Perdue may divert funds from children's mental health

Register now, it's free!
Log In | Customer Care

Perdue may cut funds from children's mental health
Move would cover deficits elsewhere

By JAMES SALZER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/11/08

Gov. Sonny Perdue is scheduled to recommend a $8.4 million cut in funds for mental health services for children Thursday, just two weeks after federal investigators slammed the state's treatment of the mentally ill.

The money would be shifted from mental health services to other programs in the state Department of Human Resources to meet administrative expenses and cover funding deficits, according to copies of the proposal obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Related series
• A Hidden Shame: Death in Georgia's mental hospitals

Recent headlines:

• Metro and state news

The proposal is one of several money shifts that will be presented to House and Senate leaders. The Fiscal Affairs Committee must approve funding transfers in state budgets that have already been approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Some of the unspent mental health money would go to replace allocations that Georgia lost recently when the federal government tightened restrictions on funding state child welfare-related services. The rest would cover a deficit in child adoption services and pay higher worker's compensation premiums for mental health employees.

DHR Commissioner B.J. Walker said children, including those with mental health problems, would benefit from the transfer.

"I understand wanting to see resources in mental health. I understand the urgency we all feel about that. At the same time, people have to realize there are urgencies across the board" in caring for children.

The proposal upset mental health advocates.

"The need for mental health services for children in Georgia is so great that removing even a penny is inappropriate," said Ellyn Jeager of Mental Health America of Georgia.

Leaders of the Georgia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness met with DHR officials Tuesday about the proposed transfer.

"We find it difficult to understand why the money can't be spent on mental health," said Eric Spencer, executive director of the alliance's state chapter. "We sympathize with the shortfall ... but we're surprised that the money is being taken from the one department that's under a Department of Justice investigation."

Rep. Mark Butler (R-Carrollton), House Appropriations vice chairman for Human Resources, said, "Taking any money out of mental health right now and shifting it to any other program that's not in mental health — I wouldn't characterize that as a good decision. Mental health needs every single dollar it's got."

And Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta), chair of a study committee on children's mental health, said, "We have a tremendous number of kids who need services."

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a scathing letter to Perdue about "critically deficient" conditions at the state mental hospital in Atlanta. Federal investigators listed 13 pages of necessary corrective action for Georgia Regional Hospital/Atlanta, including the hiring of medical and support staff members.

State officials have until late July to agree to major reforms or face a possible lawsuit.

The remedies, experts say, are likely to require a major infusion of funding, not just for hospitals but also for improving services for patients discharged from the hospital. Perdue's commission on mental health also has listed recommendations that would require new spending, including for detox centers and for case managers who would help guide the care of mentally ill individuals.

June DiPolito, director of a community mental health board in southeast Georgia, said that a state funding change has forced her to close six after-school programs for children with mental health problems.

"I have zero money for substance-abuse treatment for children," DiPolito added. "I hope DFCS' needs are met, but I hope it's not done with mental health dollars," she said.

Tom Ford, executive director of a state-funded board in northwest Georgia that delivers services to people with mental illness, said, "It's money we can use."

The shift in the state funding formula for mental health has meant fewer dollars for his and other community service boards across the state, he said.

The funding loss has forced the boards to cut the frequency of therapy visits for children with mental illness, Ford said. "We're seeing more kids, but with fewer staff."

Vote for this story!

Related Subjects

Expand this list

Comments

By Sara

Jun 12, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this

I totally agree with the Governor if the funds are being abused; however,I have a 6 year young Grandson who is reaping the benefits of the mental health program through Peach Care. Without his meds for ADHD, he is non- functional at school and in his everyday life.
Please Governor, you are doing such a wonderful job helping out with Peach Care; so, please rethink pulling out 100%.

By Bill C.

Jun 12, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

Just another bone head move by our uncaring Governor who puts his and his friends needs above the needs of our disabled children. Apparently he does not have any mentally handicapped people in his family. Thank God for that, but for those of us who do, it is a 24/7 never ending job. I sure don't want to be standing by this man on judgement day when he gets his just rewards. May God have mercy on his soul.

By stephanie

Jun 12, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

This reminds me of the Clayton County school board---keep going in the wrong direction despite the fact that you are hurting Georgia's children and the experts are telling you to clean up your act! It's even more outrageous that they are spinning it as being beneficial for kids. I can't believe I voted for Sonny! And as a regular church attendee, and I read today Sonny is too, I must agree with Kat. This doesn't seem very Christian.

By Jane

Jun 12, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

Unbelievable...especially on the heels of the scathing, 65-page letter that Perdue just received. Taking yet more money out of mental health - especially CHILDREN'S mental health - a place where prevention can save so much (state) money and heartache in the long run -makes me ashamed to have voted for Perdue. I also suggest that he re-consider the buffoons he has in charge of the mental health system. We need leadership, Sonny - not apathy.

By Kat

Jun 12, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this

Unfortunately, our governor is not bright enough to get the correlation between the mentally ill, and homeless, or if he does, he just doesn't give a hoot as long as he and all his friends and relatives and constituents can hide away behind their gated communities. The mentally ill, need stabilization and regimented medication. The mentally ill, sometimes and often come from families that cannot afford the proper care and it is these that fall between the cracks and into homelessness and self medication with crack or whatever else they can get their hands on.

We have caring, hard working mental health professionals in the mental health system that don�t get paid a decent salary but still try with the very limited resources they are allotted for programs designed to help the mentally ill cope in society. I witnessed beneficial programs get started for a little while only to have the funds ripped out from under them. This state currently has a policy of if it�s ignorable, then it doesn�t exists � and so readily it wants to push it�s mentally ill and or homeless under the carpet or in to closets where no one can see.

Perhaps Sonny boy would benefit from spending one of his golf days with the mental health workers, or a day with the mentally ill and or homeless. Maybe he might find the Christ in the word Christian in him...hmmmm.

By MRCNash

Jun 12, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

How sad that our Governor is willing to take from those in the most need. These young people deserve proper care and with funding cuts they are now going to be at risk of getting no care. Surely with all the money the state DOR is pulling in in sales tax, money could be diverted TO mental health and not removed.

By Blue Dove

Jun 12, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

i really hate to see cuts to children with mental health issues. These are our future leaders, and if their problems are not addressed early on, they will be a burden on the tax payers for their entire life.

We must get away from the stigma of mental illness. One is not weak just because he/she has a mental illness. It's more prevalent than we think. Many others in society have mental issues but don't realize it. Stress, money woes, poverty, are just a few of the causes. Many forms of mental illness are genetically passed on from generation to generation. My father was bipolar as was his father.
Myself, my brother and my sister either suffer from bi-polar or ckinical depression. I only wish I had had the opportunity in the my early years to have received treatment. I may have been able to avoid some of the contributing factors to my bi-polar.

Properly treated, those with mental illness can be productive members of society. I worked for state and local government for 30 years before having to retire early due to my bi-polar.

Please contact the Governor and your respresentatives and ask for them not to remove funding for those most needy. We don't need to forfiet our childrens health to make up for fiscal responsibility in other areas of government.