TYLER (KYTX) – "Since I never really had a dad in my life, this place has helped me out so much and they're trying to help out the other kids here," 18 year old Tony Kirby said.
Tony has been in foster care eight years. He says if it hadn't been for the Azleway Boys Ranch in Smith County, he's not sure where he'd be. "Probably on the streets, probably doing drugs right now -- probably selling too."
Now, many who work with children are concerned drastic budget cuts could leave foster children with nowhere to live.
"This is a challenge, and yet we can't do it at the expense of children," Gary Duke who is the executive director at Azleway, told us. "There is no organization I am aware of that can make money taking care of children. In fact, all of us struggle to try to make sure that we get adequate funding to make sure that we get quality services and care for kids."
Yet Duke says the state is proposing a 12% reduction in the rate foster care providers are reimbursed. Some agencies and foster families simply couldn't afford to keep going, and fewer available beds could be devastating.
"Then there are going to be times when CPS is going to have to prioritize the removal, and then you end up leaving kids in dangerous situations and it could certainly result in tragedy long range for kids," Duke said.
Duke said the proposed budget being considered could result in a situation seen four years ago when more than 600 foster children were forced to live in agency offices because no homes were available.
The budget draft also calls for not funding inevitable caseload growth. In 2010, close to 67,000 Texas children were confirmed victims of abuse or neglect, and of those children, more than 17,000 were removed from their homes by child protective services. That's a 35% increase from 2009.
"Any time we begin to see the economy struggle, then people begin to struggle and the stress on family systems begins to really have an impact on them," Duke said.
The Department of Family and Protective Services serves as a legal guardian to up to 29,000 children in Texas, and is obligated to serve eligible children and families no matter what the state budget provides.
Duke says, "CPS caseworkers who are handling 60-70 kids. They just can't adequately keep these kids safe."
Senator Kevin Eltife says the budget introduced is a worst case scenario. "That's not acceptable, and I would not vote for a budget that would do that to any of these foster children."
But, he admits something has to be done. "Everybody is going to have to share the pain, but you've got to look at how it affects services. So, can that agency cut administration without services to our children?"
But, with fewer services, Duke says it's a case of pay me now or pay me later. "One of the unfortunate realities is 80% of prisoners in the U.S. today are former foster children. They were in foster care at some point in their lives."
Senator Eltife added, "It's really easy as an elected official to say I'm going to save the taxpayer a dollar today, but if that one dollar today costs ten dollars tomorrow it's not the way to cut. I think there are some agencies or programs you just completely eliminate that are luxury items. They are not necessities like foster children."
Senator Eltife says sharing the cuts with additional revenue and using some of the Rainy Day Fund should help soften the blow.
For now, Tony is working hard to reach his goals, attending college and planning for the future. "I'm going to be going into culinary arts."
The final course rests in the hands of lawmakers. Duke said, "It's not about Azleway. It's not about any specific organization. It's about the kids in this state and what we can do for them. They deserve better than to not get the services they need to become productive members of our communities."
