Serious Health Issue

It’s about time that the Board of Supervisors took a long, serious look at the precarious financial situation in which most of the health and social services agencies throughout San Diego County find themselves today. Chief Administrative Officer Clifford Graves has recommended to the board that, commencing Dec. 1, monies formerly provided to these agencies be cut by $4.1 million a year. In fiscal year 1985-86, this level would continue.

If the board follows the recommendations of the CAO, it will, in effect, be signing the death warrant for essential services provided by these agencies and a substantial reduction in services to citizens. Services remaining will be sorely pressed to meet human needs. Where will agency clients go for services?

The social services and health agencies have a background of long and proven experience in their particular fields. Moreover, they have the added advantage of the help of hundreds of unpaid volunteers who perform a variety of services.

The services the community agencies have been providing are not going to be transferred to the county staff. County staff salaries are in most cases considerably higher than those paid to the agency employees for similar work. Moreover, the county does not have the luxury of flexibility in the provision of services nor the ability to weed out and train the many volunteers who work without pay for the agencies.

Now that revenue sharing funds have been continued for another year, there is no justification for the board to follow the CAO’s recommendation to divert those funds from the independent providers and turn them over to the county. Such a move would be highly insensitive, without logic, and certainly not in the best interest of county taxpayers.

The continuation of support for these services is a countywide problem and the Board of Supervisors’ responsibility--one that they morally cannot disregard!

EVERETT M. JESS

San Diego