The "safety net" that helped families in Delaware County make it through tough financial times in years past has holes in it since the Ohio Legislature made deep budget cuts to social services, social services providers say.

Programs aimed at keeping people healthy are in jeopardy, too, thanks to decreasing state revenue, say area health experts.

The effects of the state and federal government's budget cuts in those two areas will be discussed at a public meeting this week sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Delaware County.

The meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Liberty YMCA, 7798 N. Liberty Road in Powell.

Speakers will be Mona Reilly, director of the Department of Job and Family Services for Delaware County, and Frances Veverka, Delaware General Health District commissioner.

Reilly saw a $600,000 decrease in state and federal funding this fiscal year. As a result, services have been reduced, she said, including the fund that provided assistance to families in crisis to pay for rent, utilities or car repairs.

The county's annual job and family services annual budget is about $2.5-million.

The decrease has raised the income level requirement for parents seeking assistance with day care costs, Reilly said.

"I think it's important to let the community know that there are some holes in the safety net for people who need help," she said.

"We are trying our best to work with community partners to provide services and help people stay afloat as best we can."

While the health district's funding decrease is much lower than family services', it has just as much impact, especially for parents of children with learning difficulties, Veverka said.

She expects to receive about $150,000 less this year from state and federal funding sources.

Programs that already have been affected are the Help Me Grow program for at-risk children and those with developmental delays, and critical prenatal care and reproductive health care, she said.

"When you're talking about health care or services for a child who really needs to be at a point of learning by school age, if they can't get there then the impact on families long-term is significant," Veverka said.

"Prevention is cheaper" than what it will cost to provide special education services as a child matures, she said.

The public meeting will be an opportunity for the community to hear from the two women, ask questions and discuss alternative ways to meet community needs, said Karen Rainey, co-president of the League of Women Voters.

cpreston@thisweeknews.com