Evening star., 1960-12-18

4uC AU4uUCI u I1SW R0ouS
assistance cases In the District
during the first i've months
Of this fiscal year has been
running nearly twice - high
e. ofncials had expected.
And Gerard M. Shea. direc-
tor Of the Districts Depart
ment Of Public Welfare. pre-.
dicted last night that the con-
tinuing upward spiral Of relief
cases win not end.
II don't see anything that's
going to stop It." he said.
He noted that the current
cost Of public assistance. about
half Of which Is covered by va
riouS Federal aid funds, runs
about $14.6 million. In fiscal
1856, he said, the total. cost
was half the current amount
nearly 81 million.
He explained that the In
crease. in public assistance
cases in the last five years 10
the result Of the heavier con-
centration of low-income FAM
in the District. He would not
estimate how much higher this
cost win continue to climb in
the coming years but he said
It Is certain to increase.
With the unexpected increase
so far this fiscal year, he said.
the departments budget for
public assistance win probably
run into o deflcit.
The welfare chief said there
has been an average Of 05 new
public assistance cases monthly
from July through November
Oficials had estimated the
number Of new cases would b
only about 81 each month.
l2,2S1 Cases In 1860
The total number Of public
assistance cases jumped from
8,39S In fiscal 1856, Mr.. She's
said. to 12,251 In fiscal 1860
The fetal number Of persons
aided In 1856 was 15.402. com.
pared to the 1860 figure Ol
3O,094.
Our greatest concern, how.
ever" Mr.. Shea added, sis II
the aid-to-dependent children
category"
The number Of children re.
ceiving such aid In 1856 wal
1880 and in 1860 the figure haG
jumped to 1880. There 4
nothing that would indicatl
that these figures are going II
decline" the welfare directol
said.
He noted that Of $50 childrer
now in Junior Village, 2l2 ar
under 8 years Of age land theii
number IL increasing steadily.
He voiced concern over tn
crowded conditions at Junio
Village and said new building
now being planned are not tn
answer.
Highly TRAINED case worker
with less Of q case load as
signed to each than Ii now pos
sible could mean q lessening o
the increasing number Of de
pendent children. Mr.. Shea de
clared. One approach, he said
is to bring the case workers int
the family picture before tn
family unit disintegrates an
the children become publ
wards.
Aid For Displaced
In a reference to the reloca
ton service provided familie
being displaced by DistriC
public works projects, M
Shea said nearly half Of So
families seeking help to fin
new homes were aided.
He said District agencies wi
be urged not to proceed wit
public works projects too rar
idly in the future so that fam
lies are not displaced in lars
numbers before suitable ne
homes can be found. The Ns
tional Capital Housing Al
thority and private builder
will be asked to conStru'
housing units for the largt
families who now find 1t diff
cult to find new housing. h
added.
Mr.. Shea's remarks abol
public welfare problems wei
made on Radio Static
WWDC's Report to the Peopl
He elaborated after the broat
cast.
Asked II the birth contr
program now undertaken
the District Health Depart
ment may be expanded to II
clude dissemination Of info