In an effort to support a top priority to improve the community for Morgan Hill’s children in 2013, Council members asked staff to add money to the proposed general fund budget for children’s healthcare and the El Toro Youth Center.
The Council made the request at an all-day workshop Friday on City Manager Steve Rymer’s 2013-2014 budget proposal. The proposed general fund budget is about $31.6 million, and the Council’s request would add $35,000 to that amount.
Specifically, the Council wants to contribute $20,000 toward the Santa Clara Family Health Plan and other programs to enroll local children in available healthcare programs, and $15,000 to the Lori Escobar El Toro Youth Center.
The Council hopes that contributing funding the SCFHP and other existing programs that provide health insurance to underserved children will encourage other entities – such as the City of Gilroy – to provide matching funds to ensure kids are enrolled in those programs, which are already funded by a variety of public and private sources.
“We think all the youth in Morgan Hill ought to have health insurance, and we want to try to lead the way to make sure that happens,” Mayor Steve Tate said.
Other healthcare programs and organizations that Tate and Councilman Larry Carr see the City’s share of funding benefiting include First 5 and Saint Louise Regional Hospital.
Carr clarified: The City does not intend to become a provider of healthcare for low-income children and families, but rather wants to ensure those in Morgan Hill who are eligible for existing programs are aware of them and are enrolled.
There are about 500 children in Morgan Hill, and about 700 in Gilroy, who are eligible for but not enrolled in existing health insurance programs, Carr estimated.
He added that the City is seeking matching funds from other agencies and organizations to make the “outreach and enrollment” effort a South County-wide initiative. Other potential “partners” include Community Solutions, Rebekah Children’s Services, local school districts and the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation.
“We could really make a difference in kids’ lives in Morgan Hill” with the funds, Carr said. “Then the kids are seeing dentists, eye doctors and getting regular health care. We know it’s going to improve their lives, and improve their performance in the classroom.”
The Lori Escobar El Toro Youth Center on Crest Avenue, just north of downtown Morgan Hill, is currently funded primarily by Catholic Charities, a nonprofit organization that is seeking more funding sources for the facility. The City used to contribute $15,000 annually to the youth center, but that money ran out when Santa Clara County cut back on community block grant funding about three or four years ago.
Now the City hopes to return that money to the youth center at least for the 2013-2014 while Catholic Charities and other community members embark on a fundraising drive, Tate said.
The El Toro Youth Center provides “drop-in services” for children from low-income families such as homework tutoring services, computer literacy classes, arts and crafts, and other recreational services, according to Catholic Charities’ website. Services for parents include training and workshops on topics such as study habits, gang and drug prevention, and others.
“We’ve got to restore that (funding) out of the general fund so we can show the rest of the community how important that is,” Tate said.
Supporting local youth is one of six priorities the City Council decided to focus on for 2013 at a goal-setting retreat in January. The others are economic development, community engagement and diversity, regional issues, organizational effectiveness and transparency and infrastructure improvements.
Funding for healthcare and the youth center for the 2013-2014 budget would likely come from the general fund reserve, according to Rymer. That reserve is projected to be about $8.5 million by June 30, which is the end of the current fiscal year.
Approval of the full budget – including the five-year Capital Improvement program, as well as planning and development, recreation, water and sewer budgets – is scheduled for 7 p.m. during the June 19 Council meeting to be held at City Hall Council Chambers, 17555 Peak Ave.
