ListenILLINOIS
Springfield Catholic
Charities reorganizes to maintain public presence
Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Springfield, Ill. has announced a major
reorganization in response to the state’s termination of its foster care and
adoption contracts. The agency intends to strengthen its Catholic identity
and become more self-reliant in funding its services.
“It is imperative that Catholic Charities is not eliminated from the public
consciousness as a result of this unfortunate conflict with the state,” said
Steven Roach, the agency’s executive director.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services ended the contracts
because the Catholic agencies would not place children in homes of unmarried
couples, including homosexual couples and those in civil unions.
The contracts provided the Springfield agency with about half of its
revenue, or $5 million per year, the Illinois State Journal-Register
reports.
Catholic Charities agencies have served thousands of children and families
in Illinois since 1921. Collectively, they handled about 20 percent of the
adoption and foster care cases in Illinois.
“We are forever grateful for the compassion and sacrifice of our foster care
staff and parents who have dedicated their lives to helping abused
children,” Roach commented.
He said the diocese’s Catholic Charities will continue to work with the
Department of Children and Family Services and designated receiving agencies
to “minimize any potential disruptions” for those served by its foster care
programs.
The reorganization intends to maintain all seven regional offices across the
diocese and to continue Catholic Charities’ commitment to the communities it
has served for decades, the agency said Jan. 9.
The “significant financial impact” of the contracts’ termination means that
some services will be scaled back. Roach said the agency intends to restore
all programs to their current capacity by increasing community support in
the future.
Catholic Charities’ diversification of services is “a real strength,” he
added.
“Catholic Charities serves thousands of children and their families through
the many programs we offer. While our overall budget will be reduced, the
impact on the lives of the many people we serve remains substantial.”
Catholic Charities of Springfield has provided services throughout the
28-county diocese since 1925.
Its services include counseling, food pantries, Meals on Wheels, elderly
guardianship, family services, financial and crisis assistance, health
clinics, and resale stores.
“These programs serve thousands of people every year and allow us to fulfill
our faith-directed mission of helping the poor and suffering in our midst,”
Roach said.
The Springfield agency and other Illinois Catholic agencies had challenged
the contract termination in court but lost in both state circuit and
appellate courts.
Attorneys argued that the requirement to place children with unmarried
couples and with those in civil unions violated the agencies’ religious
principles. They also said religious agencies had been guaranteed exemptions
under other state laws and during the legislature’s debate over the civil
unions bill, which passed in 2010.
Kevin J. Jones
11 January 2012
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/springfield-catholic-charities-reorganizes-to-maintain-public-presence/
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