Evening star., 1940-07-23
Hearing Gets.
Plea for More
Welfare Funds
Personnel Needs
Also Stressed by
Private Groups

+ T1IV0te 0IOuPS
Need of more money and more
personnel for District welfare serv-
ices and agencies, particularly those
dealing with the problems of chill
dren, was stressed today by spokes-
men for private welfare and civic
groups at the initial public hearing
held by the Board of Public Welfare
in connection with its preparation
of budget estimates for the next
fiscal year.
Several speakers specifically urged
provision Of additional funds to
carry out recommendations made
In the report of Jacob Kepecs, Chi
cago consultant, approved about two
years ago by a Citizens Advisory
Committee, headed by Mark Lans-
burgh.
A second public hearing is to be
held by the board beginning at 2
pm. tomorrow, to be devoted pri-
marily to the service of the Public
Assistance Division of the Welfare
Department.
In opening the session Welfare
Board Chairman Frederick w. Nc
Reynolds called on Welfare Director
Robert E. Bondy, who explained that
whereas case workers in the pro-
tective and foster child welfare serv-
ices are handling an average of LOG
cases, the Kepecs report recon-
mended the number should be no
greater than IS.
Increase Recommended.
Mr.. Bondy added that while the
welfare budget for personal services,
board and care and contingencies
in the protective and foster care
services amounts to $428, 8,060, the
Kepecs report recommended an an
nual outlay of $643,220.
Mr.. Bondy also reminded the
speakers that the chairmen of the
District Appropriations Subcommit-
tees of the Senate and House had
asked District officials to prepare
suggested five-year capital improve
ment program and said the Welfare
Board soon would submit to the
Commissioners requests for the first
year of that program.
The Rev. Lawrence j. Shehan. di-
rector of the Catholic Charities,
urged: Adequate personnel for case
work, basing his statement on the
Kepecs report; sufficient additional
funds for the care of children in
foster homes. including increased
maintenance sums in some cases;
development of housekeeper serv-
ice, under which workers may be
Lsent to homes for the care of chill
dren when the mother is i'll or is
forced to work; and development of
convalescent care, particularly for
colored children.
Case Load Reduction Urged.
The Rev. DR.. John w. Rustin,
speaking as chairman of the Child
Welfare Committee of the Council
of Social Agencies, declared the case
load on protective and foster care
workers should be reduced since it
was almost impossible" to expect
the workers to handle adequately
as many as 106 cases. Money spent
for additional workers, he said.
would be well spent because it goes
/ to the root of the social problem.
Mrs. Lester Buchanan told of the
work done by volunteers in welfare
and health services and urged that
these be advised by District officials
of their budget needs. She sug-
gested that the volunteer workers
may aid them in presenting the
needs to members of Congress. She
said this instruction was needed so
that the volunteers might not mis-
direct their efforts.
When Chairman McReynolds sug-'
gested that needs of all welfare
services must be considered in rela-
tion to the total program, Mrs.
Buchanan said this should not
mean 1--WE should rob Peter to pay
Paul" She appealed, instead, for
additional money for health and
welfare services.
Miss Louise Mcclure. speaking for
the Monday Evening Club. said her
group had indorsed the Kepecs re-
port. She said there could be great
ly increased services if more
adequate personnel and funds could
be provided. She said it would be
cheaper in the long run to hire
additional case workers now than
to pay the higher cost of institu-
tional care which otherwise later
would be needed for persons
affected.
Larger Appropriations Asked.
She urged larger appropriations
for the aid of dependent children
and said her group favored grant,
ing the Welfare Board authority
to accept for care cases which had
not been subject to court commit
ment where there was no issue in
volved as to the custody of the
child. She spoke also of the need
for funds which would permit a
closer coordination of the Districts s
welfare services.
Mrs. Paul Appleby of the League
of Women Voters declared homes
we're being broken because of the
heavy case load which the District
personnel now is forced to under
take to carry.
Mrs. Edna Peyton, chairman Of
the Child Welfare Committee of
the Federation of Civic Associations,
urged:
Additional teachers at the Indus
trial Home School for Colored Chill
dren, construction of an auditorium
and gymnasium, more funds for
maintenance and clothing and a
program of summer schools for the
children of this institution; at the
National Training School for Girls
development Of an effective pro-
rram 0f social reconstr1,ctioy,n apd