[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 130 (Saturday, August 5, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              CHILD WELFARE TAKES HIT IN LABOR-HHS-ED BILL

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 4, 1995
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform my colleagues that the 
LABOR-HHS-ED bill cuts $2.4 million from the child welfare training 
programs and should restore these funds in conference committee. While 
it is recognized that the deficit needs to be fixed, should it be done 
on the backs of children? In 1994, over 3 million children in the 
United States were reported physically, emotionally, or sexually abused 
or neglected. The need for trained, skilled, and qualified child 
welfare protection personnel is essential. Yet, according to the 
National Commission on Children, only 25 percent of child welfare case 
workers have social work training, and 50 percent have no previous 
experience working with children and families.*
  Under section 426, title IV-B discretionary grants are awarded to 
public and private nonprofit institutions of higher learning to develop 
and improve education/training programs and resources for child welfare 
service providers. These grants upgrade the skills and qualifications 
of child welfare workers.
  To ensure an available and adequate supply of professionally trained 
social workers who provide child protection, family preservation, 
family support, foster care, and adoption services, I urge you to 
support schools of social work in their untiring efforts to train 
competent and qualified child welfare protection workers. If adequate 
resources are not made available then we all bear the responsibility of 
promoting a child welfare work force that will be ill-equipped to 
deliver critical services to many children and families. If we provide 
the necessary funds, we can be assured of a well qualified, trained, 
and skilled child welfare work force who will make sure that all 
American families in special need will get quality assistance. This 
program without a doubt is a sound Government investment for families.


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