Education, Health and Human Services and Juvenile Justice all hit harder than Governor's budget April 13, 2011
Greetings!
House Appropriations subcommittees released their draft budgets yesterday afternoon. The House's cuts-only approach meant that children's programs and services received deep cuts. There are a few bright spots.
Below is a quick summary of each relevant budget, with a few major items highlighted. More detail, including a line-by-line comparison with the Governor's budget, will be available in the next two days.
This week's Friday conference call will focus on the budget cuts. To join, dial: 1-800-582-3014, then enter passcode 027437636# Also, Tom Vitaglione from Action for Children will be on the call to discuss corporal punishment and expungement bills, as well as comment on the budgets. Health and Human Services Cut 10.7% In 2011-12, the House draft HHS budget cuts $527 million from DHHS, for a total recommended budget of $4.4 billion. This is more than twice what the Governor's budget proposed cutting ($213 million, for a total recommended budget of $4.7 billion). In 2012-13, the House would cut about the same amount as in 2011-12. K-12 Education Cut 8.8% In 2011-12, the House draft K-12 Education budget cuts $694 million for a total recommended budget of $7.2 billion. This is about twice what the Governor recommended cutting ($351 million, for a proposed budget of $7.6 billion). In 2012-13, the House would cut $670 million for a total recommended budget of $7.3 billion. The Governor would cut $325 million for a total recommended budget of $7.6 billion. Juvenile Justice Cut 10% In 2011-12, the House draft juvenile justice budget cuts $15.5 million, for a total recommended budget of $136 million. The Governor recommended cutting $11 million for a total recommended budget of $140 million. In 2012-13, the House would cut $20 million, for a total recommended budget of $131 million. The Governor would cut about the same as in 2011-12. Budget Highlights HHS Division of Child Development (23% cut) - Smart Start is cut 20% ($37.6 million).
- Child care subsidies for families whose parents are in school (as opposed to working) are reduced.
- TANF dollars used for child care subsidy
- More at Four is transferred over from Education
Division of Public Health (3% cut) - School health nurses NOT cut
- Teen pregnancy prevention NOT cut
- Early Intervention: $3.5 million cut
Division of Social Services (9% cut) - Eliminates state funds for county DSS: $5.5 million cut
- Replaces some state funds with federal funds
- Reduces Child Welfare Education Collaborative: $239,000 cut
Medicaid (10% cut) - Mostly follows Governor's recommendations
- Much bigger hit to provider rates: $50 million cut
- Bigger assumed CCNC savings: $80 million
Health Choice (10% cut, but won't reduce services) - Health Choice recommendation pretty much follows the Governor's budget. Savings come from CCNC expansion, not reducing services or benefits to children or capping enrollment.
Mental Health/DD/SAS (9% cut) K-12 Education - Cut teacher assistants except K-1: $259 million
- Eliminates Drop-Out Prevention Grants: $13.3 million
- Cuts More at Four by 20%: $16 million, and moves it into DCD
- Cuts and eliminates some nonprofits
- Other cuts to DPI: $20 million
Juvenile Justice - Eliminates Camp Woodson, Swannanoa YDC, Samarkand YDC and Buncombe Detention: $9.3 million
- Cuts court counselors and chief court counselors: $2.5 million. This staff was hired on federal recovery dollars that have now been expended.
- Eliminates a superintendent, 4 YDC principles and 3 education directors: $682,000
- Funds teachers at 1:8 ratio: $492,000
- Eliminates chaplains, staff development positions, HR and IT positions: $2.2 million
- Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils NOT cut.
- Juvenile Justice is consolidated into the Department of Public Safety.
Sincerely, Action for Children North Carolina |
