The Coalition’s top priority is to maintain services to people with addictive diseases, developmental disabilities and mental illness.

The House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee released its budget this week – both numbers and special provisions.  We are analyzing the special provisions.

While there are many items in the House HHS Appropriations budget proposal that has been released, The Coalition leadership has identified the items below as particularly important for persons with addictive diseases, developmental disabilities and mental illness.

Please see the action steps below – and take action.

BUDGET  CUTS

Div of MH/DD/SA                                        2011-2012                 2012-2013

Community Funding except residential               $20M                          $20M

These are actual service cuts

These are state dollars

This hits DD disproportionately

Reduce Division Flexibility Funds                       $7.1M

Swap Fund Balance with state

Service funds                                                $25M

This is not new money, just a swap of general fund money

Reduce LME Administration                              $10M                          $20M

Division of Medical Assistance

Adjust provider rates – a 2% cut                       $50M                          $42M

Hurts service provision

There are other reductions in the budget that are to be achieved through saving money.  While these are not in the area of mh/dd/sa, it is crucial to note that if other reductions don’t hit their targets then more mh/dd/sa dollars could be in jeopardy.  For example, CCNC is slated to save $80M.

ACTION STEPS

1. Message to House HHS Appropriations Chairs:  We appreciate your effort to protect the developmental disabilities, mental health and substance abuse system.

2. Message to all HHS Committee Members, including the Chairs:

a.  Please avoid cuts to services  – restore the $20M in cuts to services for people with mental illness, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases.

b.      Please make sure there aren’t any further cuts to services

Help them understand that these cuts hurt their citizens.  Tell your story of the impact of loss of services.

Encourage legislators to put money back into services as the top priority.  And, we also need to avoid cuts getting deeper as the budget process progresses.

Click on the link below to get to each person’s listing on the General Assembly website.  It will give you their legislative phone number, address, and e-mail address for making contact.  If you are in their district we also urge you to contact them at home.

Chairman  Rep. Burr

Chairman  Rep. Dollar

Vice Chairman  Rep. Brisson

Vice Chairman  Rep. Hollo

Vice Chairman  Rep. Murry

Members  Rep. Current, Rep. Earle, Rep. Farmer-Butterfield, Rep. Hurley, Rep. Insko, Rep. Jones, Rep. Parfitt

FINDING SOLUTIONS

The Coalition recognizes the significance of North Carolina’s difficult budget issues and the economic condition of our state. The individuals and families who rely upon the public mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse system for the basic services and supports necessary to live in communities have truly felt the effects of recession. All too often the impact has resulted in serious harm to the well being of these individuals.

Coalition members who provide these basic services and supports have had the triple impact of:

1. state and federal funding reductions

2. increases in the number of new people in need of services and supports

3. reduced ability to access other funding sources such as fundraising or credit markets.

The Coalition believes the services and supports provided all across North Carolina are critical to the well being of North Carolina citizens, and that the jobs needed to provide these services are part of the fabric of local communities.

We cannot solve this fiscal crisis with budget cuts alone. There must be a balanced approach of:

• creative methods of service provision
• budget reductions
• prioritizing services that avoid cost-shifting

Taking this balanced approach can lead to a better North Carolina for all our citizens.  We want to work with the General Assembly and the Administration to develop solutions.  As we work toward these solutions The Coalition will adhere to the following principles:

• Save jobs – cuts to services would increase unemployment in communities already hard-hit by recession.
• Seek business efficiencies – eliminate costly over-regulation and duplicative administrative functions which waste resources.
• Protect federal match – many services bring in funds from federal sources that stretch our resources to serve more people.
• Protect community services as the first priority – any reductions in community services must be paired with comparable reductions in state-operated healthcare facilities.
• If there are reductions in service funding they must be paired with a comparable reduction in administrative funding.