Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-16
Higher Relief
Load Increases
Welfare Budget
406 New Jobs
Asked by Shea in
$1l,5l4,941 Request

An anticipated higher relief
load in the next fiscal year help
to raise District welfare budget
estimates by $2,629. $50 over APP
preparations for fiscal 1855.
The Public Welfare Depart
ment today placed total operat-
ing costs at $11,514,94l for fiscal
1856. OF this amount, $217,326
is tagged for paying 522 more
relief grants than are due to be
authorized during the current
fiscal year.
In all, 406 new jobs would be
provided at cost of $1.2 mill
lion.
Assistance grants for 1856 will
total $3.2 million, according to
department estimates.
Altogether, 81 new jobs are
requested to handle the public
assistance program. Most are
case workers and clerical help.
Another $20,617 is asked to meet
staff equipment needs and other
incidentals.
1922 Cases a Month.
Appropriation of these funds
would mean that the department
could provide for an average of
1892 cases month, maintaining
payments at a rate of 70 per
cent of the cost of living index
for February, 1853.
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea explained that the depart
ment's theory is to split the
requested increase, between more
caseworkers and more relief pay
ments, rather than devote the
entire sum to more payments.
In that way. Mr.. Shea said.
an attack can be made on the
factors that put people on relief.
Part of the effort would be
directed toward locating parents
who desert their children, find
ing jobs for mothers and home
placement for their children.
making a more thorough study
of case histories and obtaining
closer coordination among the
agencies interested in family
and individual rehabilitation.
Restrictions Continue.
Mr.. Shea reported that the
relief case-load is expected to
increase in fiscal 1856, "in spite
of the fact that there has been
no relaxation in the many re-
strictive regulations, including
the one which denies assistance
to persons and heads of families
who are able to work even though
they are in need and unable to
find employment"
An $859,000 increase in child
welfare activities is sought.
More than half of the sum would
pay for additional boys con-
signed to the National Training
School and those reassigned by
the school to other Federal in
situations.
The remainder of the fund
request would meet the expected
higher rates charged by foster
homes and private institutions
to receive District charges, the
cost of hiring 33 additional So
.cial workers to provide protec-
tive and preventive services in
institutions and foster homes.
clothing for the expected 1875
additional children and higher
tuition fees paid for the care of
District children in institutions
beyond the city limits.
More Custodial Workers.
In District Village, formerly
the Home for Aged and Infirm,
48 new custodial positions are
requested, largely cuStodial and
domestic. These employees would
augment the 81 new workers
provided in the current fiscal
year to staff the new infirmary
and other parts of the institui
ton, which has 600 occupants.
The Receiving Home for Chils
dren would get nine additionaN
workers.
Children's Center, at Laurel.
Md, would be apportioned 236
more employees, 121 to staff the
Industrial Home School for
Colored Children (the unit
should be completed with cur
rently available funds by next
February; LOG for the District
Training School. to staff two
infirmary cottages to be built
this year, and nine for the In
dustrial Home School for White
to staff a new pre-release cot
tage to be built during the cur
rent year.
Inmates of the Children's
Center will number an estimated
1000, more than half of which
are expected to be feeble
minded or mentally retarded.