FROM THE TENNESSEE COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH:

Budget Reductions and Reallocations

Affecting Supports for Children and Families

EDUCATION

Family Resource Centers Eliminate recurring funding for 104 family resource centers, which provide information on issues such as parent training, crisis intervention, respite care, and counseling needs for families of children with behavioral/emotional disorders. The resource centers will receive non-recurring appropriations in fiscal year 2009-2010.

Safe Schools Reduce recurring funding to LEAs for school safety grants. School systems that currently employ a school resource officer will continue to receive those recurring funds. The four urban school systems - Memphis City, Metro Nashville, Knox County, and Hamilton County - will receive approximately 50 percent of their normal allocation on a recurring basis. TCA 49-6-4302 and TCA 49-1-214 state the department must have a safety center for data collection and reports but grants are subject to appropriation. A non-recurring appropriation will be used in fiscal year 2009-2010 to maintain full funding to these school systems.

Coordinated School Health Abolish two filled and four vacant Coordinated School Health positions and related recurring funding. Funding for the two positions required in TCA 49-6-1022 will not be reduced. Recurring grant funding for health coordinator positions and programs at the local education agencies (LEAs) will be eliminated. A non-recurring appropriation will provide grant funds to the LEAs and funding for the two filled positions in fiscal year 2009-2010.

HEALTH

Shaken Baby Syndrome Eliminate funding for shaken baby syndrome awareness and prevention programs, including providing pamphlets about the dangers of shaking a baby. Awareness of the dangers of shaking a baby has increased in the general population to the point that the elimination of this program would not be a detriment to infant mortality and morbidity rates. These programs will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $30,600 in non-recurring funds.

Minority Health Initiative Eliminate funding for the minority health initiative grants. These grants provide funding to agencies to find ways to eliminate health disparities and increase access of minorities to health care options. Health disparity elimination and increased access to care can be encouraged through other existing programs. The grants will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $860,100 in non-recurring funds.

Elimination of CHAD Funding (DCS Proposal) Elimination of interdepartmental funding from the Department of Children's Services (DCS) for the child health and development (CHAD) program. This reduction results in a state dollar savings of $838,100 in DCS (see DCS Reduction Plan #2).

Elimination of Healthy Start (DCS Proposal) Elimination of interdepartmental funding from the Department of Children's Services for the healthy start program. This program targets first-time parents and places emphasis on health promotion, the prevention of child abuse, and neglect through a home visitation model. In fiscal year 2006-2007, this program served approximately 1,500 Tennessee families. This reduction results in a state dollar savings of $3,060,100 in DCS (see DCS Reduction Plan #15).

HUMAN SERVICES

Child Care Reduce available child care for individuals at risk of becoming TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) clients. Clients in the at-risk category have exhausted the Families First child care and transitional Families First child care benefits. For fiscal year 2009-2010, this category will be funded with non-recurring appropriations.

CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Family Support Services Reduce contracts with organizations that provide a network of support services, including counseling, parenting classes, and intervention and prevention services for non-custodial families within the Department of Children's Services' 13 regions. This reduction will require the regions to reduce operational expenditures through more effective utilization of resources. The contracts will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $1,300,000 in non-recurring funds.

Child Health and Development (CHAD) Eliminate the Child Health and Development program. Currently, the Department of Children's Services partially funds the CHAD program through an interdepartmental grant to the Department of Health. The CHAD home visiting program serves over 1,000 families in 22 counties each year. The CHAD program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $838,100 in non-recurring funds.

Juvenile Justice Court Prevention Grants Eliminate recurring state appropriation for grants to juvenile courts that provide programs focusing on delinquency and truancy prevention. The grants will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $5,245,400 in non-recurring funds.

University Training Consortium Reduce the multi-school social worker training consortium comprised of social work programs from 13 Tennessee universities. This reduction will have no impact on the department's efforts for accreditation by the Council on Accreditation or the Brian A. settlement agreement.

Justice System Alternatives Contract Eliminate funding for the Justice System Alternatives contract. This contract provided consulting services for developing a strategic plan for the juvenile justice system, including alternatives and implementing a best practice model. The contracted services have been completed.

Juvenile Justice Staff Abolish 25 administrative and operational staff positions within the youth development centers. These positions will include non-direct service security staff. The 15 filled administrative and operational positions will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $801,000 in non-recurring funds.

Juvenile Justice Program Coordinators Abolish three vacant juvenile justice program coordinator positions. The other funding, from the TennCare program, is comprised of $29,100 in state appropriation and $52,400 in federal funds. (See Bureau of TennCare reduction #18.)

Contract Reductions Reduce contracts for residential and foster care services by 4% and other departmental grants and contracts by 15%. This reduction includes a decrease to contracted amounts for administrative, legal, and technical services ($120,500); psychological, counseling, and assessment services ($227,100); relative caregiver services ($585,300); family support services ($1,683,900); custody services ($7,320,000 total, $3,023,200 in state appropriations, $351,300 in federal revenue, and $3,945,500 in interdepartmental revenue from TennCare); community intervention services ($114,600); foster care services ($877,900); adoption and child placement services ($1,137,800); and the University Training Consortium ($1,408,000 in state appropriations, and $1,442,900 in federal revenue). This reduction will preserve the infrastructure of the provider network but reduce the number of children and families served through these contracts. The other funding, from the TennCare program, is comprised of $1,391,500 in state appropriations and $2,554,000 in federal funds. (See Bureau of TennCare reduction #18.) The contracts and grants will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $9,178,300 in non-recurring funds.

County Over-Commitment Recoup the costs from counties that commit children to state custody for the dependent/neglect population and/or the delinquent population at over 200% of the statewide average. The counties would pay the state dollar cost for a year for every child committed over 200%. The Administration is proposing legislation on this reduction.

Community Intervention and Short-Term Services Eliminate community intervention services (CIS) contracts ($2,185,000) with organizations that provide intensive probation and supervision services to at-risk youth. A recurring reduction will be made to the letter of authorization (LOA) program ($500,000) that provides short-term medical and evaluation services for children at risk of entering state custody while TennCare eligibility determinations are made. Currently, $1,000,000 in state appropriations is budgeted for this program. However, the department incurs expenditures of $500,000 annually. The CIS contracts and the LOA program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $2,685,000 in non-recurring funds.

Administrative and Operational Staff Abolish 114 administrative and operational staff positions throughout the department. This reduction will include non-caseload carrying case managers in Child and Family Management. The other funding, from the TennCare program, is comprised of $1,003,400 in state appropriations and $1,883,300 in federal funds. (See Bureau of TennCare reduction #18.) The 34 filled administrative and operational positions will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $1,065,600 in non-recurring funds.

Healthy Start Eliminate an interdepartmental grant to the Department of Health for the Healthy Start program. This program focuses on health-related issues and does not necessarily impact children at risk of entering state custody. The Healthy Start Program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $3,060,100 in non-recurring funds.

Group Homes Close the nine Department of Children's Services Group Homes. Children in these homes will be cared for through residential services contracts. This reduction includes an increase in residential services contract expenditures to care for children currently in DCS group homes. There is minimal impact to this reduction due to services being provided through contract. The net effect of this reduction will result in state dollar savings of $118,700 in the Bureau of TennCare. The nine group homes and associated filled positions will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $5,611,000 in non-recurring funds.

Youth Development Center Beds Reduce recurring state appropriations for a portion of the beds at Taft and Mountain View youth development centers. This reduction includes the abolishment of 97 administrative and operational staff positions. Under current law, the department is required to provide services to certain youthful offenders until the age of 19. However, this reduction includes the termination of services for youth over the age of 18 housed in these facilities. These youth development center beds and staff positions are funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $5,045,100 in non-recurring funds. This reduction is dependent on an amendment to TCA 37-5-103, which is proposed in Administration legislation.

Relative Caregiver and Other Contracts Reduce recurring state appropriations for contracts associated with the relative caregiver program. This program encourages relative placement of children at risk of entering DCS custody. This program provides services to relative caregivers, including information, educational workshops, counseling and support groups, family advocacy, outreach, and financial assistance. The contracts will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $2,818,200 in non-recurring funds.

Administrative and Operational Staff Reduce recurring state appropriations for administrative and operational staff throughout the Department of Children's Services. This reduction will include non-caseload carrying case managers in Child and Family Management. The other funding, from the TennCare Program, is comprised of $1,157,900 in state appropriations and $2,150,500 in federal funds. The positions will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $3,651,300 in non-recurring funds.

MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (INCLUDES SUBSTANCE ABUSE) 

recurring state appropriations to diversion providers for mental health crisis services. A portion of this reduction will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $311,300 in non-recurring funds.

Regional Mental Health Institutes Reduce recurring state appropriations for patient units, bed capacity, and staffing at the five regional mental health institutes. Maintain one acute and one sub-acute inpatient services unit at Lakeshore Mental Health Institute in fiscal year 2009-2010 using non-recurring funds. Maintain one acute unit at Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute in fiscal year 2009-2010 using non-recurring funds. Maintain one sub-acute unit at Western Mental Health Institute in fiscal year 2009-2010 using nonrecurring funds. Maintain one acute unit at Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute in fiscal year 2009-2010 using non-recurring funds. Maintain staff at Memphis Mental Health Institute in fiscal year 2009-2010 using non-recurring funds.

Early Childhood Network Reduce recurring state appropriations for the early childhood network. This program provided mental health services to children and families in Rutherford and Maury counties. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $144,500 in non-recurring funds.

Alcohol and Drug Counseling in Schools Eliminate recurring state appropriations for contracts with the Department of Education for the mental health school-based liaisons program providing alcohol and drug counseling for students in selected school settings. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $53,600 in non-recurring funds.

Community Training Staff and Events Reduce recurring state appropriations for community alcohol and drug and mental health staff and training events. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $102,000 in non-recurring funds.

Child Care Consultation Eliminate recurring state appropriations for child care consultation. This program provides training and technical assistance to child care provider staff. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $163,000 in non-recurring funds.

Planned Respite Services Eliminate recurring state appropriations for planned respite services. This program supports caregivers who provide direct respite services to children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) to give family members rest. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $114,000 in non-recurring funds.

Teen Screen Eliminate recurring state appropriations for the teen screen program. This program is a national mental health and suicide risk screening program for youth where families of youth who received screens suggesting mental health problems are given referrals to appropriate mental health resources. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $115,000 in non-recurring funds.

Peer Power Eliminate recurring state appropriations for the peer power program. This is an evidence-based program for children that provides violence prevention skills, teaching empathy, impulse control, decision-making skills and anger management. The program will be funded in fiscal year 2009-2010 with $100,000 in non-recurring funds.

Recovery Services - Homeless, Family Support, Employment, and Housing Eliminate homeless, consumer family support, employment, recovery and housing evidence-based services for persons diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI).

Mental Health Crisis Services - Diversion Providers Reduce mental health crisis diversion and continuum of care services.

Services to Children and Special Populations Reduce mental health services to children and other special populations. These programs provide evidence-based services to children, their families, and schools. 

Court-Ordered Juvenile Evaluations Reduce expenditures for court-ordered forensic evaluations for juveniles. These cost savings result from a 2008 court decision that counties are responsible for cost of juvenile court ordered evaluations.

Mobile Crisis Services Reallocate funds to provide a mobile crisis model that evaluates and directs services to all individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, regardless of ability to pay. This reallocation will continue this rapid, community-based response and treatment model to address a mental health crisis before more serious mental damage occurs. This model increases the effectiveness of treatment and reduces the amount of inpatient hospitalization required.

Behavioral Health Safety Net Services - Indigent Persons Reallocate funds for behavioral health safety net services for indigent, uninsured persons experiencing mental illness. Services provided will include outpatient clinical services, pharmacy assistance, and inpatient services for those experiencing serious mental illness.

Crisis Stabilization Units for East and West Regions Reallocate funds to maintain two crisis stabilization units in both the East Tennessee and West Tennessee regions. These four units were recently established as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization at the mental health institutions for people experiencing less severe emotional disturbances.

TCCY