Governor Christie’s Record of Protecting and Supporting Children
Governor Christie’s FY2012 Budget reaffirms his commitment to children and families, building upon a proven record of helping the most vulnerable.
Despite Democrats’ political rhetoric to the contrary, Governor Christie’s FY2012 Budget builds on a record of funding critical budget priorities while protecting the most vulnerable New Jerseyans. Legislative Democrats may find it more convenient to distort the facts for election year political gain, but the numbers are clear – Governor Christie has consistently provided resources to fund services supporting the neediest New Jerseyans.
Early Childhood Intervention Program
Funding for the Early Childhood Intervention Program increased $9.7 million over FY2011, for a total budget of $92.593 million.
o The program supports families with children from birth to age three with developmental delays and disabilities. Services include developmental intervention, speech, physical and occupational therapy and other services necessary to achieve their full potential.
21,292 children received services in FY2010.
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Funding increased $6.4 million to $46.4 million to New Jersey’s network of community health centers, which provide health care to the uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid and Medicare recipients at 100 sites across the state.
Department of Health and Senior Services funding reimburses Federally Qualified Health Centers for the care they provide to the uninsured.
Protected Reimbursement rate at $101 per uninsured visit.
Aid to Hospitals
Funding to hospitals increased by $20 million to $675 million and will be distributed under a new formula to all 72 New Jersey hospitals for the care they provide to the uninsured.
The funding formula was revised to make it more transparent, predictable and equitable for the benefit of New Jersey’s 72 hospitals.
For the first time, the formula was made available to hospitals and the Legislature in February, rather than in June or July. This increased transparency in hospital funding allows hospitals to plan more effectively.
Special Child Health Services Case Management
State and federal funding for Special Child Health Services was protected at $3.3 million.
Counties provide case management services to 12,000 medically fragile children birth through age 21 in need assistance to access comprehensive health services.
Eligible children without insurance get assistance with hearing aids, orthotics, prosthesis and pharmaceuticals to treat asthma and/or cystic fibrosis.
Autism Registry
$500,000 was preserved for the Autism Registry, which makes it easier for families to be connected to the appropriate diagnostic, treatment and support services in their communities.
More than 6,000 children have been registered and it is expected that approximately 1,200 children will be registered each year.
Once registered, families are referred to a county case manager who works with the family and helps them to access available services.
Department of Children and Families
· The FY2012 budget for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is $1.5 billion, with state resources accounting for $1.058 billion with 70% of state dollars or $743 million allocated for adoption subsidy, foster care board payments and therapeutic and support service for children and families.
· Governor Christie yesterday announced that DCF is providing Wynona Lipman House with $537,000 in federal funds in place of the legislative line item providing state funding in the same amount, thus ensuring no interruption in services. This funding from DCF will preserve the important work of Wynona Lipman House as part of a transition plan for its ongoing operations, as DCF will work closely with the House’s Board of Directors and staff, Essex County government, and other stakeholders to develop a long-term funding model.
· $419 million in funding for the Division of Youth and Services which provides for:
o Over 13,000 youth in permanent adoptive homes;
o Approximately 7,200 youth in out-of-home placement;
o Support services for children in their own homes and in out of home placements;
o Coordinated health care planning for children in out of home placement.
· The FY2012 Budget provides continuation funding for a $100,000 increase for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) approved by this administration in FY2011.
· The budget also allowed for the re-programming of existing resources for the following initiatives:
o Expanded a summer housing internship program for 30 aging out youth;
o Expanded supervised therapeutic visitation to promote better permanency outcomes.
· $265 million allocated for Division of Child Behavioral Health Services programs which provides for:
o Approximately 40,000 children in our behavioral health system of care;
o Mobile Response and Stabilization Services;
o Community Based Outpatient/Partial Care/Partial Hospitalization services;
o Behavioral Assistance and Intensive In-Home Community services;
o Community Based Residential Services;
o Re-programmed existing resources for the following initiatives:
§ Expanded residential services to support youth with co-occurring needs (Developmentally Disabled Mentally Ill);
§ Support for Youth Suicide Prevention Hotline.
· $58.8 million for Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships:
o Including funding for 37 neighborhood-based Family Success Centers that are serving more than 45,000 families;
o Early Childhood Services with home visiting programs serving approximately 4,000 families;
o Domestic Violence Prevention Services;
o School Linked Services.
The above list is indeed impressive in protecting our voiceless and most vulnerable. Lets not forget Christie also vetoed the Woman’s Healthcare Bill that would have funded abortion–again protecting the voiceless and most vulnerable.
Tell Jennifer Beck, its a child not a choice.
[…] MoreMonmouthMusings » Blog Archive » Governor Christie's Record of … […]
Perhaps our legislators that are pro-choice should watch this video. I thought it was very captivating and emotional.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFtoRXLUjVM
[…] MoreMonmouthMusings » Blog Archive » Governor Christie's Record of … […]