Joining The Line
The state of ichigan adds the Jewish Federation to its social services budget.
HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff Writer
T
line, it's going to be very hard to justify the existence
of this line in the future."
With help from community activists Evan Weiner
and Dennis Bernard, Shulman convinced House
Speaker Rick Johnson, R-LeRoy, and Senate
Appropriations Chair Shirley Johnson, R-Royal
Oak, to add the Jewish community to the line.
"This is a prime example of community action
working at its best," said Weiner, chairman of the
Jewish Agency Political Action Committee, a 10-
year-old local organization that is independent of
Federation. JAPAC works to strengthen the partner-
ship between state government and the Jewish social
service agencies in metro Detroit.
In January 2003, ACC and ACCESS quietly
agreed to re-allocate $125,000 each from their state
allocation directly to JVS and Jewish Family Service,
which would act as sub-contractees through the
Detroit-Wayne County Community Health Agency.
The ACC could not be reached for comment.
ACCESS director Ismael Ahmed declined comment
on the $125,000 transaction, but called Shulman
"instrumental" in securing the line. "It wouldn't
have happened without him," he said.
Although this was a separate deal made between the
Arab and Jewish organizations, Mark Davidoff,
Federation's executive director and chief operating offi-
cer, called the $250,000 transfer an "interim approach
and a step in the path of the
Federation being a recipient through
' T S the appropriations directly."
"All the parties who are the ben-
eficiaries to the appropriations
have a vested interest in that line
item," he said. "It's kind of, 'In a
rising tide, all boats benefit.'"
he Jewish community will receive a
$500,000 appropriation from the state of
Michigan to directly aid those with spe-
cial needs and people at risk.
. Officially, Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed House
Bill 4392, the fiscal year 2004 Department of
Community Health $9.5 billion appropriation, on
Aug. 11.
The $500,000 appropriated to the Jewish commu-
nity shows up on the multicultural line of the
Department of Community Health budget.
Unofficially, the money from the
multicultural line is destined for
programs run by four agencies:
Jewish Family Service, JVS, Kadima
and JARC, with the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
coordinating the disbursement.
Although that's good news in this
time of shortfalls and layoffs across
the social services spectrum, it's just
z.'• The Benefits
part of a story that includes behind-
Now that the Federation's name
the-scenes political wrangling by a
has been officially added to the
Jewish state legislator and help from
multicultural line, Shulman said
the Arab community.
the money will be like an endow-
The multicultural line was created
ment.
in 1993 with $2.9 million to help
"When you really look at it,
agencies deal with mental health
$500,000-plus a year, how much
issues in Vietnam veterans, Hispanic,
money would you have to put
Chinese-American, American Indian
somewhere in order to earn that
and Arab-American populations liv-
kind of return?" he asked.
ing in Michigan.
About $9.1 million working at
By 2001, the multicultural line
5.5 percent, the benchmark rate
had swelled to $3.9 million. John
for endowments, answers Howard
Engler, then Michigan governor,
Standing: Community leaders Dennis Bernard, Lawrence Jackier, Rep. Shulman, Evan
wanted it eliminated, but State Rep.
Weiner and Mark Davidoff Seated are Federation CEO Robert Aronson and United Jewish Neistein, Federation's chief plan-
ning officer.
Marc Shulman, R-West Bloomfield, Foundation Outgoing President Mark Hauser. UJF is Federation's finance arm.
The Federation will receive the
who is House appropriations chair-
money
some time after Oct. 1.
man, thought otherwise.
The
grand
total
of
the
multi-cultural line in the
"If
Marc
wasn't
where
he
is
now,
this
would
have
"I felt there was still a need for it," Shulman said,
state budget will be increased $500,000 to $3.7
never happened," said Bernard, former chair of the
recalling what he told leaders of the Arab-American
million this year, to add the Federation without
& Chaldean Council (ACC) and the Arab American JVS board. "The amazing thing is that this hap-
affecting the other organizations. The ACC will
pened during some of the most draconian budget
Community Center for Economic and Social
still receive $1.1 million, and ACCESS will still
cuts the state has seen in 20 years."
Services (ACCESS) when they approached him to
receive $775,000.
What's also amazing is the role that Shulman per-
save the budget line. "I was willing to save the line
According to Davidoff, Federation's planning
suaded ACC and ACCESS to play.
because I thought it was an important line to save,
allocation
steering committee will meet "in due
and I refused to sign off on it."
course" to allocate the appropriation.
He also wanted the Jewish community added to
The Subcontractors
The money is program related, not agency specif-
the line and told the Arab leaders why. ,
ACC and ACCESS have been the two largest recipi- ic, he said, and the uses may include counseling case
"Look, the Jewish community provides tremen-
management, psychiatric treatment and substance
ents from the multicultural line since it was added
dous assistance to vulnerable populations, just as
abuse treatment; supported employment assistance
to the budget in 1993. ACC has received between
you do, and it's essential, in my opinion, to be part
and other support services for adults with severe
$900,000 and $1.1 million annually and ACCESS
of the line," he told them. "In all fairness, if the
developmental
disabilities and chronic mental ill-
received
between
$675,000
and
$875,000.
Jewish community is not going to be part of the
ness; and escorted transportation service for frail
Shulman. offered a plat to both groups: Give a lit-
older adults and individuals with special needs.
tle to keep a lot.
Related editorial: page 37
.
;X
9/12
2003
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