The Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter, which provides an array of services to local children, stands to lose half of the money Hamilton County provides for its group home and, eventually, all its county funding.
Social services director Judi Byrd said the county is redirecting the money it spends on the shelter to different priorities.
“The issue is the county’s priority is to no longer support and subsidize children in state custody,” she said.
In budget hearings May 11, the Children’s Services Advisory Committee recommended slicing annual county funding for the facility in half, to $97,660. Shelter President and CEO Philip Acord asked that support stay the same.
“Hamilton County contends they are the only county supporting a program involving children in state custody,” Mr. Acord said. “My response is, Hamilton County is doing a lot of neat things.” He said the county has funded the residential program for more than 100 years.
On Tuesday, Mr. Acord and Executive Director Elizabeth Pelton said only Chambliss and the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults provide group-home care to juvenile delinquents in state custody. The state pays 70 percent of the costs, Mr. Acord said.
Ms. Pelton said the home is allowed to house only eight children at a time.
Ms. Byrd said the county in 2007 re-evaluated its priorities to focus on keeping the mentally ill out of jail, preventing youth violence and crime and focusing on early childhood development and parenting education. The group home does not fall within those priorities, she said.
FAST FACTS* The Chambliss Shelter is a residential program for children ages 6 to 18 removed from their homes because of drugs, alcohol or abuse. The Children’s Home is an early childhood education and care program.* Total 2009 budget of Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter is $3.9 million.* Source: Ch-cs.org
Partnership Chief Executive Sandra Hollett says the group is redirecting its share of county money for delinquent youth to in-home care.
“We believe the future of youth services and the way to truly make a difference is to intervene,” she said.
County Commission Chairman Fred Skillern said he would be glad to listen to Chambliss Shelter officials regarding their funding. But he said he would favor the recommendations of Mayor Claude Ramsey and the Children’s Services Advisory Committee.
The committee also recommended fully funding two other Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter programs: A 3.8 percent increase for the extended child care program and maintenance of funding for the Maurice Kirby Child Care program.
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