State funding for SP Family Resource Center threatened

May 23, 2001
Santa Paula News

The fear that the state just might abruptly halt funding for the Santa Paula Family Resource Center (SPFRC) has sent staff and supporters scrambling to try to protect the grant that, if lost, could shut down the facility that provides an array of social services including counseling to at-risk youth.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe fear that the state just might abruptly halt funding for the Santa Paula Family Resource Center (SPFRC) has sent staff and supporters scrambling to try to protect the grant that, if lost, could shut down the facility that provides an array of social services including counseling to at-risk youth.Due to the energy crisis, the state has proposed a budget revision that would gut the statewide Juvenile Crime Prevention Project and its programs.“The Santa Paula Family Resource Center is one of these projects,” said Director Martin Hernandez, who noted the high success rate of such programs, including the SPFRC. “What does this mean to Santa Paula? It could eliminate the SPFRC and all the services it delivers; individual and family counseling, mentoring for our youth and families, substance abuse counseling for adults and youth, as well as educational support and tutoring.”And the proposed cuts come just when the center was expanding services, said Carl Barringer, Chairman of the SPFRC board of directors.“The center has made commitments, hired the people and now they have to put on the brakes for new programs,” until the funding issue - which means about $500,000 for the SPFRC - is resolved. “It could close down the center.”Barringer said Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson and State Senator Jack O’Connell have been contacted about the issue, and “Both are supportive of saving the program,” the future of which will be decided by the state Finance Committee.
Petitions in support of the continued funding for Juvenile Crime Prevention Project programs, including the SPFRC, are being circulated locally to be printed in a full-page ad in the Sacramento Bee placed by a variety of statewide programs that are threatened.And there is no doubt that such programs have been effective: a four-year study Juvenile Crime Prevention Project members show that of the over 16,000 families served across the state, there have been significant decreases in violent, criminal and delinquent behaviors. Negative school behaviors also plunged as did substance abuse, behavioral problems and social maladjustment.An added bonus of the participants is that the families overall became more stable with overall improvements in basic needs including employment, medical care, family finances, food/clothing, housing, transportation and child care. Such improvements were attained by greater overall family functioning through greater parenting skills targeted for families involved in the Juvenile Crime Prevention Project.The SPFRC opened about three years ago, funded initially by grant money to supply services to at-risk youth. The center also offers other free services for the entire family and anyone in need of information and referrals for a variety of programs.The round of funding threatened by the energy crisis would have continued SPFRC services for two to three years.The center is a collaborative effort created by numerous organizations and those directly providing programs include the Commission on Human Concerns, Palmer Drug Abuse Program, Ventura County Probation Department and Interface Children Family Services.For more information, call Hernandez at the SPFRC, 525-6616.



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