Evening star., 1940-02-27

3 StCUItNy tuSL Ucch, SCUCUtSSLOtCIS
ordered stop gap" program
tDithtn present appropriation.
Health Department has been CO.
operating on medical ernninu-
tions OF inmates at Blue Plains.
IS BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.
A witness before the House SUBJ
committee investigating public well
fare institutions blamed Congress
today for failing to appropriate suf-
dlcient funds for the Children's Re-
eeiving Home.
! Testifying before the Public
Health Subcommittee of the House
District Committee, Mrs. Spencer
Gordon, chairman of child welfare
: of the Board of Public Welfare, re-
viewed the fate of the boards re-
quest last year for a $3.50, 900 def
cheney appropriation. She said $780,
900 was appropriated.
Asked by Chairman D'Alesandro
who had cut the appropriation,
which would have meant improve
ments for the Receiving Home, she
responded that the Commissioners
had reduced 1t to $4,000, that the
Budget Bureau had cut it to $56, 900
and that Congress had cut it to
$4,000.
"Then you blame Congress for the
sut?" Chairman D'Alesandro asked.
Eyes, I do."
Randy AIcn Tnc<i6nr
It was then that the chairman
repeated question previously
avoided by Robert E. Bondy. director
Of the Board of Public Welfare, who
also testified during the short
hearing. ~.
would you say that the condition
cf'au welfare institutions here would
Te improved If Congress would allow
the District to manage its own
dnunicipal affairs?"
X just don't know" she responded.
Mr.. Bondy, in reply to the same
question, had said that the welfare
institutions could be improved if
adequate funds were available to
carry out the services now needed.
Mr.. Bondy, who had testified at
On earlier meeting of the commit
Zee and who was about to testify at
the last meeting when it was ad-
Sourned, reviewed what had been
doneNin carrying out the "stopgap"
program ordered by Commissioner
Allen. I
Problems Enumerated.
He said, however, that the meas
ures now under way within the pres
ent budget do not cover many of
the needs presented at the hearings
On the Home for the Aged and In
arm and the Children's Receiving
Home"
They In no way remove the prob
lens OF overcrowding, the need for
additional staff and medical care
and maintenance at Blue Plains" he
asserted, "and they don't touch the
basic problem of taking care Of
children at the Receiving Home
pending court action"
Measures under way include Ger
tain adjustments in the menus"
prompter methods of serving food to
inmates. an examination of inmates
handling food and In the infirmary
at Blue Plains.
In general statement, Mr.. Bondy
said the board has never been salts
ned with the quarters at the Receiv-
lng Home and has long advocated a
building constructed specifically for
ase as children's receiving home.
He pointed out that requests were
made for funds to construct such
building in the boards budget esti-
mates for 1887, 1899, 1910 and 1941.
The flesh and blood needs,
vather than "brick and mortar"
needs, Of institutions were outlined
by Mr.. Bondy. He said he recon-
mended reduction Of the number Of
children at the Receiving Home by
the establishment of an adequate
child welfare protective service;
adequate funds for the Public As
sistance Division so families could
be kept together, with less danger of
desertions and family breakups; CO.
operation between police and Ju-
venile Court to reduce the number
Of children sent to the Receiving
Home; provision for at least 10
subsidized family homes for de-
pendSnts, which would mean two
additional workers in the boards
protective services unit; prompt
placement of children after COM
mitment, which would require a
larger staff in the boards foster
care division, and adequate care of
children with delinquency problems
In conveniently situated receiving
homo built specifically for the pur-
pose. ..- ..-.
Maj. Brown Called.
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, who
had been called by Chairman
D'Assandro to explain why children
were kept at the Receiving Home
sometimes as long as 48 hours be-
fore their parents were notified,
testified briefly.
He said the notification of parents
should take only few minutes, but
That delays occurred when the child
gave an incorrect address, didn't
know his home address, or when
parents refused to come after their
child
He said parents were known to
semsrk, LET 'em stay there"
Asked by Chairman D'Alesandro
Il Grady Leonard, superintendent Of
the Receiving Home, co-operated
with the police, Maj. Brown said "he
co-operated splendidly." Mr.. Leonard,
who drew sharp attacks from Mr..
D'Alesandro when he testified last
week, attended today's hearing, but
was not asked to testify.
Mrs. Gordon told the subcom-
vnittae which WAS renreSented 0n1v