Dear MAFF Board Members:
The House Ways and Means Committee released their fiscal year 2012 budget recommendations this week. The news for foster children and other kids and families in need of DCF assistance is not good.
Funding for DCF has been cut by more than $20 million from FY 11 levels bringing the cuts since FY 08 to nearly $60 million.
If allowed to stand- these cuts will mean among other things, cutting one of the quarterly clothing allowances, a 25% reduction in coats, shoes, underwear etc…for foster children.
In addition, tution and fee waivers for DCF involved children to attend State Colleges and Universities is funded at less than half of what is needed for a full year
But it’s not over yet!
Representatives Fox, Donato, O’Day and Khan are taking the lead to sponsor two amendments; 1) to restore the quarterly clothing allowance 2) to fully fund the tuition and fee waiver.
Even with their strong advocacy, getting these amendments passed is going to be an uphill battle. To win it we need every Representative to hear from foster parents about why these supports are so vital to foster children.
Please spread the word and get people calling and e-mailing their Representatives today to ask them to sign on to co-sponsor the amendments filed by Representative Fox to 1) to restore the quarterly clothing allowance and 2) to fully fund the tuition and fee waiver. Representaives can continue to sign on up until the budget is finalized during the week of April 25th. For your reference a contact list for House members is attached.
Not sure who your Representative is?
Go to: www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator
Not sure what to say?
- When you reach the Represenative or their aide, tell them your name and your address- knowing you live in their area is important to them.
- Tell them that you are calling to ask them to sign on to amendments filed by Representative Fox to 1) restore the quarterly clothing allowance and 2) to fully fund the tuition and fee waiver.
- Tell them why the amendments are needed.Talking points on the two issues which you will find below may be helpful to you in doing that.
- Then make it personal to the lives of the kids who are or have been in your homes.
- If they have questions you can't answer, tell them you will get back to them and then do. Feel free to call if you need help finding the answer.
- Close by thank them for their time and support
- We can’t cut our way out of the budget crunch by cutting clothing off the backs of foster kids!
- Think about this: If a parent failed to adequately clothe their children and instead spent the money other things we would call that neglect. But when the Commonwealth fails to provide proper clothing for the foster kids they call it fiscal responsiblity.
- As a foster parent I stand in for all of the responsible adults in Massachusetts who are collectively responsible for foster kids. Together, we, like all other parents have a legal responsibility to provide our children with the basics. Cutting food, clothing and shelter for foster kids must be OFF LIMITS!
What the 25% reduction means in terms of $$
| Age | Current Yearly Clothing Allowance | Annual Clothing Allowance after HWM cut of 25% | Clothing allowance per month after HWM cut of 25% |
| 0-5 | $428 | $321 | $26.75 |
| 6-11 | $724 | $543 | $45.25 |
| 12-17 | $1128 | $846 | $70.50 |
- Most often kid’s arrive at foster homes with nothing.
- Things wear out. When it comes to kids, stains, holes, tattered sleves and and worn shoe soles are a fact of life!
- Kids Grow! Most go through 2-3 complete changes in clothing and shoe size each year.
A sampling of what clothing costs:
Baby
| Diapers (box of 200) $40 | Receiving Blankets $15 | Onesies 5 pack $7 |
| Infant socks 8 pack: $10 | Pajama set $12.99 | Outfit $10 |
| Winter Coat $20 | Fleece Jacket $10 |
|
5 year old Girl
| Canvas Sneakers $15 | Flip-flops $5.00 | Underwear(pack of 5) $8 |
| Underwear(pack of 5) $8 | Girls swim suit $15 | Tights $9 |
| PJ set $10.00 | Sweatshirt: $5 | Tee shirt $ 6 |
| Light weight coat: $20 | Jeans: $13 | Rain coat: $8 |
| Heavy jacket: $25 |
|
Teenage Boy
| Sneakers $40 and up | Outdoor Boots $30 | Underwear (9 pack) $12 |
| Athletic Socks (6pack) $10 | T-shirt 7.99 | Polo Shirt $15 |
| Jeans $25 and up | Long sleeved Shirt $16 | Sweatshirt $20 |
| Fall Coat: $20 | Winter Coat $40 |
|
TUITION AND FEE WAIVERS
We can't continue to ignore our obligation to help DCF involved kids to attend State Colleges and Universities. These are public schools and no one deserves the chance they provide more than a kid in DCF care.
- Full waiver of tuition and fees at state colleges for youth who age out of the care of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), are adopted from DCF care or are under DCF sponsored guardianship was approved by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor in 2008. To date full funding for this waiver has never been provided.
- Broken promises made by adults are a fact of life for most DCF youth. But let's show them that some adults do keep their word by keeping our promise to help these youth get the education they need and deserve!
- Tuition and fee waiver programs for other deserving individuals have been fully funded. This tells foster youth that they are not as valuable as others in the state.
- Every parent knows that our kids continue to need help for years after they turn 18. Kid’s who age out of DCF don’t have a parent to turn to. So we as a community need to step up to provide them with basic assistance to get the education they need to stay on a path to becoming healthy productive adults and eventually capable parents.
- The amount of funding provided has supported 1 semester per year per child. As a result, any child without alternative sources of support has been forced to prolong college over additional years, some have abandoned the idea of college as viable option for them.
- Attendance at a post secondary school is one of the most reliable predictors of a productive and successful adulthood. If we don’t support these youth now we will need to support them later and at a far greater financial and social cost
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