The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-06-05

Every thoughtful Christian worthy of the
name cannot help but show diigent interest
IN the programs which have been established,
and expenditures which must generously be
made each year. for welfare purposes There
are federal. state, county and city programs
plus great variety of private, voluntary
agencies, likewise on similar levels. When
the amounts spent on these programs are to-
tailed, the end result is multi-milhon dollar
operation representing the desire of every citizen
TO care for his less fortunate neghbor While keep
ing in mind that the needy must receive proper and
adequate care, yet efforts should be made to de-
crease these expenditures. and to this end every
lawful and humane means should be used to make it
unnecessary for people to be forced to seek assist
ance from either public or private welfare agencies.
One very broad program which tries to do just
this has been In operation in Ohio for many years
and merits the support of everyone. 1t is program
of the Federal Government in which our State par
ticpated, and Is called Child Welfare Services"
It's purpose is to establish extend and strengthen
welfare services for the protection and of home
less, dependent and neglected children, and for
children in danger of becoming delinquent. This
program is aimed at rural where such services
do not exist, or at areas of special need.
The services under this program are primarily
intended to be preventive. Those operating the pro
gram hope to discover and work with children who
might become delinquent thus preventing any SER
touS crime being committed which might necessi-
Idte pldcHg the cnlfd IN a training Sch0OI al
great expense TO the State Efforts are also made
to help families through difficulties which might
lead to broken home, which has such an adverse
effect upon the children
Let us give an example of what can be done.
approximately ten years ago the Division of So
cial Administration, State of Ohio had two thousand
children committed to il by the Juvenile Courts in
the State The State was responsible for the care
and supervision of these children. BY 1945 mainly
by shifting this responsibility to local agencies
this number had been decreased to 126, and by mid
1852, it was seven. The local agencies which now
have the care of these children can better meet
their needs give them more individual consid-
Grafton. This example also indicates the effort be-
ing made TO concentrate on local, rather than on
state, responsibility II is effort so much in favor
today, to solve problems at the grass roots" level
Many StateS-and Ohio is no excepton-have in
the past been inclined to concentrate too much with
the Child Welfare Services program on AREAS of
snecial need and not much as they should on
rural areas Invariably Of special need are in
the large cities, which aready have the greater
number Of welfare agencies. Rural areas are the
ones which should be especially helped by this
program.
Some Of the money allocated for this program
by the Federal Government has been used in Ohio
for State staff members of the Division of Social
Administration. This no doubt is due 10 curtailed
appropriations from the General Assembly II would
be better for the Legislature to appropriate money
for adequate staff that the Federal Child Welfare
Services funds could be used for necessary devel.
opment of program
In order to help draw up plans for the use of
funds for Child Welfare Services each State is sup.
posed to make constructive use of an Advisory
Committee. especially designated Tor this purpose
Ohio has such Committee but il has moi been
used as effectively as it might be in drawing up
State plans for the use OF these funds. If ii were
we think that the weaknesses in the program men.
toned above could be corrected, at least in part
This would be especially true il the Committee
were more strongly representative of those Volun.
tary agencies which have broad Statewide interests
In, and programs for. children, We make these com
ments IN order to urge that all people take an in
terest In this program and in order to suggest that
those in charge Of it's operation take tho necessary
steps to strengthen IT,