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Health & Fitness

A Hole in the Safety Net: City Threatens to Defund 9 Nonprofit Programs

The social services funding subcommittee is proposing to eliminate funding for nine key nonprofit programs without a clear rationale.

Though city social services funding made up less than 1 percent of the city's annual budget (approximately $281,000) during the 2010-11 fiscal year, this critical funding source directly supports a diverse safety net of program offerings and services to meet the varied needs of our whole population, especially our most vulnerable groups, including youth, elderly and disabled people.

While many of the programs funded through city social services money meet broad, population-wide needs like hunger and dental care, other funded agencies provide very specific, niche services, for example, responding to reports of elder abuse complaints for seniors living in residential or nursing care. At its core, social services funding helps maintain the dignity and human rights of our population by ensuring that no matter their circumstances or demographics, our citizens can count on the basic services they need. 

Unfortunately, this vital pool of social services funding has been under a steady attack and now faces a proposed 20 percent cut on top of the 20 percent cumulative cuts suffered over the past two fiscal years. However, this year, the nature of proposed cuts is significantly more threatening and insidious. Unlike previous funding cycles, when funded programs were cut equally across the board, the social services funding subcommittee is now proposing to make said cuts by completely eliminating funding for nine key nonprofit programs without a clear or consistent rationale.

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In a memorandum released by the subcommittee last Thursday, the council emphasized that in this year of exceptional need and high demand for funding, it would only recommend funding for programs that are "vital to the health and welfare of the community." To be seriously considered for funding this year, committee members emphasized that programs must "help vulnerable people access sufficient resources to lead a healthy and successful life or prevent the circumstances that put them at risk."

Considering the funding principles set forth by the subcommittee, it is unsettling to learn that the subcommittee is proposing to eliminate all city funding for the following nine programs: 

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  • Advocacy, Inc.
  • Central Coast Center for Independent Living
  • Dientes Community Dental Care
  • Family Service Agency
  • Parents Center
  • Pajaro Valley Health Trust
  • The Santa Cruz County Office of Education
  • The Volunteer Centers of Santa Cruz County
  • The YWCA's Child Care Division.

Other programs facing substantial cuts include Salud Para La Gente (currently fighting a 64 percent cut) and the Pajaro Valley Children’s Center (facing a 41 percent cut).

Far from being non-essential "extras," these programs provide our citizens with most basic services, such full service dental care for low-income and uninsured parents (Dientes) and suicide prevention (Family Services Agency of the Central Coast). At the same time the city is proposing to defund these core programs, it is recommending an increase in funds for non-essential arts and student exchange programs and are offering several nonprofit programs more funding than they requested.

The subcommittee has offered no clear explanation for these recommendations, a decision that may leave the members vulnerable at this Tuesday's budget hearing, when they are expected to field some tough questions about their process of determining which programs would be cut. Adding to a sense of public distrust surrounding projected cuts is the secretive nature of the funding process in Watsonville, where, unlike other jurisdictions, the subcommittee meets behind closed doors to generate its recommendations.

A final controversial topic at this week's budget hearing will likely revolve around a $3,000 increase in funding for the United Way's 2-1-1, a centralized referral system where individuals in need of assistance can speak with trained specialists to locate services. Detractors of this funding recommendation emphasize the irony of funding a referral program while putting core, direct services in jeopardy. What will happen when, for example, a low-income mom calls the 2-1-1 hotline seeking dental care for her child and is told that Dientes had to close their doors?

Watsonville residents who are concerned about the future of the social services they depend on, now have the chance to reverse these recommendations and demand a clear and transparent funding process. Residents can make calls to their City Council member or attend the budget hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, May 24, at 4 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, located at 275 Main St. No. 400 (fourth floor). While each agency slated to be defunded will be offered just one minute to speak on its behalf, the public comment segment will afford concerned citizens the opportunity to defend programs and services that are crucial for their health and well-being.

To find your council member: visit: ci.watsonville.ca.us/departments/council/council.html.

—Laney

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