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Social Services Representatives Ask Lawmakers For Aid

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By LENORA LAKE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2008

YBOR CITY - Hillsborough County children-and-family advocates today outlined 19 priorities for the 2009 Florida legislative session with local legislators, who warned it will be a tough year.

Social services representatives asked three legislators and aides and representatives of federal officials for help serving growing populations of abandoned children, homeless families and people struggling to make ends meet.

The presentation was at a breakfast attended by about 100 people this morning at the Children's Board of Hillsborough County.

Priorities included protecting funding for child welfare programs, school readiness and voluntary prekindergarten programs, the Community Care for the Elderly program and for mental health and substance abuse.

The priorities were developed after legislative summit in October of about 180 representatives from various social services agencies and the community.

Amy Petrila of the Children's Board said the Florida Kinship Center at the University of South Florida, which serves related caregivers of children, is slated to lose $300,000 in state support in 2009. That would result in a $100,000 loss in matching money from the Children's Board.

Eleven of the priorities, such as including legislation to require insurance coverage of mental health services be equivalent to medical and surgical benefits, would not require funding.

Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan made an impassioned plea to establish a way for extended family caregivers to obtain legal authority to provide care for children in their custody. She said too often grandparents end up with children but have no legal right to get them medical or mental health services or sign forms at school.

"Mom and Dad are out doing drugs somewhere and just leave the children," she said, adding that this is second year child advocates have sought the provision.

"We will get that one this year," said state Rep. Rich Gloriso, R-Plant City.

Gloriso, who attended with state Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa, and state Rep. Darryl Rousen, D-St. Petersburg, said he couldn't make a lot of promises but would consider the requests.

"The priorities will be medical, education and security. It is going to tough," he said.

The priority list will be on the Children's Board Web site, www.childrensboard.org, today. Click on "Advocacy" and then "Priority Issues."

Tribune correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.

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