COMMENTARY
FLORIDA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
Archdiocese of Miami + Diocese of St. Augustine + Diocese of St. Petersburg + Diocese of Orlando + Diocese of Pensacola/Tallahassee + Diocese of Palm Beach + Diocese of Venice
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1 / September 1985
Children In Need |
"What is at stake in childhood and in concern for the child is the fate and the destiny of the person, of human life and existence. The child is a sign of the mystery of life and a testing-ground of the authenticity of our respect for the mystery of life. Every child is in some way a sign of the hope of humanity." Pope John Paul II in his April 1984 address to the Executive Council of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).During the past year, much attention was given to what was seen as a crisis for children in daycare in our state. All of our citizens have a heightened awareness of the dangerous climate for children due to an escalation in abductions, physical abuse and sexual exploitation. Recent deaths of children in state foster care have generated another sense of crisis which now shifts the focus of attention to the inadequacies of Florida's child welfare system.
How does our state assist families in crisis?
Who are the children at risk?
What can be done to prevent neglect, abuse and exploitation?
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES |
. . . COMPARISON OF FLORIDA'S PER CAPITA EXPENDITURES WITH THE 50 OTHER STATES,
(Federal Expenditures by State for Fiscal Year 1984, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau
of the Census)
Medicaid
47th
Social Services Block Grant 48th
AFDC Payments
43rd
Housing Assistance
45th
Since our first edition of Facts on Florida Welfare eight years ago,
Florida has moved from 49th to 43rd in AFDC payments, and from 49th to 47th in Medicaid.
FAMILY OF THREE WITH NO OUTSIDE INCOME |
MONTH YEAR AFDC1 $240 * $2,880 Food Stamps2 $208 $2,496 Totals $448 $5,376 (This is well below the $8,460 Office of Management and Budget federal poverty level for 1984).3 * Will increase 5% in January 1986 |
| References: 1. DHRS Rule 10 C 1.103, 12/l/84 2. DHRS - HRSM 165-6 L, Appendix A 3. Fifth Annual Review of Poverty Law, 1/85, Table 5, p. 969 |
CHILDREN IN POOR FAMILIES |
60% of the people on state cash assistance are in |
|
AVERAGE SIZE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FAMILY
|
AFDC - The AFDC program is the state cash
assistance program for poor children. Only single parent families may qualify and
the eligibility levels are very restrictive. To qualify, a family of three (mother
with two children), must have an income less than the current payment level of $240 per
month. The average length of time on AFDC in Florida is 30 months.2
Although there is an unemployed parent program authorized by Florida law, it
is not funded This would provide help for intact families not otherwise
qualified. Twenty-four other states provide this coverage.3
Other optional programs provided in many other states which are unfunded in Florida
include cash assistance for students in AFDC families over the age of 18 and cash
assistance for women pregnant with their first child before the 6th month of pregnancy.
Intact Families - Families with both parents in the home are not eligible
for AFDC. This policy leads to broken families and an escalating number of children
in long-term foster care.
PRINCIPAL PROGRAMS AVAILABLE IN FLORIDA |
MEDICAID . . . Certain medical care for low income persons. FOOD STAMPS . . . A nutritional program to assist in the purchasing of necessary food. The degree of assistance depends upon individual income and expenses. SOCIAL SERVICES . . . Other specialized services to help the poor and disabled (such as adoption, foster care, prevention of child abuse, etc.) AFDC . . . Aid to Families with Dependent Children (Cash payments for needy children who are deprived of the support of one or both parents.) S.S.I., and O.S.S . . . Supplemental Security Income (cash payments to the blind, aged, permanently and totally disabled). Minimal additional payments for special care for dependent children and adults are provided through O.S.S. |
ACTION NEEDED-CASH ASSISTANCE
State 1. Implementation of a Title
IV Emergency Assistance Program for families in financial crisis due to loss of
employment, ill health or other emergencies. Under this available state option benefits
are limited to 30 days in any 12 month and 50% of the cost is reimbursed by the
federal government. (The estimated annualized cost to the state would be $1.9
million).4
2.
Incremental increases in the AFDC payment level to reach 100% of the standard of need.
3.
Expansion of the AFDC program to cover unemployed parents.
Federal 1. No further reductions in AFDC coverage.
2.
Reinstatement of AFDC assistance for the first five months of pregnancy.
HUNGER
The federally-funded Food Stamp Program, as administered by the State of
Florida, provides food stamp coupons to 586,7685 persons.
The results of a recent hunger survey commissioned by the Dade County Board of
County Commissioners concluded that there is hunger among families who receive food
stamps, and that food stamps are not enough to insure adequate access to food supply.6
| References: 1. Report of Direct Assistance Programs, DHRS, 6/854. Florida's Homeless, A Plan for Action, P. 101, 6/l/85 2. DHRS, ES computer run against APR system, 6/255. DHRS, FNS-256 participation survey, 1/85 3. American Children in Poverty, Children's Defense Fund, p.656. Draft Of Dade County Hunger Survey, 1/3/85 4. Florida's Homeless, A Plan for Action, p. 101, 6/1/85 5. DHRS, FNS-256 participation survey, 1/85 6. Draft of Dade County Hunger Survey, 1,3,85 |
Large numbers of poor families use up their monthly allotment of food stamps and turn to soup kitchens and food closets run by churches and voluntary agencies in the community. Many poor people who are eligible do not use food stamps for varying reasons, among which are difficulties encountered in certification and demeaning public attitudes toward "people on food stamps". Over 65% of the eligible persons on AFDC or SSI are not receiving food stamps 1
ACTION NEEDED - HUNGER
Federal 1. No further reductions be made in the food stamp and other food and
nutrition programs at the federal level.
State 1. Department of HRS reach out to more
poor families with information regarding the availability and eligibility for the
food stamp program.
2.
State expansion of the existing federally funded nutritional programs, including WIC,
school breakfast and school lunch programs.
DEPENDENT CHILDREN
Child Abuse - In FY 1984-85 the Department of HRS had abuse
referrals on 40,262 children.2 Sexual abuse of
children in unlicensed daycare centers was the focus of much attention last year, but most
child abuse happens in family situations, either by family members, relatives or friends.
The state should do more to protect children in out of home situations, but
the question remains, what to do about family abuse? More can be done to rid our
state of pedophiles and child pornographers. We could also begin to improve the
climate for children in our state by ridding our communities of pornographic materials in
movie theaters, bookstores and nightclubs. Parents can
prevent their children from viewing obscene or violent material on television. There
should also be more programs of assistance to children and family members who are involved
in abusive situations.
Dependent Children in State Care3
162,161 dependent children were referred to the Department of
HRS in FY 84-85
8,201 children were placed under
protective supervision by DHRS in FY 1984-85.
20,614 Florida children were runaways in 1984.4
1,000 1985 monthly average of
children in state shelter care.
6,200 1985 monthly average of
children in state foster care.
Foster care admissions are escalating. Last year, admissions averaged
300 per month. In January 1985 there were over 500 monthly admissions.
Reasons for Removal from Family5 |
| Neglect
70% Abuse 19% Runaway, truant, ungovernable 11% |
State and federal laws require that once a child is
removed from the family and placed in foster care efforts be made to reunite the child
with the natural parents, through performance agreements and judicial reviews at six month
intervals. If after eighteen months efforts to reunited the child with the
natural parents have failed the Department is required to initiate proceedings to
terminate parental rights and free the child for adoption.
Because of a failure to comply with federal law (P.L. 96-272) regarding
timely judicial reviews Florida was sanctioned and lost $1.8 million in federal child
welfare funds this year and will lose an additional $2.3 million annually until the system
is improved.
The most cost-effective method of providing for children at risk of
dependence upon the state would be to offer more support services to the families in
crisis. Once a child is removed from the home the cost of foster care can range from
$3,000 to $8,000 annually, depending upon the type of care. For some children,
removal from the family can mean an escalation of emotional problems which inevitably
leads to the more costly provision of psychiatric care or involvement with the criminal
justice system.
| References: 1. DHRS, FNS-256 participation survey, 1/85 2. GY04IL5, 7/9/85, run 7/20/85 3. CYF, DHRS monthly statistical reports, 1984-85 4. Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, Inc. 5. DHRS, CIS, CYF Substitute Care Quarterly Statistics Report, 2/5/85 |
Adoption - There will always be a need for out of-home
care for children who are in abusive situations, have been abandoned or are seriously
neglected. The state now has custody of 682 children whose parental rights have been
terminated.1 These children have a right to a
permanent home. More emphasis must be placed on finding adoptive homes for the hundreds of
children for whom there is no possibility of return to their own families. Many of these
are children with "special needs" -- disabled or over age eight, black or
bi-racial, or members of sibling groups.
Of the over 2,000 adoptive placements
in Florida in 1984, it is estimated that the Department of HRS and licensed agencies
placed 1,300 children in adoptive homes, of these 718 were children with special needs.2
The Florida Adoption Exchange, a cooperative program between the Department
of HRS and licensed child-placing agencies in the state has had great success In placing
these special needs children. More emphasis needs to be placed on outreach to black
families who could provide homes for the many black children who are now in state foster
care.
ACTION NEEDED- DEPENDENT CHILDREN |
1. Provision of more in-home services for
families in crisis. In addition to cash assistance payments to intact families there is a
need for additional homemaker services, daycare, transportation and employment and
training services.
2. Some of the recommendations made by the Florida Clearinghouse on Human Services
for improvements in Florida's child welfare system are: 3
a.. improved case management to include contracting for services
with voluntary agencies.
b. establishing local children's ombudsman councils or
review boards.
c. restructuring and strengthening the office of
licensure and monitoring.
d. ongoing expert recruitment and training for staff and
foster parents.
e. more adequate reimbursement for staff and caretakers.
f. provision for access to medical care for all
children in care.
| References: 1. CYF, DM monthly statistical reports, 84-85 2. CYF, DHRS, B. DeGrove 3. Recommended Strategies for Change, Florida Clearinghouse on Human Services |
