Mentally ill losing services because of Los Angeles cuts

[Kadie]

Mentally ill losing services because of Los Angeles cuts

The Associated Press


Last Updated: August 10, 2004, 03:05:19 AM PDT


LOS ANGELES (AP) - Thousands of mentally ill people who rely on the government for treatment and medication are losing services because of a $28.6 million cut in Los Angeles County's mental health services.

The cuts, which were approved in June by the county Board of Supervisors, are affecting all sectors of the county's public mental health system, including outpatient clinics that treat walk-in clients and psychiatric units at state hospitals.

"There are going to be an awful lot of people caught in the cracks," said Dr. Marvin Southard, the county's mental health director. "You can't cut almost $30 million from a chronically underfunded system without negative consequences. People will probably die as a result of the curtailments we are creating, but we are still trying to minimize the harm."

The $28.6-million cut to the Department of Mental Health represents just 3 percent of the department's overall budget, which is funded primarily by the state and federal government. But people without health insurance are being hit hardest because only the county's contribution pays for them.

more...
http://www.modbee.com/state_wire/story/8973898p-9867289c.html

At least I got to save a couple of hundred bucks on my car registration. /sarcasm

[Ladyhawk]

1. This is just sad.

As noted in other posts, I suffer from severe Depression. Last year, 30 social workers were laid off at the county behavioral health clinic due to cuts. I lost three different social workers. I no longer have one.

This year, the clinic is closed every Friday, due to more budget cuts.

My mother is thrilled with her the registration refund on her SUV. :(

[madrchsod]

2. what do you think

prisons are for? the weathers nice in California they can sleep outside or hell there`s alot of forests in California. here in Illinois we just dumped them out in Chicago and other large cities. cook county jail in Chicago has over 12000 prisoners everyday and a large amount of those people are mentally ill or functionally retarded..that is what we do with the unfortunate in this society