During the Fiscal Year 2012 budget process, Hall County ordered a $120,000 cut to the funding provided to the Community Service Center as part of its budget reduction efforts. The City of Gainesville is the fiscal agent for the Community Service Center, which is jointly funded by both the City and Hall County.
"We value our Community Service Center and its efforts in the community," said Mayor Ruth Bruner. "However, we cannot offset the $120,000 cut from the County and we had to make a very difficult decision."
Community Service Center Director Phillippa Lewis Moss added, "We are dedicated to our clients and we will work diligently to find alternatives that may be accessible within the community. We want to provide a transition that will be as smooth as possible. Although the program is ending October 31, our counselors will work through December 31 to help clients make a transition."
The Counseling and Psychotherapy program uses licensed therapists to provide individual, family, and group counseling services. Fees for these services are offered on a sliding scale. The Counseling and Psychotherapy unit receives referrals from community partners such as AVITA, Hall County Health Department, Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Juvenile Court, Family Court, Good News at Noon, and the Hall County and City of Gainesville School Systems.
After October 31 the Counseling and Psychotherapy program will accept no new clients. The remaining two months of the calendar year will be spent relocating existing clients explained Padgett.
"When the county announced their cuts we went back and looked at all our programs," Padgett said. "We tried to look (for) the program that had the least impact...on our citizens. Counseling and Psychotherapy met the criteria."
Padgett said one of the full time employees at Counseling and Psychotherapy would be let go and the other full time employee would become part time. Padgett said that the effected employees had been informed early in the day.
"From October 31 through December 31 we're using city money and fund balances to cover this program," Padgett explained after mentioning that Hall County funds for the Counseling and Psychotherapy program would stop at the end of October.
The Community Service Center will also be ending the Building Better Babies program, in conjunction with Northeast Georgia Medical Center, on December 31. The Medical Center announced their intentions to leave the program in July.
Both of the city's employees in this program would be let go.
In 2010, the Building Better Babies received grant funding from the Governor's Office for Children and Families. The program started with this seed grant for prevention and intervention activities for children at risk of child abuse and neglect. However, with the recent budget cuts and underlying economic environment, it would be challenging to sustain the program beyond the grant period.
"The City re-evaluated its participation in the program, along with Northeast Georgia Medical Center, and decided we could not financially support the program on its own. Therefore, we decided to end the program effective December 31," Mayor Bruner said.
City spokeswoman Catiel Felts and City Manager Kip Padgett
Gainesville Mayor Ruth Bruner
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