The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-29
Child Welfare Plans
 For General Assembly
Results of Eighteen Months Study By Commission to
 Be Recommended at Next Session

der four years. The commission Is entirely in accord with Conncct- cuts spirit and tradition of local self elf-government. Nevertheless, we recognize that there arc certain functions ma activities that can not be ns efficiently or economically conducted on n town basis as on a larger basis of equalization"
 The proposal to placc the respon- sibiiity for these children on the state and to- raise the age of ad- mission to county homes from four to six years, would, in the 0pin- ion of the commission, tend to unify the treatment of neglected children, prevent the separation of brothers and sisters, and provide continuity of care. In order to enable the bureau of child welfare. to assume the supervision of this class Of children, as well as to promote moro placing-out of older children in private fostcr-homes. the commission recommends tn- creased appropriations for the bureau. ".rhc bureau" says tho report. lis greatly handicapped in its present work, by reason of in sufficient funds and personnel. It is unable to place out as many chil- dren from the county homes as might bc placed. It Is further limited by tho necessity of giving proper supervision to the children who have already been placed ont and to those for whom suitable homes may be found. The number of children under supervision of tho bureaus visitors Is far in ex- cess of generally accepted case load standards"
 The commission recommends only ono item requiring capital ex- pcnditure. namely, new institu- ton for the care and training of the feeble minded. This is charac- terizcd ns ono of the most urgent needs Of public welfare in Con- necticut. At minimum csti- mate," the commission reports. "Iess than half the feeble minded children and adults who require in- stitutional carc nre receiving it. largely because there Is not room for them at Mansfield. Eventually the new institution should equal in capacity the Mansfield State Train ing School and Hospital. / It might be so planned that n portion of its eventual number of beds could he utilized before completion of the entire plant"
 Coupled with this recommenda- ton. the commission endorses dee velopment and expansion Of the so- ciai service department at Mans field, in order to mako t possible to parole more patients and give moro adequate supervision to the 800 persons now on tho waiting list. "Tho addition" according to the report. ''wouid be in the interest of economy in the long run. for It's costs only $1.60 week to super vise q patient on parole, compared with e10 q week to keep Q patient in tho institution"
 "The system of care of the feeble minded" continues the report. "has become clogged by tho, accumula- ton of far moro cases than can be handled through the existing faciI- ities. Experience shows that the younger n patient is at tho timc of adm mission. tho more likely he is to be eligible later on for parole. The result of the pressure now is that conduct problems have to be given priority Of admission oyer the more trainablc individuals. A large pro- portion of.the patients are admitted so late for training that they have already become e social menace. The building of n second institu- ton supplemented by . larger so- cial service department, would not only relieve thIs pressure, but it would serve to reduce the number requiring permanent care. because