Fee for Birth Certificates Up to Fight Child Abuse

County supervisors voted Tuesday to increase the price of birth certificates to $15 from $13 and use the proceeds to restore child-abuse prevention programs cut during the bankruptcy.

The fee increase, which takes effect Jan. 1, was supported by child services advocates and won grudging approval from even the most parsimonious supervisors.

“I normally don’t support these kinds of increases,” Supervisor Jim Silva said. “But I am making an exception because it is being used for child abuse prevention. . . . It’s money well spent.”

The new fees will generate $305,000 in annual revenue that the Social Services Agency will use to resume contract parenting education programs, home visits and drug testing for parents.

Larry Leaman, director of the Social Services Agency, said the higher fee, along with previously approved funding increases, will restore about three-fourths of the child services programs cut during the county’s December 1994 bankruptcy.

Barbara Oliver, executive director of the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Orange County, said the $2 increase is “very small” considering the benefits it will bring to children in need.

In other action, the board approved without comment a 9.1% raise for Sheriff Brad Gates, bringing his annual salary to $126,214.