State Officials Still Studying Issue of Credit for Orangewood Shelter Cost

State Social Services officials said Monday that they have not decided whether Orange County can claim the cost of operating the Orangewood emergency children’s shelter under a new allocation formula for child welfare services.

Responding to an inquiry from state Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim), deputy Social Services Director Robert T. Sertich said state officials are “still evaluating the question.”

Orange County officials contend that Orange and five other urban counties that own their own shelter facilities may be hurt more than other counties that contract for emergency housing for abused and neglected children if they are not entitled to claim such operating costs under the new formula.

County officials have been making plans to oppose the new funding formula, proposed in the 1985-86 budget, if they are not given permission to claim such costs for Orangewood.

“I’d say the issue is still on the table,” Seymour said Monday after receiving the letter from Sertich.

If state officials don’t provide a clearer answer before the Senate Budget Committee considers the issue May 19, Seymour said he will try to write a guarantee into the budget that would protect funding for the 2-year-old facility.