• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Mental Health Services Facing Cuts: Fresno Co. Supervisors to Tackle Issue Today.

Posted on: Tuesday, 28 February 2006, 12:01 CST

By Kerri Ginis, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

Feb. 28--Fresno County supervisors face tough decisions today as they discuss reducing a $15 million deficit, which could lead to cuts in adult mental health services.

At least two supervisors say that some cuts will be needed, while a third said he is concerned the board still doesn't have enough information to act.

The board will consider a list of proposed cuts in the Department of Behavioral Health. County administrators recommend the cuts take place over the next three years. The cuts include reducing hours at rural clinics, contracting emergency services to private companies, eliminating support groups and discontinuing therapy services at the county jail.

Chairman Phil Larson said the board doesn't have any other choice but to approve the recommended cuts. He said he doesn't want to continue balancing the mental health budget "on the backs of other county departments"

"I'm going to support the recommendations we have," he said. "We don't have a choice. We're going to have to do some cutting."

Supervisor Judy Case agrees that the county is going to have to make some cuts. "I think there will have to be some incremental changes," she said. "I don't think it's going to happen overnight, but we have to do something."

But Supervisor Henry Perea said he is not ready to move ahead with any cuts until he knows what the effect will be on residents. He also is upset that the county still hasn't determined why the deficit occurred and who is to blame. The county is conducting an audit of the department.

"We don't have enough information to make those decisions," Perea said. "I think we need to leave the programs alone until we can really evaluate what the cause and effect will be."

The Board of Supervisors also could choose to take money out of the general fund -- which pays for law enforcement, roads and parks -- to fix the department's budget problems.

Residents opposed the proposed cuts in droves, with hundreds attending recent public comment meetings of the mental health board, which serves as an advisory board to the supervisors.

Last week, the majority of the 16-member board also voted against the cuts. Board members didn't provide any alternatives for the supervisors to consider.

Regardless of what the supervisors decide, county administrators say it's likely the department will need at least $8 million from the general fund to keep current programs operating through the end of the fiscal year.

Administrators project that the department actually will end the year $8 million in the red. Ongoing cost controls and additional state revenue could help reduce the projected $15 million deficit by about $7 million.

If all of the proposed cuts are approved and implemented in April, administrators estimate the department could save about $1.1 million this fiscal year and about $10 million annually in subsequent years.

The reporter can be reached at kginis@fresnobee.comor (559) 441-6317.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Fresno Bee

More News in this Category