Happy Holidays Blue Mountain Eagle readers!

This is a hectic season for everyone, including the Grant County Commission on Children and Families. We have been very busy putting together a plan for a 2-percent reduction to our current funding received from the state. In addition, since we are funded totally from state and federal funds, we have been asked to plan for anywhere from a 5 percent to 20 percent cut in the next biennium. One does not realize how these budget cuts may affect the entire county.

We need to strategically fund programs to ensure we are addressing gaps, needs and issues identified in our county. We have tried to spread the funding to as many organizations as we can, but if and when the state budget cuts materialize, we will not have the luxury to “fund from our hearts,” but make sure the money goes to the organizations that best utilize our funding.

Last month I said I would mention the organizations we currently contract with to provide programs and services locally. Following is the Provider Program that we currently contract for services with:

Child Care Enhancement Project-through Training and Employment Consortium; Comprehensive On-Demand Parenting, Parents as Teachers: Born to Learn, Scheduled parenting Classes Project, Her-os and He-ros Club, and Healthy Start – through Families First of Grant Co. Inc; Friday Academy and Youth Activities-through Parks and Rec. Grant-Harney County CASA, Inc.; Grant County SMART Program-through Grant County ESD; Growing Tree Infant Center – through Ponderosa Parents Assoc.; Healthy Smiles Dental Coalition; Lifespan Respite of Grant County Inc.; Prevention Services at the Alternative School – through Community Counseling Solutions; Staff Enhancement and Retention Project – through Grant County Child Center; and last but not least, the Volunteer Transportation Project – through the State of Oregon/Dept. of Human Services.

As you can see, we try to help fund many projects in our county and over the next several months I plan to talk about each program and keep you informed of our budgeting issues.

Cathy Currey is a member of the board of the Grant County Commission on Children and Families.