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More Cash Needed For Human Services

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: 13A

Saturday, November 27, 2004
League of Women Voters of Dane County Frances Bicknell

It is true that there were some funding increases. However, many of them are for new consumers: for example, vocational services for the 2005 high school graduates with disabilities. Other new funding merely "annualized" the costs for those who entered long-term care during 2004. (Think of the old joke: If you are losing money on every "widget" produced, does it help to make more "widgets"?)

These increases do not address the constant erosion of services over the past 15 years, when inflation has increased by about 42 percent and funding for the agencies that provide the services has only increased by about 29 percent -- a gap of almost 1 percent per year. This loss of funding due to inflation has affected all agencies under contract to provide services. It is important to realize that over 80 percent of the county human services budget provides for children (23 percent) or for adults in need of long-term care (57 percent).

In addition to losses due to inflation, the agencies serving people with developmental disabilities were cut about 4 percent for this year, and almost another 1 percent for 2005. This is somewhat balanced by the guarantee of a living wage (at 100 percent of the poverty level for a family of four) for employees of the contract agencies. The county budget also includes a 1 percent increase for agency employees who earn 101 percent to 150 percent of poverty level wages (even though true inflationary increases would have been about 2.4 percent). There is no increase, for any agencies, to meet higher costs for health insurance, rent, repairs, utilities or wage increases for staff members who make over $13.60 per hour.

The fiscal pressures are great. Agencies report that in past years, small wage increases were possible if health costs were contained through higher co-pays and deductibles. If health coverage was maintained, there were no wage increases. Agencies have also cut staff members or staff time. An informal poll showed that 18 agencies had cut 74.75 positions. Others had cut their workers' schedules to 80 percent of full time. Some agencies have cut both staff positions and staff hours. Workers are trying to serve the same number of people, in a safe and effective way, with less time to do so. Many are also working second jobs. We are not rewarding our most faithful workers.

All of the cuts have an adverse effect on the lives of the people served. They are subject to multiple staff changes as staff turnover increases. The new workers are not as experienced and there is less time for training.

There are also increased news reports of criminal convictions for abuse. These abuses have included improper drug dosages, keeping a client quiet by stuffing her mouth with clothing, as well as financial and even sexual abuse. These reports are doubly sad: the abuse itself and the adverse reflection on the many dedicated workers who serve faithfully and well.

Then there are the known waiting lists! About 1,000 individuals who are disabled or frail elderly are waiting for services. Some can receive limited support services while they wait. Others are living with aging parents or other family members. Some must go to nursing homes.

Failing to fund services has many consequences. People who do not get appropriate mental health services may be among the homeless or in jail. Many individuals with disabilities or mental illness cannot work if they do not receive proper support and treatment. Some family members, and particularly single parents, may be unable to work if there are no after-school programs for children and teenagers, or support services for adults who are disabled or frail elderly. The loss of prevention services for children will bring unknown future costs for all of us.

* We continue to believe, as Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said: "Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."