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LA SI G - With three
budget reductions' thi fiscel
year and a blea pictu e for
1988-89, Michigan community
mental health· leader are
ing their case to state la -
makers. •
Community officials ha� of
fered few complaints about their
economic support in ,the recent
p st - bu that may soon
change.
Le ding the w y is David A.
LaLumia, executive director of
the icbigan Association of
Community Mental Health
Boards. LeLumia testified
before a cnate mental health
ubcommittee hoping to have
an effect on the group' upcom-
109 budget recommendations.
His testimony tates that 0
the $12 million cut from the
men� I he lth department's
budget since last July, 7S percent
wa t ken from community
based services. Last fall, virtual
ly all community-based expan
sion elimin ted after a S3.5
million reducti ccordqlg .to
testimony.
Although Gov. James
Blanchard's propo ed budget
contains $41.4 millio general
fund increase 'for the depart
ment, community programs
ould actually be reduced by $4
'. n . DDing ill 1989, La-
Lumi said. The ina wOuld
instead go toward state
operated services. and institu
tions.
Department. Director
Thomas 'Watkins stressed the
importance of . creased fund
ing to tate-operated institutio
th t are now r federal co
order to improve st !fing.
About 70 percen of adult
p ychi tric ho pital are 'in
je pardy of . Medicaid -
credit uo W .' . d.
t' te vers county,"
t • d. "It's that if we 1
those acer .. t cuts
would have to co from some-
ere 'thin the em or &om
the e doI1an.
"I'� kM to think that there'd
be new dollar available, b
pYCn the COD&tramt that we
ba'YC in ihe overall e budld.
that's j not u.e case.-
Watkins added that com
ftUt'lIIti· tv mental health prop
in � have receieed iD
ere of more than $150 mil
li n since 1983. Community
mental health bo ds are plan
ning percent reduction in
response to the recent budget
cuts, said Edward A. Oxer,
program director of Ingham
County Community Mental
Health Center.
Oxer expressed particular
concern over the possible reduc
tions to outpatient care.
, "Because these peop e have
never been in the hospital, and
probably won't go in the hospi
tal, they're seen as a low
priority," OxCr said, ere's a
certain irony there becau e
these are the people who have
the greatest chance f becoming
productive, working people."
Although recent urvey
showed a majority approve of
community-based care, Oxer
said those in the minority may be
actively working to influence
state gOYemment.
Community care has al ays
f ced some a degree of opposi
tion, Oxer said, but Watkins as
sured he ould attempt to re-
tore any lost funds.
"I'm not bashful about asking
for at I believe we need to en
hance our service system," Wat
kins said.
But uch urance may not
be enough for those who direct
programs in family guid nee
residential bome and adoIes
cenr outpatient care. Oxer said
e kn the department' in a
precar position, but believes
further cuts to community
progr ·n only uen the
system.
t )00 a little bit like they're
taking care of the DMH
f eil' ie and lenin the com-
Free health screeni 'U be
offered t Detroit a eopathic
H pital (DOH) on 'April 12 in
conjunction itb Project .
Healtb-O-Rama. The screen-
Volun r
ded
Detroit Osteopathic
Hospital: Volunteer oppor
tunitie available in the gift
so, on nursing units, at
the information de d
for oth r diver projects.
Training, free meal nd
parking rovided. 12523
Third Av n Highland
P rk. t Dorothy
Hopkin h man resources
director, 252-4080.
a
. take place from 10 LID.
to 6 p.m. in the U Care
Center (formerly the (Out
patient Departme t) at Detro'
a teopathic Ho pital, 12523
Third Ave. in HighlaDd Par .
Free transportatio . availab
by calling 252-4<XXl. I
The foUo' tests wiD be of
fered to anyone 18 years or
older: blood pressure, vision,
g1aucom , oraVdental, bearing,
height/We' , health hazard ap
p . ,co li and ref ral
and optional blood panel (21
te - $10) and colorectal can
cer screening kits ($3). .
Participants may c oose all
of the te t or only a selected
few. All blood panel nd
colorectal kit re ults are m . ed
to participant within toto
four weeks of the saeemna. .
�unity m ntal th progr
which arc DOt direct operations
of the S te, fend for themsel-
•
4 •
,
.
In addition, the budget"
provides cost-of-living, or
.economic iacre es for state
operated programs at about 3.5
percent. But no such increases
are lated for community
programs, residential service
provider or agencies that con
tract with th community mental
health sy tem, according to tes
timony. Co munity boards have
identified economic incre t
about 8 percent for the upcom-
the la of economic iner s,
LaLumia arned it' may come ,
back to haunt the ystem.. '
"Without the community
p ograms there to deal with th
problems, eventually all of rhos
people are going to d compen
sate and deteriorate to the point
of showing up in county jails or
back at the state ho pitals," La
Lumia said.
To complicate the situation
Lal.umia's testimony report
16,370 people are no on wait
ing lists to receive public mental
care.
. [