Child Center Eyes $58,650 in Cuts

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Perry-Jackson County Child Advocacy director said this morning "it'll be just me" if $400 million in Department of Child and Family Services cuts are approved in the state's fiscal 2010 budget.

Six-year director Betti Mucha and child advocates Sara Rezba and Sus Bacek found out on Friday that $58,650 of the center's $97,000 operating budget will disappear if the Illinois General Assembly enacts the proposed budget cuts.

The center is located along Rt. 154 east of Pinckneyville and currently serves 30 sexually or physically abused children each month.

"We have until June 23rd before a final decision is made," she said, hoping that local families served by the center and others will write letters on the center's behalf or contact local lawmakers.

She said the Perry County Counseling Center is looking at similar cuts, but director John Venskus was not immediately available.

"We get our referrals from DCFS," Mucha said. The center works closely with the Illinois Attorney General's office, the state's attorney's office and various child advocacy agencies. "We deal with sexual abuse cases of children ages 0-18 and physical abuse cases up until an investigation or court case are completed," she said.