spinal cord services through the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
• Fewer than half of the approximately 18,500 children who suffer from substance abuse in the state will get help through the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services in this fiscal year.
• Approximately, 5,000 teens at risk of getting pregnant will not receive counseling, after-school programs and guidance to help them complete school because teen pregnancy prevention funds have been cut in half.
The coalition of advocacy groups that back the report have not adopted recommendations with regard to taxes, but John Ruoff, program director for South Carolina Fair Share, said legislators must consider some alternatives to raising money. Such ideas include removing the cap on sales tax for cars and adding a surcharge to people who earn $500,000 or more, he said.
BY THE NUMBERS
45 — South Carolina's ranking nationally for overall child wellbeing.
25 — The percentage of incoming ninth- graders who drop out of high school.
10 — The percentage of children who fail first, second or third grade.
26 — The percentage of children younger than six who live in poverty.
13 — The percentage of children younger than 17 who had no health insurance in 2007.
33 — The percentage of children between 10 and 17 who are obese.
Source: "The children's budget: behind the numbers" by the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center
This is alarming news. But, we can't help thinking that if South Carolina would make more of an effort to collect the child support arrearages, that many of these children would lead better lives.
Labels: Child Support Collection
