.Delegate Talmadge Branch.>> Record. . . .. ... ... .

........................Delegate Talmadge Branch

Annapolis Accomplishments

Capital Budget

• More than $35 million in funding for local projects in the city.

• $21.5 million in school construction funding.

• $14 million for school construction in Baltimore City.

• $1.5 million in Program Open Space funding for the operation of parks and recreation facilities in Baltimore.

Higher Education

• $32.8 million for Baltimore City Community College

• $51.3 million for Morgan State University.

• $6 million in enhancement funds and $6 million in Access and Success funds for the four historically black universities.

• $1.8 million in funding was provided to the University of Baltimore in order to replace an elevator used by disabled students.

Education

• $393.6 million increase in State aid for education. Total funding for State aid to public education will be over $4 billion in fiscal 2006.

Personnel

• Merit pay increases and a 1.5% cost of living adjustment.

• Deferred compensation match. The state will match up to $400 what employees put into a 401k.

Seniors

• $500,000 to senior nutrition programs, which includes Meals on Wheels.

• $150,000 to the Seniors Activity Fund which provides funds to senior centers.

• $350,000 for assisted living programs for seniors.

Transportation

• 11.7% increase, or just over $23.1 million, in funding for local highway projects in Baltimore City. The city will receive almost $200 million in fiscal 2006 for highway projects.

General

• Created a balanced State budget without significant increases in taxes or fees.

• Provided $6.7 million in funding to support cancer research at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. The Governor cut this program by $7.7 million.

• Provided $1.2 million for adult literacy programs.

• Provided $650,000 for the opening of the African American Museum.

Child Welfare

• The 2006 budget includes language that requires the Department of Human Resources to meet the needs of individual families and children instead of a uniform approach to reports of child abuse and neglect. It also seeks to prevent child abuse and neglect by offering services to families at risk for child abuse or neglect.

• The 2006 budget includes several requests for reports on the status of child welfare services in Baltimore from the Department of Human Resources.

1. How reports of child abuse are handled by a centralized call center in Baltimore City;

2. The coordination of State and local agencies to provide services to children in Baltimore City including dental screenings, providing health screenings at local Departments of Social Services’ offices;

3. Extended Hours Plus, which offers 24/7 response to reports of child abuse and neglect (DHR created this program in response to the workgroup’s efforts to have social workers readily available at Johns Hopkins Hospital which treats the majority of child abuse cases in the city); and

4. A report on the number of child fatalities in the State as a result of child abuse or neglect.

5. The budget includes $1.7 million for a training academy to train caseworkers and foster and adoptive parents, as well as $1 million to recruit foster care families.

6. Language adopted in the fiscal 2005 budget restricted the use of funds by the Department of Human Resources until the Department had staffing to caseload ratios that met the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) standards. DHR met CWLA standards during fiscal 2005. To ensure these staffing levels continue, there is language in the fiscal 2006 budget requiring DHR to continue staffing levels that meet CWLA standards.

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