Agencies decry cuts in mental health field

From: Hampton Roads Daily Press, VA
Oct. 17, 2002

By Alison Freehling
Daily Press

October 17, 2002

Cuts to local mental health services will hurt the Peninsula's most fragile residents and force many into Eastern State Hospital and other institutional settings, leaders of several agencies said Wednesday.

"We will try to minimize the impact on consumers and their families, but it's like a balloon," said Howard Cullum, director of the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board. "The more you push out on these community services, the more things will pop and people will end up elsewhere."

Local leaders weren't surprised by Gov. Mark R. Warner's plan for a 10 percent cut to community mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse treatment programs. Many even were grateful that it wasn't as high as 15 percent.

But statewide, more than $30 million will be gone from community programs over the next two years, according to the Coalition for Mentally Disabled Citizens of Virginia. That has raised fears that more mentally ill people will end up in hospital emergency rooms, jails and high-cost, state-run hospitals.

There were some shocks, such as a 15 percent reduction for the Virginia School for the Deaf, Blind and Multi-Disabled in Hampton, which will require 18 layoffs. Administrators held staff meetings Wednesday but didn't share details on where the cuts would come, one employee said. Many are still waiting for exact details on how much money they'll lose. The state Department of Health will see a 13.3 percent reduction, for example, but local health departments won't find out their situation until the end of the week.

The Hampton-Newport News CSB has until Monday to submit a detailed budget plan to the state, Cullum said.

For the Arc of the Virginia Peninsula Inc., which serves people with mental retardation, the cuts likely will eliminate at least two staff positions, said president Paul Babcock.

Alison Freehling can be reached at 247-4789 or by email at afreehling@dailypress.com

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