Budget Cuts Put More Group Homes at Risk

As part of the state budget, a 10% cut in reimbursement rates for care of children in nonprofit group homes was approved. This cut was enacted by the state legislature and is not part of the Governor’s controversial line-item vetoes; it is set to go into effect October 1st. Carroll Schroeder, Executive Director of CACFS, said, "With this cut … agencies will be forced to choose between seriously downsizing, closing their programs entirely, or providing substandard care for their kids."

Last Friday, the Alliance (of which Sunny Hills is a member) filed suit in federal court to prevent the state from enacting the cut. Several lawsuits have been filed in recent weeks to challenge cuts made in the state budget in response to California's fiscal crisis. Since the rate cut means that California would pay just 68 cents for every dollar it costs to care for foster children in group homes, the basis for the lawsuit is the state’s failure to pay appropriate rates, or rates that adequately reimburse the costs of providing care in private nonprofit foster care group homes. Since federal law requires that states “cover the cost” of children’s care in order to obtain federal foster care matching funds, the rate cut is allegedly a violation of federal foster care laws.

California’s group home rate system was originally implemented in 1990. It was based on the cost of providing care and supervision at that time. However, in the nineteen intervening years, there have been only four increases to the reimbursement rate the state pays out, despite exponential increases in the costs of care. Coupled with this long history of no increase in payment, the 10% reduction approved by the governor would drop reimbursement rates to just 68% of their original value. This means that while spending more than ever to provide basic care, group homes are being reimbursed far less than at any time in the past twenty years.

If the 10% cut is implemented in October, up to one-third of the state’s group home capacity could be lost, affecting over 2,000 youth. Forty-one of the California Alliance’s present and former member agencies have closed or seriously cut back their group home programs since 2001, due in large part to the inadequacy of reimbursement rates. Many of you are familiar with this endemic problem, as we saw the impacts of it on our own programs with the closing of the Sunny Hills Residential Treatment Program and the Children’s Garden Group Homes. Youth in group homes typically have the most challenging circumstances of any foster youth. Their needs are extraordinarily complex to require that level of placement, and they are at even higher risk than other foster children for homelessness, jail, and hospitalization. While many of these young people can thrive in adequate settings, such as those provided by our own BAYC Group Home program, their needs are generally too complex to be met in traditional foster family placements.

California is in a fiscal crisis and we are all working hard to help bring our great state back to a balanced budget; however, cutting funding for the most defenseless of our state’s already at-risk foster population is not the answer. As their support infrastructure is strained state wide, it is especially critical that housing and treatment needs of these extremely vulnerable young people be met, not severed.

For more information, please visit the Alliance online.

Fall Fashion Show and Fundraiser this October

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 13, 2009 and join the Greenbrae Guild and friends at 11:30 am for an afternoon of fine food, festivities and fabulous fashion at Deer Park Villa in Fairfax. Feast your eyes on the latest in contemporary women's apparel courtesy of Anne's Secret Hangups of Novato. Tickets are $45 per person and all proceeds benefit Sunny Hills. The luncheon includes your choice of oven broiled salmon, veal scaloppini, or soup and shrimp louis salad. Please rsvp no later than October 1st to (415) 457-3200 ext 114 to reserve your place.

The Guilds of Sunny Hills Services are an association of women who have dedicated themselves to volunteering and raising financial support on behalf of the children and families we serve. Since the early 1900s the Guilds have raised more than a million dollars in charitable support which has helped thousands of kids over the years. At its height, there were nearly 40 active guilds in the community. Today, there are four active guilds: Greenbrae Guild, Novato Guild, Glenwood Guild, and the Terra Linda Guild, in addition to numerous other past guild members who serve as sustainers to this day. Sunny Hills is grateful for the extraordinary commitment these women have made. Learn more about the Guilds' service to our Sunny Hills community on our Web site, including the Grape Festival and the Bargain Box.

Optimism

Optimism is a core value we hold at Sunny Hills Services. It is something that we bring to every facet of our work. For us, optimism is equal parts hope, hard work, consistency, and a relentless commitment to helping young people realize their full potential.

At Sunny Hills, our youth come to us with enormous challenges. Life hasn’t always been fair to them. Their young lives have been scarred by the impact of abuse or neglect, poverty or violence, family instability or loss, mental illness or substance abuse, or some combination thereof. Others simply feel different. They may learn differently or relate differently. On the whole, these youth are struggling to thrive. But through our caring staff, we nurture their growth so that, step-by-step, they begin to heal and reclaim their lives.

Optimism is the fuel that drives our work. We see the tremendous distances our youth travel as they confront their challenges and begin to turn their lives around. We know the incredible resilience it takes for them to hold onto hope and not give up. When a child is able to make their first friend, read their first book, meet their father for the first time in their life, identify a feeling….we take none of these for granted. We recognize the potential these moments represent, and celebrate each one.

We approach each day, each young person, each moment with the level of energy and attention it deserves. We embrace high expectations. This doesn’t mean that failure eludes us. It doesn’t mean that our kids don’t experience setbacks. We all do. This is a natural part of life. Just as we do as an agency, we help our young people to reflect on their actions and what they could do differently. This is how we learn. And it is a continuous process.

Our journey is long. Over the arc of our experience, we have demonstrated a commitment to helping all children realize better and brighter futures. We show up every day. For our children. For their families. For our community.

The children and families we serve depend on us, and they continually inspire us to do more.

Welcoming our new Leadership Circle members

In 2004, Sunny Hills Services established the Leadership Circle to honor members of our donor community whose significant support has helped to sustain the important work of this agency. Today, membership in the Leadership Circle is comprised of more than 100 diverse and dedicated individuals who have pledged their commitment to the children of Sunny Hills through generous contributions of financial support.

Members of the Leadership Circle are distinguished by their extraordinary generosity in support of our mission and through their unwavering belief in the agency’s healing work with children, adolescents and their families. Members enjoy special access to Sunny Hills Services and the CEO in addition to personalized recognition through a private annual event, a permanent donor display, and through Sunny Hills’ publications.

Please join me in welcoming the following new members of the Leadership Circle who will be recognized at a private reception on October 15, 2009:

Dr. Angela Callender and Mr. Chuck Gipson
Ms. Patricia Duffy and Mr. Leslie Sherman
Mr. and Mrs. David Epstein
Mr. Robert C. Lynn
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Pryt
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Shilakes
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Syufy

Dine out and donate

Looking for an easy way to give back? Then join us for dinner on Friday, October 2, 2009 between 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm at Sam's Anchor Café, a favorite waterfront restaurant on San Francisco Bay. Sam's will donate 20% of food and wine purchases to Sunny Hills' Marin Academic Center which provides a therapeutic education to vulnerable youth ages 5-14. No need to purchase any tickets. Simply call (415) 435-4527 to make your reservation today!