Ontario Taxpayers Cover Prodigal CAS

March 30, 2004 permalink

The Ontario government recently announced supplementary funding for Children's Aid Societies throughout Ontario to clear up existing debts. Children's Aid can now overspend its budget, and the Province will cover the gap.

Gary Putman complains of inequities in the funding formulas. Since those formulas are a secret, this claim could be as misleading as the allegations used to steal children. If CAS can succeed in getting $210 reimbursement per day, eighteen years of care comes to $1,380,645. Custody of even a single child can produce large rewards for CAS, rewards beyond the means of all but the wealthiest parents.

The following article is from the Orangeville Banner:

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Family services gets relief from debt

Friday, March 26th, 2004, KAREN MARTIN-ROBBINS, Staff Writer

Dufferin Child and Family Services will be getting $286,900 in additional funding from the provincial government, which will clear up a deficit it has been carrying since 2002/2003.

"We are very pleased," says the local organization's executive director, Gary Putman. "It doesn't mean we will be providing additional services, but it pays off a debt we have been carrying."

The province promised this week an additional $20.7 million to clear Children's Aid Societies (CAS) deficits across Ontario.

In February, the government also promised $64.1 million to relieve escalating deficits in the current year.

"We must find more permanent homes for children and youth to give them a bright future," said Dr. Marie Bountrogianni, minister of children and youth services, in a press release. "By investing in children and youth today, we are helping Ontario succeed tomorrow."

With the funding, the Liberal government committed to reforming the child welfare system -- which Putman says is much needed.

In 1998, the Tories introduced a new funding formula for CAS, which included reviewing the benchmarks every three years.

Putman says the benchmarks have not been adjusted since 1998 -- so the organization was forced to carry a deficit.

"There was a real variance between the funding we were getting and the real costs," he says.

For example, Putman says the organization presently has about 15 children in its care that are considered needy. He says these children are in group homes outside of the community, where there is adequate staff to meet their needs.

But, those group homes cost on average $210 per day per child. The government's funding formula only provides $72 per day per child.

"I think, with this (new) funding, the government has shown that it recognizes the need for a new funding formula," he says.

For the record, here is a fact sheet released by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services:

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Fact Sheet

March 22, 2004

NEW FUNDING TO CLEAR HISTORIC DEFICITS
A Real, Positive Change for Children in Care

The Ontario government is providing an additional $20.7 million to clear Children's Aid Society 2002/03 deficits. Since January, the government has provided approximately $85 million in new funding to help relieve financial pressures at the agencies, and has indicated that future funding will be tied to specific targets that help ensure brighter futures for children and youth.

ADDITIONAL CHILD WELFARE FUNDING (in 000s)

CAS of London and Middlesex $1,801.1
CAS of Owen Sound and the County of Grey 606.7
CAS of the City of Guelph & the County of Wellington 20.5
CAS of the City of St. Thomas and the County of Elgin 263.1
CAS of the District of Rainy River 313.4
Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto 979.5
CCAS of Hamilton-Wentworth 200.7
Chatham-Kent Integrated Children's Service 370.8
Children's Aid Society of Northumberland 290.8
Children's Aid Society of Ottawa 351.4
Children's Aid Society of Oxford County 3.7
Children's Aid Society of the Region of Peel 9.7
Children's Aid Society of Toronto 4,953.3
Children's Aid Society Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry 316.2
Children's Aid Society, City of Brockville & Counties of Leeds & Grenville 17.1
Dilico Ojibway Child and Family Services 93.6
Dufferin Child and Family Services 286.9
Family, Youth and Child Services of Muskoka 203.0
Hastings Children's Aid Society 733.5
Huron Perth CAS 2.6
Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Toronto 70.0
Kawartha-Haliburton Children's Aid Society 835.2
Kenora-Patricia Child & Family Services 644.2
Payukotayno: James and Hudson Bay Family Services 0.8
Services aux enfants et adultes de P-R Services to Children and Adults 625.6
The Children's Aid Society of Haldimand-Norfolk 27.8
The Children's Aid Society of the County of Simcoe 721.3
The Children's Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay 686.8
The Children's Aid Society of the Districts of Nipissing and Parry Sound 60.9
The Children's Aid Society of the Districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin 1,696.6
The Children's Aid Society of the Durham Region 1,036.6
Tikinagan Child and Family Services Inc. 1,669.6
Weechi-it-te-win Family Services Inc. 836.6

Total $20,729.6

For more information visit www.children.gov.on.ca

For further information: Andrew Weir, Minister's Office, (416) 212-7159; Anne Machowski-Smith, Ministry of Children and Youth Services, (416) 325-5156

ONTARIO MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES