A few months ago, Gail Healy was worried she wouldn’t have the budget to operate Natchez’s Sunshine Shelter for abused children through the rest of the year.

But although money is still tight, Healy said she can see the end of the tunnel.

&uot;I think we’re becoming more established,&uot; she said. &uot;We are making changes as we see the benefit of them. We’re still in that new stage. I won’t be happy and comfortable until we’ve been here a couple of years.&uot;

Among the changes at the shelter, which was designed as an emergency, short-term facility for abused and neglected children for a 14-county region, are older children and a new method of staffing.

In response to social workers’ call for a facility that serves teenagers, Healy has opened the Sunshine Shelter to children up to age 14. Previously the shelter only took children infant to 12.

And this week, the shelter switched to staffing a house couple, who will live all week in the house and care for the children.

The shelter had had six shift employees during the weekdays and four on the weekends caring for the children, which Healy said can become confusing for children.

&uot;Now they’re only going to have to deal with two personalities as opposed to 10,&uot; Healy said. &uot;They’ll be a family; these will be their children.&uot;

In fact, Healy said, the new house couple spent Fourth of July with the children at the couple’s family home.

Sue Perry, director of family and children’s services for the state Department of Human Services, said she believes both changes will help the shelter.

&uot;It is more difficult to find placement resources for older children,&uot; Perry said.

But Healy still does not believe social workers throughout the region are using the shelter as it was intended – as an emergency, temporary facility for abused and neglected children. The idea, Healy said, is for social workers to place abused children in the Sunshine Shelter while social workers investigate a suitable permanent home, such as a relative’s house or foster home.

While Adams County social workers are using the shelter as an emergency facility, Healy said that since January, Franklin County is the only county in the region that has referred children to the Sunshine Shelter.

Many others come from the Gulf Coast, which Healy said has an overabundance of neglected children and not enough facilities to house them.

And many children are staying at the shelter longer than the intended 45 days at a time – some as long as six months.

&uot;I still don’t see where we’ve been utilized the way we should be,&uot; Healy said.

Perry said she sent a memo to all social workers earlier this year encouraging them to use the Sunshine Shelter. But she understands why social workers would be reluctant to send children to the Natchez center if it is far from their homes.

&uot;Social workers try to keep the children as close to home as possible,&uot; Perry said.

Earlier this year, state Sen. Bob M. Dearing, D-Natchez, tried to push a bill that would have established mandatory background checks for people – even family members – who take in suspected abused children. But the bill died in committee.

Healy said the state Department of Human Services is encouraging social workers to send children to the shelter while they investigate a suitable home, but Healy believes it still isn’t working.

Last year, Region 5, which the Sunshine Shelter serves, had 214 children in custody suspected of being abused or neglected.

The Sunshine Shelter saw only 14 of them.

On Wednesday, the shelter was home to eight children, but Healy said most will be leaving soon.

And while the shelter’s census has been much stronger over the past few months – twice at capacity and once with a waiting list – Healy is not sure how many children will be there in the next three months.

&uot;We don’t know from one three months to one three months,&uot; Healy said. &uot;I’m faced again with ‘Will we have referrals?’ It’s a cliff-hanging business. It makes it difficult to plan for a budget.&uot;

The shelter receives $55 a day per child in state funding. Healy said she and other shelter administrators across the state estimate they need $110 a day per child.

Other costs are made up through grants, donations and sales at the SunDay Best Thrift store.

Healy estimates she must raise about $60,000 each year to cover expenses.

Still, Healy believes the shelter will find its niche.

&uot;Maybe this is the need,&uot; she said of children who stay at the shelter longer than the appropriate 45 days. &uot;That’s the social worker’s call.&uot;

Perry also believes social workers will use the center more, especially as word of mouth gets around.

&uot;I do certainly hope that we’re able to keep the facility open,&uot; she said. &uot;I definitely think it’s needed.&uot;