Cases Decline, Team May End

CREST HAVEN — A dwindling number of families — 14 in the first six months of this year — served by the Family Court Assessment Team (FCAT) will likely lead to the demise of that five-person county unit.
The unit provides the court with assessments of individuals and families’ mental health status as well as alcohol and drug-related cases.
“The court sends the (case) to FCAT to do an assessment. Then, they send the court their recommendation,” said County Administrator Stephen O’Connor.
The unit may also do short-term counseling when needed by a family, he added.
Many of the services provided by the unit are provided by Cape Counseling Services and other outside providers, as well as state agencies.
In existence for 25 years, FCAT has seen its caseload decrease dramatically.
“In reviewing the declining case load as well as looking at more cost-effective programs to provide the court assessment, the Youth Service Commission indicates that they will not be continuing to support FCAT’s grant funding.
“They document the number of cases served by FCAT decreased 73 percent from 2005 to 2009,” according to the memo.
That translated to 53 families from 184.
This year’s 14 families served meant the cost to serve each family was $12,000.
It is anticipated that FCAT grant funds ($118,114) will be redirected as recommended by the Youth Service Commission as:
* $90,000 to Community Services Program.
* $16,848 to Community Companion Program.
* $11,296 to the ISP Program.
The remaining $75,727 of grant funds outside the jurisdiction of the Youth Service Commission will be recommended to support an Evidence Based Program for mental health services for children in the county who have experienced trauma.
A resolution is expected to be offered at the Tue., Nov. 9 freeholder meeting to abolish the program and begin Civil Service layoff procedures. Those layoffs may involve “bumping” of persons covered by the titles, said O’Connor.
Elimination of the unit will save the county $150,000 annually, according to O’Connor.
In an Aug. 9 memo from him to freeholders, O’Connor noted the recommendation of the county Task Force that reviewed the work of the four full-timers and one part-time county worker.
That task force was comprised of Human Services Director Patricia Devaney, County Counsel Barbara Bakley-Marino, Treasurer Edmund Grant and Brad Rosenthal.
The unit presently costs $343,871.
The portion of its funding not from the county, $193,871 comes from state and federal funds. Of those funds, $118,114 is under the control of the Youth Services Commission, which comes from the state Juvenile Justice Commission.
The $75,727 balance is allocated to the Cape May County Compact, which is a contract between the county Board of Social Services and Division of Youth and Family Services. The Division of Youth and Family Services and Division of Child Behavioral Health Services control the program funds, O’Connor noted.
The task force’s recommendation:
“The County Task Force has carefully reviewed the documentation provided by the Youth Service Commission and is recommending that the freeholder board accept its findings and redirect JJC (Juvenile Justice Commission) funding to the areas identified. The Task Force further recommends that FCAT be de-funded and mental health assessments be provided by the state’s Division of Child Behavior Health Services system.
“This program allows a judge to order a 14 day plan that is completed in the home. Substance abuse counseling can be provided by Cape Counseling through the Family Adolescent Addiction Program.
“Cape Counseling has also indicated that they can accommodate the current level of service requests for adults, although there may be a sliding scale fee charged to families in these circumstances.”
Once the freeholders’ decision is made and formalized in a resolution, the county Human Resource Director will be directed to proceed with a lay-off plan for the Department of Personnel.
O’Connor said the anticipated action would take place Feb. 1, 2011.
“They are union people. That means we will do what has been done in most similar circumstances, and find other positions in the county,” O’Connor said.
“Unless there is an extreme public need, there are no other options for us when (grant) funding for programs is abolished,” said O’Connor.
“There are alternatives to providing the need to the county, and we are looking to no longer fund it,” he said.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com