Names change; the games don’t

To the editor:
    Some of the names change but not the game played. DHHS, with apparent blessing from Governor Baldacci, has proposed another devastating cut in Foster Parent funding.
    Let’s briefly review related activity under Governor Baldacci’s watch:
• In the fall, 2003, DHS Commissioner Karen Westburg quickly and unilaterally proposed reductions of from 30 percent to 50 percent in funding for foster parents after the Governor imposed a budget crunch. • During January, 2003, DHS held meetings for foster parents to give input and received significant negative reaction but forwarded the funding cut proposal unchanged, making most foster parents see the meetings as merely lip service to an unorganized, under-represented foster parent group.
• During the spring, 2003, foster parents testified before the Legislature, warning of the harm the proposal would have on Maine’s foster children, to no avail. Foster parents attempted to advise the Governor of the probably ramifications to no avail. We suggested that the Bangor Daily News focus on the situation to no avail. All funding cuts were implemented, including on formerly established “grandfathered” cases, forcing many foster parents to parent the same children for up to and in excess of 50 percent less funding. Some gave up foster parenting; some continued with a severe cut; many foster children suffered more.
• In early, 2005, DHHS Commissioner Jack Nicolas, again proposed a significant reduction of funding for foster parents by suggesting that the highest two funding grades be eliminated. Warnings of detrimental effects on the foster care program by foster parents resulted in the Legislature stepping in and disallowing these harmful cuts to be implemented.
    Now to the present time:
    DHHS managers led by Commissioner Brenda Harvey with apparent blessing from Governor Baldacci, have again gone to the depleted well of resources in foster parent homes for budget reduction moneys. A summary of their plan:
• Reduce foster parent payments by another 30 percent across the board. This will effectively make three of the five pay scales to foster parents significantly below the actual cost to raise a foster child with the other two scales barely covering actual costs,
• Reduce adoption assistance by another 30 percent, thus breaking written contracts made with people who have adopted the State’s foster children,
• Eliminate present respite program, (respite is something extremely needed by foster parents and foster children and has been rarely over-used), by requiring foster parents to pay respite providers out of their own pockets,
• Eliminate day care services to foster parents with small children who do not work “outside the home”. Many infants and small children require full-time services by foster parents which prohibits working outside the home. Foster parents wonderful enough to make this sacrifice are now to be rewarded by having reasonable day care services taken from them,
• Further inhibit access to recreational items funding, (a longstanding reasonable program designed to help foster parents obtain expensive recreational and educational items for their foster children to help in their growth emotionally, physically and educationally.)
    DHHS has recently advised foster parents of these novel ideas in a letter which also promises to set up meetings so that DHHS can listen to and likely quickly dismiss, as in the past, comments and objections made by foster parents who still may believe they can influence all this. The bottom line is another disrespectful slam on foster parents and the wonderful services they provide to the State of Maine and Maine’s foster children.
    The Governor, Brenda Harvey, and her vast Augusta DHHS management team should be ashamed of themselves for proposing another foster care system butcher plan to the Legislature. If the Legislature goes along with it, they will have their turn to be ashamed of themselves. If this happens, one of the legacy items the Governor can look back on in years to come will be the horrendous set back that he crafted on Maine’s foster children and the program that is supposed to serve them.
    If the state loses many more skilled foster parents, what will become of all the displaced foster children? Does anyone care? How will these children handle yet another major loss in their lives? Does anyone care?
    Enough is enough. Would this be happening if foster children could vote? Would this be happening if the system did not squelch foster parents from organizing into an effective lobbying group? Would this happen if DHHS, the Governor, the Legislature, and the BDN cared?
Marvin McBreairty
Brewer