another sample letter
Dear Senator,
My name is . It has recently come to my attention that the DCFS budget has been cut by 70 million dollars and that these cuts will affect the services that are being provided to at risk youth residing in foster care. Specifically, the System of Care contract has been reduced dramatically.
The System of Care program is a vital program which helps break the cycle of failed foster care placements. A large body of evidence links foster placement disruption to problems with delinquency, substance abuse, emotional and behavioral problems as well as poor academic performance. The System of Care approach has demonstrated its effectiveness in addressing the needs of children with serious emotional and behavioral problems, in reducing juvenile justice involvement and placement disruptions.
I have been looking for more information on these budget cuts and I am concerned by what I have found. Evidence supports that these services are beneficial in assisting children who have experienced trauma reach competency. Instead, I hear that funding is being cut and that this cut will negatively impact the services available to these children. I am concerned about politicians who are able to say that they recognize the impact of trauma on children and that they are aware that a solution lies in a community effort to support these children, but who are not able to back those words up with funding. I appreciate that there are many programs out there that need funding. However, making smaller cuts in more areas will make the impact on our most vulnerable populations less than to take 70 million dollars away from children who are not able to protest.
Recently the House of Representatives vetoed Governor Blagojevich’s budget cuts. It is scheduled to appear before the Senate in November. However, I feel that this is an important issue. The children and families cannot wait. I urge you to veto the budget cuts when it comes before the Senate. More than that, I petition you to do all in your power to attend to this issue with the urgency it deserves and request that Senator Jones calls the matter forward as soon as possible.
I appreciate the need for a balanced budget, and I appreciate the need for cuts in these difficult economic times. However, I am concerned about a system that cuts funding to our future. We know that children who have experienced trauma and who are now involved with DCFS are significantly more likely to drop out of school, engage in criminal acts, have children at an early age, and re-abuse their children in the future. By cutting funding to an agency that has a record of reducing these likelihoods, we are increasing the amount that we will have to pay in the future. This, I cannot appreciate. It may seem smart now, but let us not be penny wise and pound-foolish. Let us be penny wise and pound smart.
Thank you for your time,
NAME
ADDRESS
My name is . It has recently come to my attention that the DCFS budget has been cut by 70 million dollars and that these cuts will affect the services that are being provided to at risk youth residing in foster care. Specifically, the System of Care contract has been reduced dramatically.
The System of Care program is a vital program which helps break the cycle of failed foster care placements. A large body of evidence links foster placement disruption to problems with delinquency, substance abuse, emotional and behavioral problems as well as poor academic performance. The System of Care approach has demonstrated its effectiveness in addressing the needs of children with serious emotional and behavioral problems, in reducing juvenile justice involvement and placement disruptions.
I have been looking for more information on these budget cuts and I am concerned by what I have found. Evidence supports that these services are beneficial in assisting children who have experienced trauma reach competency. Instead, I hear that funding is being cut and that this cut will negatively impact the services available to these children. I am concerned about politicians who are able to say that they recognize the impact of trauma on children and that they are aware that a solution lies in a community effort to support these children, but who are not able to back those words up with funding. I appreciate that there are many programs out there that need funding. However, making smaller cuts in more areas will make the impact on our most vulnerable populations less than to take 70 million dollars away from children who are not able to protest.
Recently the House of Representatives vetoed Governor Blagojevich’s budget cuts. It is scheduled to appear before the Senate in November. However, I feel that this is an important issue. The children and families cannot wait. I urge you to veto the budget cuts when it comes before the Senate. More than that, I petition you to do all in your power to attend to this issue with the urgency it deserves and request that Senator Jones calls the matter forward as soon as possible.
I appreciate the need for a balanced budget, and I appreciate the need for cuts in these difficult economic times. However, I am concerned about a system that cuts funding to our future. We know that children who have experienced trauma and who are now involved with DCFS are significantly more likely to drop out of school, engage in criminal acts, have children at an early age, and re-abuse their children in the future. By cutting funding to an agency that has a record of reducing these likelihoods, we are increasing the amount that we will have to pay in the future. This, I cannot appreciate. It may seem smart now, but let us not be penny wise and pound-foolish. Let us be penny wise and pound smart.
Thank you for your time,
NAME
ADDRESS