Budget cuts that will reduce funding for needy families were revealed at yesterday's Athens County Commissioners meeting.
The Athens County Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) Program has cut back portions of its emergency relief for poor families because of a $300,000 budget reduction by the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services.
PRC provides families in need with emergency assistance with a maximum of $300 for financial crises and $700 for employment/training. This assistance includes housing, utilities, uniforms or clothes and education. The suspended aid comes from work-related assistance such as uniforms and gas.
The budget reduction has also changed PRC eligibility from 150 percent to 100 percent of the poverty line.
This means that families who are at or below the poverty line are still eligible for PRC but that those who were slightly above the poverty line no longer qualify, said Nick Claussen, Community Relations Coordinator for the Athens County and Family Services.
Programs such as PRC are not the only ones faced with a tight budget. Jack Frech, Director of Athens County Job and Family Services, said his department is looking to layoff 5-10 employees in the coming months and will not fill six to seven of the vacant positions.
This budget reduction is the newest of multiple cuts the Athens County Job and Family Services has faced since 2008, and although a federal bailout package for Ohio is expected, Frech and Commissioner Lenny Eliason expressed uncertainty about how much of it the department would see.
Commissioner Mark Sullivan added, Any help we might get won't put us back where we were but will certainly help our residents.
In a press release, Frech stated, It seems as though we are asking low-income families to shoulder a disproportionately large share of the state budget shortfalls.
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Dan Quarfoot
