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Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Marc A. Jerome reiterated Friday that the Division of Maternal Child Health and Children with Special Health Care Needs Program, commonly referred to as MCH, will not be closing, contrary to broadcast reports.
“Reports continue to persist that MCH is closing, when in fact that is not true,” Jerome said of first being told on the Senate Floor during the Department of Health’s Budget Hearing on Monday. Rumors that the program was in jeopardy of closing are incorrect.
MCH provides audiology, speech therapy, physical therapy, general pediatric services, prenatal and services for children with special healthcare needs, among others, territory wide. The Title V Block Grant, from which the MCH Program operates, has been burdened with personnel costs and again, this year, the Federal Government mandates our compliance with the award terms, more specifically, utilization for direct provider services.
Dr. Jerome further stated that this situation has persisted over the past few administrations, however, “we cannot continue to ignore the threat of loss of federal funds that operate this very important program; we must utilize the money for the purposes for which it was intended, direct provider services.”
“Like most Government programs relying on federal funds and trying to stay afloat in this uncertain economic climate, we are not without challenges, but MCH will not close,” Dr. Jerome affirmed. “The Department is working to realign some program aspects and services, which could translate into scaling back on some services. As well, we are reaching out to our healthcare partners to fill the gaps where service hours may be shortened and our client base may be lessened.”
Dr. Jerome met with MCH staff territory wide on Thursday to allay fears that the program was closing; noting, though, that a few jobs will be impacted. As the grant cycle for 2011 ends on September 30th, meetings and further notifications will be scheduled for early next week.
“The employees were understandably concerned about their jobs, but also recognized that we are dealing with a program that is wholly subsidized by the federal government and subject to the availability of funds. The General Fund is seemingly not an option, as not so long ago it was unable to sustain its workforce; thus forced to institute an 8 percent salary cut across the board in order to save jobs,” Dr. Jerome said. |
