Scott's proposed DCF cuts draw concern

On the spreadsheet, the Florida agency that helps poor and desperate people is in trouble.

Gov. Rick Scott's proposed budget lays off 1,849 Department of Children and Families employees and slices $278 million out of the agency that oversees homelessness and health care; substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health.

Three of the state's mental health hospitals run by the department would, under the proposal, be privatized. Currently, more than 1,200 employees of those facilities in Gainesville, Chattahoochee and Macclenny, are part of the DCF's payroll. They likely wouldn't be losing their jobs, but their checks would be signed by someone else.

That means most of the DCF staffing cuts look only to be on paper, that the social services offered through DCF likely will continue for people who need them.

Still, some voiced concern.

Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich, D-Weston, vice chairwoman over the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Appropriations, lambasted the governor's proposal, calling the recommendations "voodoo economics."

"It's a draconian budget as far as impacting health and human services," she said in a telephone interview from her Tallahassee office Tuesday afternoon.

She said the budget presented by Scott was not transparent and if social services are merged with other agencies, it not reflected in the spreadsheet.

"People are scrambling around here," she said, "trying to figure out what is in and what is out."

She said legislators have a lot of questions.

"I would be extremely shocked if this budget passes the Legislature," she said. "Fortunately this is not the final budget. The Florida Legislature sets the budget and I'm certainly hoping that the Legislature will take a much more sensible approach to the way we have to deal with the budget deficit."

The Florida Legislature still has to approve a budget that attempts to slash more than $4 billion overall.

Locally, Hillsborough Kids Director Jeff Rainey said he was monitoring the developments in Tallahassee. The agency that oversees foster care in the county could see cutbacks in its funding.

"We realize there is a big statewide deficit and some tough decisions need to be made," he said Tuesday afternoon. "But, for us in child welfare, we rely on some of these services for our families."

Likewise, Metropolitan Ministries spokeswoman Ana Mendes said her organization, which administers aid to people in need, is worried about funding as well.

"It is an area of concern for the Ministries," she said. "We're still digesting the budget and it appears there are significant cuts in homeless issues."

DCF officials referred questions to the governor's office.

The governor's office, responding to written questions about the budget said that funding for homeless programs and services is federal money that goes directly into local agencies that aid the homeless.

Funding for the statewide Office on Homelessness is being eliminated and the functions will be assumed by DCF, the governor's office said.

According to a written statement from the governor's office, the cuts to social welfare programs were necessary.

"Over the years," the statement said, "Florida has consistently spent more money than it has on social welfare programs. The governor's budget recommendations have attempted to streamline the social welfare service delivery system so that our expenditures do not exceed available funding."

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