DHR Commissioner Details Budget Pain

State budget writers today heard from the heads of Georgia's social services and health care.

B.J. Walker addressed lawmakers this morning. She’s in charge of the largest state agency , the Department of Human Resources. And it’s where the state budget crisis might be felt the most.

Walker has to manage an agency budget of around $3.8 billion. Her department was hit by the budget-ax last summer, and it’s bracing for more in the Governor’s recommendations for the next fiscal year.

"Given the times we’re in and what we have to work with, I’m comfortable the Governor put us through a rigorous enough process that what he has put on the table, is something I can figure out how to make work."

But, Walker did admit to lawmakers Friday the challenge of "making it work" will be tougher with heavier across-the-board cuts to come in fiscal budget year 2010.

Last summer, DHR began one-day-a-month furloughs for a bulk of its 19,000 employees. The state hopes the move saves more than $100-million. And more furloughs could be on the way. Cutbacks are everywhere in the department, with money being pulled from all services, such as children and family services, and programs for the elderly.

Mental health services are in the firing line also. The state just recently signed an agreement with federal officials promising the troubled system will be vastly improved in the next five years. The obvious question today to Walker--how to do that, given budget cutbacks?

"We know that we’ll probably need some sort of resources at some point. But we have not fully calculated what that need is at this time...we’re working that through right now, and I’m sure we’ll be bringing some ideas about that at some point."

Walker did say the option of privatizing at least a portion of the mental health system is still an option--if it makes sense fiscally.

As budget committee hearings concluded at the Capitol today, Walker may have delivered the best line in summing-up how she’s trying to manage her department’s budget.

"It is my intent to go through these times not worrying about is it raining, or worrying about how to get out of the rain, but it’s my intent to figure out how you can dance in it."

DHR mulling private mgm't of state mental hospitals

Private firms may soon run some of the State’s psychiatric hospital services, according to Department of Human Resources Commissioner, B.J. Walker.

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution says Walker considers the step, quote, “a creative way” to improve the state’s ailing mental hospital system.

DHR officials say Georgia could turn over one of its seven facilities to a private company, and others could be closed down.

However, DHR Spokesman David Noel called the idea only an “exploratory proposal.”

The State is also weighing moving mentally ill criminal defendants to a new facility in Milledgeville, according to the report.

Gov. Sonny Perdue in 2007 signed an executive order creating a state commission on mental health.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of Georgia's mental health system.

Perdue defends child welfare system

Governor Sonny Perdue says the state's child welfare administrators are doing their best, despite two reports that indicate otherwise.

Perdue defends the state Division of Child and Family Services in an interview with GPB television's Georgia Weekly, which will air Sunday at 1 PM.

"I give the department a good grade, a grade of great effort and great progress," he said. "I have a lot of confidence in [Department of Human Resources] Commissioner [B.J.] Walker."

But a report by the state child advocate and preliminary findings from a federal review indicate the state is leaving children in homes where they are being mistreated. The documents accuse agency staff of failing to investigate incidents of child abuse.

Also on Georgia Weekly, Perdue says he will not suspend state gas taxes anytime soon, despite rising gas prices.

He also denies rumors that he is positioning himself as a vice-presidential candidate.

Help wanted: state child advocate

Gov. Sonny Perdue has assembled a three-member team to search for the next state child advocate, who monitors the state's child welfare services. The current advocate, Dee Simms, became embroiled in controversy after she released a scathing report of the Fulton County child welfare office.

Perdue's chosen recruiters have close ties to his office. Rebecca Sullivan was his executive counsel. Joy Hawkins, now with the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, served as Perdue's deputy chief operating officer. Abel Ortiz served as Perdue's health policy advisor and now works at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. They will nominate at least three candidates, and Simms could be among them. She has said that she would like to keep her post.

In March, Simms' office released a report charging the Fulton County child and family services department with bad leadership, high caseloads, and child neglect. The county director was re-assigned to a state office, but state leaders continue to defend the agency against the charges. During his first term, Perdue promised to reform the overburdened child welfare division.

Simms was first appointed to her post by Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, and later re-appointed by Perdue. Her term officially expired in October.