COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- Focus on Kids, a project of the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, held a press conference Tuesday to address budget cuts to state agencies. Their focus was on, what they referred to as, a harmful impact to South Carolina’s children.
Focus on Kids, at statewide children’s advocacy group, compiled an in-depth report to detail the effects budget cuts have had on state agencies’ ability to deliver services and programs to children.
The report says the state's budget cuts are delaying help for rape victims and stalling the state's ability to respond to child protection complaints.
The Foothills Alliance in Anderson has lost 30 percent of the cash it uses to help people after rapes according to the report. That lack of money means a waiting list for sex-crime victims seeking help because there is not enough money to pay counselors.
The report also says it is taking the state longer to respond child protection complaints. It also raises a warning that parents moving from welfare to jobs are losing help needed for child care and transportation.
The group hopes “The Children’s Budget” will serve as a catalyst for revealing the consequences of the South Carolina General Assembly’s budget decisions.
Click here to read An Overview of State Budget Cuts And Their Impact on South Carolina’s Children.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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