She is 15 years old. She is a mother of newborn twins.
A King County public health nurse recently sent her to my agency, Children’s Home Society of Washington (CHSW).
I enrolled her in a CHSW home visiting program which will help her and her precious babies become self-sufficient and see that the children’s development is healthy and normal.
During this initial visit I started wondering and worrying.
How will my young client, who is among the poorest of the poor, and others fare during these difficult economic times?
My worry comes in the wake of the newly projected $90 million shortfall in King County’s general fund for 2009. Public Health estimates its expenditures next year will be slashed by approximately $19 million with deeper cuts slated after that. Additionally, all county funding to Public Health will cease at the end of 2011.
What will happen to babies born to teen mothers after that?
I don’t think we will be preventing every adolescent pregnancy by then, especially with reductions to free and low-cost public health services.
Last year 11,968 people made 34,382 visits to Auburn Public Health Center. Among the specific services provided:
• 592: Teens received family planning services
• 1,322: Children received immunizations
• 4,696: Women, infants and children received assistance to purchase baby formula and healthy food
My client’s twins are healthy, because she received excellent prenatal medical care, food and vitamin supplements, and considerable encouragement to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
Her babies’ milk sensitivity was suspected by her public health nurse, and the babies now drink soy formula.
When my client’s maternity support services run out, a public health advocate is going to help her enroll in a basic health plan. She is very likely to be use public health services to prevent another unplanned pregnancy, and to get scheduled immunizations for her children.
This teenage mom is going back to school next month, and her children will be cared for in a licensed child care facility where a public health nurse visits.
In two years, with the help of CHSW, this young woman will graduate from high school and work training and have a living-wage job.
In five years, her healthy children will be ready for school.
What better investment could we make in the lives of young parents and children?
My agency, CHSW, receives no funding from King County. But our partner agencies Auburn Food Bank, ACAP and Auburn Youth Resources do. They are facing a 44-percent cut in their County funding, effective Jan. 1, 2009.
Many of our neighbors who utilize the Auburn Public Health Clinic also need the help of our local community agencies from time to time.
My young client might benefit from any or all of our services, and your family might need help too.
During upcoming public hearings on the County Executive’s proposed budget, tell Council members this, “Don’t let King County Executive Ron Sims take the budget ax to the community support system in Auburn!”
Tomorrow, any of us could be in need.
Terry Zimmerman is a community services manager for Children’s Home Society of Washington. She also is a board member for Auburn Communities in Schools, Auburn Valley Human Services Association and the South King Council of Human Services. She can be reached at 253-854-0700 or Terryz@chs-wa.org.
