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A program that helps local children who suffered parental abuse before they were even born faces severe budget cuts.

Martha's Place, in San Luis Obispo, specializes in treating kids up to age 5 born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It also helps children abused as infants.

Come June, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors may cut funding to the county-run program by $300,000 annually.

Cuts to a program like this could have a long term effect on the entire community.

Two months ago, three-year-old Dylan would not make eye contact, he would not let anyone touch him or hold him, he barely talked and he would not show any affection toward his adoptive parents.

At six months old, doctors at Martha's Place diagnosed him with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. He was also neglected at birth.

"The doctors here at Martha's Place told us we had a highly intelligent child who had some very physical limitations that came with his hard start in the world," said Dylan's adoptive mother, Melanie Govea.

Dylan immediately started weekly therapy at Martha's Place. It includes play therapy that helped him to trust adults. He also was taught to care for a doll, after which he allowed his parents to nurture him. He made his biggest breakthroughs two months ago, when he hugged Melanie and told her he loved her.

"We look forward to coming to Martha's Place because every week Dylan makes leaps and bounds," said Melanie, fighting back tears."He's expressing emotions, he's showing compassion, he came out of the glass box he was trapped in."

Dylan is just one of hundreds of success stories coming out of Martha's Place since it was created in 2007, but come June fewer children may get the help they need because of severe budget cuts.

"They won't get services as quickly, they may not get the services they need," said Program Coordinator Cortney Wagner.

If we help them now, chances are, Wagner said, we won't have to reach out to them in the juvenile system later.

"If they're traumatized if things happen early in their development the affects can be pretty huge for their life time, but if we can intervene early the effects can big huge in a positive way," said Wagner.

Martha's Place serves about 100 children a year, a number that may soon be drastically reduced.

County Supervisor Bruce Gibson praised Martha's Place for the work it does, but he added nearly every program in Health and Human Services Department is facing cuts.

"There are so many moving parts in the budget. We are looking at all different options. If we cut Martha's Place less, we'll have to cut something else more," said Supervisor Gibson.

The public will have a chance to speak out on the cuts May 17 when the entire proposed budget for San Luis Obispo County is introduced to the public.