Countywide : Youth Programs Get Budget Reprieve

Five county programs that serve troubled youths--and a sixth that helps former jail inmates readjust to life outside prison--were saved from the budget ax Tuesday as county supervisors voted to rescind their termination notices.

Earlier this month, all of the programs had been put on notice that their funding would run out in September, but after much public outcry, county officials reconsidered. Under the action unanimously approved Tuesday, the programs will be funded at their current levels until January, though after that they may again have to scramble.

“We’ll still have to face the cuts, probably,” said Baltazar Perez, executive director of Chicano Pintos Inc., the program for former inmates. “We’ll use this time to try to find some private support.”

For five youth programs that provide emergency services and shelter to runaway and abused children, the board’s action at least postpones what had been drastic cutbacks or even elimination of some services.

“This gives us some breathing room, which we really need,” said Luciann Maulhardt, executive director of the Casa Youth Shelter in Los Alamitos. “It’s terrific.”

That shelter, a Los Alamitos center with beds for 12 youngsters, had been facing a reduction of $132,000 from its $400,000 annual budget. Other programs were facing similar cuts, most amounting to about half of their yearly funding.

Those cuts were the result of a 49% reduction in statewide juvenile justice programs, which are administered by the county.