Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-21
Morse Appeals
For Home Rule
|AsWe|fare
Offers 3-Point Plan
For Assistance and
Public Health Needs

III otIcIlS CIlcLl1B pubic welfare
and health services here, Senator
Morse. Democrat of Oregon, de-
clared today.
The Senator, chairman of the
Senate District Subcommittee on
Public Health. Education, We'll
fare and Safety, addressed a
luncheon session Of the Metro
Ipolitan Chapter of the National
Association of Social Workers,
meeting at the YWCA. Seven
lteenth and K streets NV.
Senator Morse specifically adj
vocated these major improve
ments in the Districts welfare
and health programs:
l. A guarantee of 100 per cent
OF the minimum public assistance
standard rather than the present
SO per cent.
2. Assistance for families
where children in need are not
now getting adequate support
because of irresponsible parents.
3. More adequate stating of
the Bureau of Mental Health in
the Health Department.
Disaster Situations
The Oregon Senator told the
meeting he would call on his COL
leagues in Congress to grant the
District Welfare Department l8
additional social workers. re-
queSted in the forthcoming
budget to help alleviate dis
aster" situations of families.
At its morning session the
meeting heard the welfare and
health budget for the coming
fiscal year discussed in detail by
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea and DR.. Frederick C. Heath,
deputy director Of public health.
Alexander Halves. chairman of
the United Community Services
family and child welfare section.
and George c. Pendleton. chair
man Of the UCS health section.
followed the city officials with
their views on the respective
budgets.
With respect to the welfare
budget. 1t was brought out that
some Roadway is contemplated
toward increasing preventive
services in the forthcoming
budget.
Points to Case Loads
Mr.. Shea said that the Ia
social workers sought for the
child welfare division would not
reduce case loads to the ideal
level. but would bring them
down to about rs cases per
worker. which he termed a CON
siderable Improvement"
Case workers in child welfare
ARE carrying over a hundred
cases now, he said. some of them
attempting to supervise sophis-
Iticated. delinquent teen-age boys
and girls.
The welfare director said the
child welfare institutions are
Iovercrowded. and that there is
mo end in sight" He antici-
Ipated some 1000 youngsters
would be under care in 1858, as
compared with $500 in 1851.
I'VE are concerned about a
very vital area Of prevention, 4"
Mr.. Shea said. 1T is less expen-
lsive. more constructive and much
lsounder psychologically."
He said that help should be
brought into a situation while
some strength and hope still re-
mains and there is something
to work with. before a family
breakdown actually takes place.
Calls Situation Sad
Mr.. Shea told the meeting
that with rspect to dependent
children AZ per cent of the chill
dren at Junior Village are under
five and a half years old. a situa-
ton he saw as a sad common
tary on parental responsibility.
But he said that a rather large
number Of teen-age dependents
are coming in also. and that
there are SIS in this age group
lat Junior Village now.
Mr.. Halves said that the new
budget makes a start in dealing
with the need for preventive serv-
ices and services to children af-
ter they leave institutions. He
agreed with Mr.. Shea that the
case load would not be ideal even
III the budget is approved as re-
quested, and still would be higher
than the standards of the chill
dren's bureau and that required
by the department itself in licen-
sing private agencies.
Mr.. Pendleton said that the
UCS health section is aware that
more support is needed from
citizens during the time when a
budget is being prepared ano
that meetings such as today's
sessions should be the product
OF "a long series Of discussions.
Hostile Atmosphere
The section is making plans tC
help In this respect, he added
I'VE felt the Health Department
does not get enough chance u
tee-off without the atmosphere
Of hostility that often come,
when you get down to the budget.
ing Budgeting brings out tn,
worst in people"
:, The meeting devoted SOM
discussion to possible ways o.
helping TO support the consoli
dated public assistance legisla'
ton which has been introduced
many times in the past and Il
anticipated for re-introductior
in Congress. Among other thing
this bill has contained provisions
for emergency public assistance
which the District does not pres
emily have.
4 Commissioner David B. Kar.
,.ick traicnV,aad tha V,aaotit,o AHre