Posted: 6/11/03

YSB scrambling to find dollars

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Scrambling. That may best describe what Jeanne Walz is doing in the wake of major budget cuts to the Youth Service Bureau in Forest Lake.

As 2003 nears the mid-point, Walz, the executive director of the 26-year agency, has been forced to face significant budget cuts and the certainty that 2004 will be no better.

The YSB is now dealing with the loss of $86,000 in various forms of state and federal pass-through funding this year. The damage is likely to top $86,000 in 2004, Walz said this week.

ìWithin a two-year period, that is probably a $180,000 (budget) difference,î Walz said.

The cuts have been major from a budget that started out this year at $724,000, she said.

Founded in 1977, the bureau continues its mission of providing help to youth and families in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Its expansion over 26 years includes an office in North Branch and service to Chisago County.

But now Walz is wondering where and how the total service piece can work next year.

Cuts have hurt

The bureauís budget woes became reality in March when Gov. Pawlenty announced budget unallotment steps that stripped away funding in this fiscal year.

By the time the facts had been sifted through, the YSB budget was sans some $86,000 this year.

State youth intervention funding has been slashed from $36,000 to $21,000 and as of July 1, Washington County will trim 5 percent or $4400 of its planned funding to the YSB because of its budget predicament, Walz said.

In Anoka County, an adolescent health care grant of $6600 has been cut, Walz said.

One of the biggest blows came in North Branch via the governorís unallotment. In North Branch, a $50,000 state grant for the after-school program in partnership with the school district was cut in March, Walz said.

Because of the value of the program in North Branch, Walz said school officials there found dollars to keep the program running into June. But 2004 is not certain at this point, she added.

Walz said the bureau also expects to lose $32,000 in Title V pass-through federal dollars next year and will find much competition for some $50,000 in Title II dollars next year. Because of the cuts that are hitting agencies like the bureau, Walz calls it ìa long shotî that Title II funding can be secured next year.

The head of the after-school program in North Branch will likely be let go, Walz said, adding that the bureau did not replace a youth activity coordinator in Forest Lake when that staff member resigned.

It is such budget moves and a look at programs that will drive the YSB in 2004.

Other factors

As the government continues to cut back its commitment to agencies like the YSB, Walz says the economy is also making it harder to nail down corporate and foundation grants and awards.

Many such organizations have changed their guidelines for giving and many are giving less because they have less, she said, pointing at the sluggish economy.

ìWe are not being as successful with our grant writing,î Walz said.

In the second half of 2003, Walz said the YSB will be forced to look to the communities it serves for more help. The agency must become more proactive in telling the community again what it does.

ìWe are not a crisis nursery, but yet it costs so much,î she said.

Walz said she is frustrated by the state budget cuts because the ramification of some of the moves will not be cost effective to taxpayers in the long run. She has figures to support the concern.

According to data from the Chisago County Attorneyís Office in 2002, it costs $375 to provide 12 hours of community-based face-to-face services to a first-time youth offender through a YSB program.

If that program is not available, Walz says the alternative is the youth must make an initial appearance in juvenile court. That appearance is an $1100 cost to the judicial system, according to the 2002 report.

ìWhich do we want?î Walz asks.

Top of Page