Job and Family Services anticipates funding cut

By Peter H. Milliken

YOUNGSTOWN — A 4.75 percent cut in state funding for the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services is expected, but it’s too soon to say whether layoffs will be needed and how many JFS employees might be let go, the department’s acting director said.

Judee L. Genetin said the department has 303 employees combined in its income maintenance and child support enforcement operations, and at least 20 positions are now vacant.

“We have not received officially what those cuts are going to be,” from state officials, Genetin said Thursday. Genetin said she expects to receive official figures from the state Monday.

“We don’t have the numbers to even analyze yet,” she said. The expected 4.75 percent figure is based on Gov. Ted Strickland’s statement that state agencies would have to make cuts in that amount, Genetin explained.

If layoffs occur, they will affect both income maintenance and child support enforcement workers, Genetin said.

The county commissioners would have to approve any layoffs, and they must be in reverse order of seniority, she said.

“We’re not prepared to make a recommendation to the board [of county commissioners] as to layoffs yet,” because precise official budget figures haven’t yet been submitted by state officials to the county, George J. Tablack, county administrator, said after the county commissioners’ meeting.

The JFS funding formula is a complex mix of federal, state and local money, Genetin said, adding that she couldn’t provide specific dollar figures for each category.

“We already took cuts last year and this year,” in the administrative and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families budgets, she said.

Last year’s cuts forced the department to impose a hiring freeze in January in both income maintenance and child support enforcement, she said. Since then, employees who’ve left haven’t been replaced, she noted.

“We’ve already been told to expect more cuts next year of 10 percent or 15 percent, and then more cuts the following year,” she said.

The funding cuts would attack JFS’ ability to administer programs, not actual services to clients, she added.

The possibility of staff cuts at JFS has been known to the county commissioners at least since early this year. In February, Commissioner Anthony T. Traficanti told The Vindicator editorial board that Genetin had reported to commissioners that staff cuts were likely, possibly later this year.

Even at current staffing levels, some caseworkers handle 150 to 180 cases, which Traficanti called “an unmanageable proposition.”

JFS has had to cut its agreements with transportation providers and with community agencies, including Goodwill Industries, the Burdman Group, Hope House and Beatitude House by 20 percent to 60 percent, Commissioner John A. McNally IV said earlier this year.

Ongoing cuts will negatively affect the JFS budget this year, next year and likely into 2010, McNally said. “We’ve got some major difficulties ahead,” he said.

milliken@vindy.com