Proposed Cuts Threaten CalWORKS Home Visiting Program’s Crucial Support for Lower-Income Mothers
Reductions Could Slash Services for Vulnerable Families in Riverside County and Beyond
According to KQED, facing a substantial budget shortfall California Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed significant cuts to key social programs including a 45% reduction in funding for the CalWORKS home visiting program. This program which provides crucial support to lower-income mothers through regular home visits by trained professionals is designed to aid families during the critical early years of a child’s life. The proposed cuts would drastically limit the program’s capacity to serve vulnerable families particularly in places like Riverside County where the number of families receiving support could shrink to just 200 out of over 20,000 eligible. The CalWORKS home visiting program has played a vital role in connecting families with essential services such as housing and mental health care and ensuring that children receive necessary developmental screenings. These reductions threaten to undo the progress made in building a support system that directly benefits both parents and their children.
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45% CUT LOOMS: California’s Proposed Budget Cuts to CalWORKS Home Visiting Program Threaten Support for 20,000 Low-Income Families-Are you belong! (PHOTO: cometlog.com)
Budget Cuts to CalWORKS Home Visiting Program Risk Undermining Support for Vulnerable Families, Especially in Rural Areas
The CalWORKS home visiting program has made significant progress in recent years extending its services and building the necessary infrastructure to support lower-income mothers effectively. Charna Widby deputy director of Riverside County’s First Five commission states that the program has been successfully providing essential help to these families. Cutting its funding now would undo years of investment and hard work. Independent reviews show the program has helped families get important resources like housing and mental health care. Additionally children in the program receive developmental screenings more often than those on Medi-Cal. This highlights the program’s crucial role and the potential harm of budget cuts to its continued success.
The proposed cuts to the CalWORKS home visiting program will hit rural areas hard where resources are already limited. For instance in Humboldt County 13 out of 35 families currently receiving support might lose access to the program if funding is reduced. Rural communities face extra challenges like limited transportation a lack of low-income housing, and scarce medical care. The home visiting program helps by bringing essential support directly to these families and connecting them to necessary services. As Governor Newsom and state leaders finalize the budget advocates are urging them to keep funding for this important program which plays a crucial role in helping children and families in poverty.
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