Latinos Protest Lack of Funds to Fight Drug, Alcohol Abuse : Social services: A small group pickets the annual meeting of health administration officials seeking input from residents about the types of programs they need.

A public meeting in Pacoima organized by county health officials was picketed Tuesday by a small group of Latinos, who protested that the county does not provide enough money or programs to combat Latino drug and alcohol abuse.

“We want them to listen,” said Luz Elena Tafolla, one of less than a dozen residents who showed up carrying placards. “We pay taxes, too, and we want to be heard.”

Officials of the county’s Department of Health Services’ Alcohol and Drug Program Administration said they agree that more programs are needed for Latinos, but said it is difficult to provide new programs because of a shortage of money, and because some funds are restricted for use in specific programs.

Sharon Mayer, a planning chief with the alcohol and drug program, said that in recent years the agency has made an effort to emphasize funding for programs that address Latino needs, but said “there’s never enough being done for any group.”

But Xavier Flores, another protester, said any recent gains in programs for Latinos are a response to pressure from the community. “We have had to fight for everything,” he said. “They’ve given us nothing.”

The meeting at the Pacoima Community Center was one of a dozen held annually by the county agency to gather testimony from residents about the types of programs needed in the community, and as a follow-up to similar meetings held last year.

But because nearly all of the three dozen people who attended were from community groups that already have county-funded programs, the meeting focused on funding for those programs and new programs sought by the same groups.

Meanwhile, the protesters said county statistics show that only 14%, or $8.5 million, of nearly $60 million awarded by the county agency to community groups went to programs that serve Latinos.

The protesters also said that based on population and poverty rates for the county, the proportional level of Latino participation in alcohol and drug programs should be nearly 45%. Currently, Latino participation is 28% in county-funded alcohol programs and 36% in drug programs, according to the protesters.

The group also charged that of the 107 programs funded by the county agency, only four programs have 100% Latino staffs, and only 15 others have at least 50% Latino staffs.

County officials at the meeting said they could not address the specific charges made by the protesters because they did not have enough time to review the statistics.