Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-30
Cuts Violate ChiId-Aid
Law, UCS Unit Charges

Congress and the Commission
ers have violated the law on as
distance to dependent children
lever since it was enacted in
1884, . United Community Sery-
ices committee charged yester-
day.
At q luncheon Of the Family
and Child Welfare Section in
the National Press Club, the
committee on child dependency
reported that. year after year.
Inadequate appropriations have
been sought (by the Commits
sioners) and granted (by the
Congress-"
This violates Section 32-755 bf
the District Code, the committee
said. The section. it declared.
states that 1.-THE amount Of as
sistance for any child and the
manner of providing it shall be
determined by the Board of Pub
lie Welfare (now the Department
of Public Welfare), with due re-
gard to the conditions existing
in each case, and, shall be suf-
f1cient when added to all other
income and support available to
the child. to provide such child
with a reasonable subsistence
compatible with decency and
health"
Now at rs Pet.
Financial assistance in the
District today equals 70 per cent
OF the minimum living cost, the
committee pointed out.
In the Aid to Department
Children program, the report
said, the District pays an average
of $26 per recipient per month.
The grant in San Francisco is
1927: in Cleveland, $31.37; in
Minneapolis $44.08, and In New
York, $38.79.
Figures on the minimum need
are compiled from data Of the
Bureau Of Labor Stastics.
In its 44-page report the
committee sounded again the
call for money. more staff and
more preventive services in well
fare work in the city. These
nave been the chief points of
attack in the effort to bring
Washington more comprehensive
welfare coverage.
Its chief recommendations
were these:
l. Establishment of a Domestic
Relations Court in the city.
Unfortunately from the social
point OF view" it said. these
cases divorce and other family
matters) are dealt with as mat
ters OF litigation and dispute.
FATHER than as problems which
gre most likely to require coun-
ceiling and treatment in order
hopefully. to prevent the break.
ing up Of homes"
: 2: Special efforts be made tn
nnd foster-home placement for
me three types of cases most
1lmcuit to place: Teen-agers
emotionally disturbed children
1nd colored unwed mothers.
: 5. Every effort be made to in.
crease the facilities available for
Smotionally disturbed children
mere is only one treatment
center in operation In the Dis
.fict now and it can handle onlv
children. The Welfare De.
partment has asked. in its budget
requests to the Commissioner.
Tor $4,000 to plan a treatment Il
center.
Increased Assistance
: 4. Increased public assistance.
{ 5. Passage Of the pending pub
nc assistance bin.
6. Mothers receiving Aid to
Dependent Children be urged to
seek employment. Acknowledge
ing that the purpose of the Ado
program was to keep the mother
in the home. the committee said
that with its recommendations
for pre-School and after school
day care this difficulty could be
avoided, and that Its plan would
lead to more self -sufficiency.)
=. Establishment of a central
Information service, preferably
in an existing private welfare
agency, ito inform, counsel and
refer on all matters related to
nre-school day care and after
school resources"
8. Establishment as a perma-
nent part of the Public Health
Department of homemaker
service to provide care for chill