Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-06
BY BETTY MILES
Star staff Writer

Ne@A 1NAAA NAaNNA
"Inhumane policies" and the
partial abdication" Of their
responsibility for decisions by
the District Commissioners are
basic to the city's welfare plight,
q report released today con-
tends.
Prepared by the Public We'll
fare Crisis Committee Of
the Metropolitan Washington
Chapter of the National Asso-
citation Of Social Workers, the
report was produced by more
than 80 professional social
workers over a five-month pc
Rod.
It contains recommendations
for hberalizing changes in To-
cal welfare policies.
The report was sent to Com
missioner John B. Duncan, who
is responsible for welfare mat
tiers in the District. Mr.. Dun
can has been looking, both in
and out Of Washington, for a
successor to former welfare d.
rector Gerard M. Shea, who
stepped down February 8.
More Obstacles Raised
SHOULD the Commissioners
approve and indorse the OBJ
jectives which the committee
deems essential. the task of
recruiting a qualified and crea-
tive director for the depart
ment can be facilitated" a COW
ering statement asserts.
In addition to the welfare de-
partment's shortcomings, many
factors beyond its control have
added great burdens and OBJ
stacles" to the task of provid-
ing assistance to the needy, the
report says.
'"We refer specifically to
such basic causes Of depend
ency as the lack of equal OPP
portunity, inadequate and
crowded schools, vermin-in-
tested housing, the lack of
Home Rule, and the lack of
opportunity which character
ICES the life and culture Of our
INDECENT population"
COnfinements Raped
DR.. Daniel Thursz, vice
chairman of the Metropolitan
Washington Chapter Of the
National Association of Social
Workers and a professor in the
school Of social work at Catho-
lie University, is chairman of
the Public Welfare Crisis CON-
mittee.
DR.. ThruSz says the recon-
mendations and report ZEN
visage a public welfare program
in the District Of Columbia
which is rehabilitative in es-
sence rather than punitive. We
are convinced that it will save
the community millions of dol
lars in years to come"
Junior Village Cited
The most distressing fact
about the soaring Junior VIII
lage population" is that there
are many children there who
could have remained with their |
family unit were it not for re-
strictive eligibility require
ments," DR.. Thursz asserts.
I'VE are spending a great deal
more Of the taxpayers money
keeping these children in insti-
tutions or in foster homes than
we would be If they we're re-
united with their mothers and
siblings."
The answer to Junior Village
is not more foster homes, al
though these still are needed
urgently. he says.
ut is to establish in our COM
munity a public welfare pro-
gram which viii keep families
together and focus all kinds of
efforts on a saturation basis to
rehabilitate the family and
make it eventually self-sup-
porting"
The alternative to expendi-
lures in this direction is a
much greater expenditure in
years 70 come on institutions,
crime control, prisons and so
forth, and a tremendous waste
Of human potential" he says.
The committee recommends,
on behalf of the chapter:
Major Proposals
/. A complete upward revi-
sion of the welfare budget, so
that 1t would be based on cur
rent living costs; elimination
of cuts In grants to large
families, effected in 1861; and
a program Of emergency coun-
selling and relief TO cover tenn
porary situations Of financial
stress.
2. A change in regulations