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County Budget Decision Leaves Mental-Health Advocates in Limbo
Mental-health advocates expressed mixed emotions about a budget approved Friday by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, calling it a “B-plus” effort to avoid the deepest cuts in memory to services for the mentally ill.
Meanwhile, lingering disagreement over the accuracy of the budget numbers created a fog that obscured the meaning of Friday’s action.
“I’d rather have gotten an ‘A,’ but I’ll take the ‘B-plus,’ ” said Mike Foley, the executive director of homeless shelter Casa Esperanza, which, like many other nonprofit organizations, has a contract with the county. “On the other hand, it’s all so confusing right now that it’s hard to be pleased.”
The main task on Friday for the five elected supervisors was to try to find ways to lessen the severity of cuts proposed by the county’s staff for the 2008-09 budget. The cuts are necessary largely because of skyrocketing costs of retirement benefits for county employees.
Meanwhile, although the budget talks already have been painful, the worst could be yet to come. State legislators are still dithering over their budget, which needs to account for a shortfall of at least $15 billion. When they pass it — which should happen this summer — the effects on counties such as Santa Barbara could be dire.
Regardless, the board’s maneuvers on Friday seemed to keep whole, at least temporarily, some endangered programs — such as HIV education and geriatric care — and minimize the damage to others — such as a tobacco prevention program, which was looking down the barrel of losing its entire $668,000 budget but instead took a $50,000 hit.
The department that garnered the most attention was mental health, known officially as Alcohol, Drug & Mental Health Services, or ADMHS.
The staff had proposed an $8.3 million reduction from its $72 million budget. Because the lion’s share of that cut was to come out of the ADMHS department’s $35 million adult services division, officials across the board feared the cut would trigger a dramatic rise in the homeless population.
On Friday, the board found some extra money and softened the blow by $4.4 million. But here’s the confusion: The county staff and the nonprofit organizations that worry about losing their county contracts disagree over the amount of the shortfall. Foley and officials from other nonprofit organizations contend that the true amount is $5.6 million — not $8.3 million.
If they’re correct, then cuts to the 2008-09 budget would be relatively minimal, maybe $1.2 million. If they’re wrong, the amount could be closer to $3.9 million.
On Friday, the nonprofits and other mental-health advocates seemed to be of two minds about the decision.
At one point, they cheered when Supervisor Joe Centeno — who was largely seen as the swing vote — gave the nod to give the department an extra $150,000.
However, after the meeting, Annmarie Cameron, executive director of the Mental Health Association, said the cuts still might mean closure for her two houses — Casa Juana Maria off Milpas Street and the Lion’s House in Montecito — for schizophrenics and others who are mentally ill. “It’s not all bad, but the nonprofits will bear the brunt of the cuts,” she said. “Unless the director (Ann Detrick) decides she wants to spread it out evenly.”
Also less than satisfied Friday were the board’s two fiscal hawks, Supervisors Brooks Firestone and Joni Gray, who cast the two dissenting votes of the motion to approve the budget.
They said the board approved a $200 million discretionary budget that calls for spending more than it takes in by $2.9 million. “We’re just spending more than we’re making,” Firestone said. “That will impact the county in years to come.”
ADMHS won’t be the only program to experience cuts. In a blow to schools, for example, the truancy program will lose all but $50,000 of its $400,000 budget. The board reasoned that schools should do more to pitch into the program, which tries to get kids to stop playing hooky. The Planning and Development Budget lost $300,000, meaning there will be fewer county Planning Commission meetings.
On Friday, Supervisor Salud Carbajal expressed disappointment at failing to muster the necessary three votes — Centeno was the other supporter — to boost health-care funding for uninsured children by $500,000. “That is one of the most vulnerable segments in our community,” he said. “That was very painful for me.”
Noozhawk staff writer Rob Kuznia can be reached at rkuznia@noozhawk.com.
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» on 06.13.08 @ 07:39 PM
after spending almost a year berating elected officials, county workers, and then seeing almost five million dollars added to the ADMHS department at a time when layoffs and cuts in other departments are impacting countless local people, for Mike Foley and friends to still be frowning——it is almost too much to bear. Is it ever enough? Are they completely blind to the impact of federal and state budgets? The self-righteousness of the “cbos” and complete lack of gratitude is truly beyond the pale.
» on 06.14.08 @ 08:13 AM
With the 5 million there will still be deep cuts. These will likely be born mostly by the community-based agencies that provide the most efficient, effective direct services. Board and care residences, housing severely disabled persons, may have to close down. Other programs that help people live independently may be curtailed, creating more homeless. The CBO’s are doing a hard job on behalf of all of us—when they speak out for the mentally ill they’re not self-righteous, but righteous.
» on 06.14.08 @ 08:19 AM
Thank you for this clearly written story. I had read one of the hardcopy newspapers this morning and had difficulty making head or tail of what happened or at least the details.
As for the cuts to the mental health budget, anything cut there will balloon into costs to other segments of the community with more and more homeless/mentally ill folks on the streets or in the jails. Jail time is a very expensive housing solution for people who don’t, who can’t fit in. Very short-sighted to make such cuts, not to mention the unbudgetable essence, kindness and empathy for others.
Something should be done to houseclean the County budget system when there is this level of disagreement resulting in “fog”.
And can nothing be done to rein in the escalating retirement costs? And why are they escalating? It would be great to have an in depth story about that, please.
» on 06.14.08 @ 11:38 AM
Two previous comments speak as if the County didn’t add significant amounts of money to the admhs budget. are they aware of some of the deep cuts to other departments that ALSO effect the lives of human beings? Or does it only matter when the budgets of “CBOS” are lessened.
» on 06.14.08 @ 01:32 PM
The “cbos” are a typical single-minded special interest group. What they want counts. How they interpret (or ignore) facts is the right way. Their work is MUCH more important than anyone else’s.
Now for reality. They, along with other groups, need to understand that a proposed budget is only a dream unless there is funding to back it. Adding $5 million in a time when virtually every other organization and individual are cutting from last year’s budget should be seen as a great gift, with realization that the $5 million came from other groups’ proposed budgets.
Attitudes like the cbos’ are the reason that California is in a $14 BILLION budget hole.
Betsy did mention the primary budget problem, however, and that is the never-ending escalation in retirement costs for public employees. Gifts from previous weak-willed pols seeking to keep the public employee unions on their side.
» on 06.14.08 @ 04:09 PM
When you bill millions of dollars in Medi-Cal that you know you will not be able to match, this is fraud. This department has moved and used Mental Health Services Act dollars improperly and failed to file State MHSA reports on time. It doesn’t really matter what the ADMHS folks and Mr. Brown say, the audit of the department is coming, the audit of the use of MHSA funds is coming and much more more is going to happen. The State and the Feds are informed and this will make what happened in Ventura County a while back look tame. And in case you don’t remember the entire Ventura County Mental Health Department Administration was forced to resign as well as the County Administrator. The day of reckoning is coming. Thank heavens for all of the work the CBOs have been doing with the Grand Jury and the California Attorney General.
» on 06.15.08 @ 05:15 AM
Just a note that the comment below from “JT” is not from me, J.T. Turner.
» on 06.15.08 @ 06:08 AM
what is a cbo?
» on 06.15.08 @ 06:10 AM
Are you kidding? The clients are the only people we should be concerned with. Bashing the CBOS does nothing to help the clients. Did it ever occur to the smug union staffers that nonprofit staff care about the clients too? And for about 1/2 the salary and benefits. Does anyone care that housing programs will be closing? Have a heart and stop being so rude to the organizations that have done nothing but advocate for transparency and more money for services!
» on 06.15.08 @ 09:50 AM
“CBO” is the acronym for “Community based organizations” otherwise known as “non-profits”. They receive the lions share of the money local government spends on social and mental health services. The “nonprofit” appellation is a bit disingenuous however—-one can go to guidestar.org and sign up for free, and review the 990 forms that some of our local orgs file—-you might be surprised at some of the salaries that these “nonprofits” give their directors…..
» on 06.15.08 @ 10:33 AM
CBO is the acronym for community based organization, which is another way of saying “non-profit” organization—-these groups get the bulk of the county money for mental health services. They’re not so “nonprofit” in reality—go to guidestar.org to find out the salaries of some of the representatives who have been shamelessly and incessantly berating the elected officials and ADMHS staff. and despite what “worried” says below, their efforts have NOT just been caring for “the clients”
» on 06.16.08 @ 04:22 AM
The non-profits (CBOs) and the county staff together provide mental health services to the mentally ill. The non-profits provide a lot of housing, as well. It’s time to stop the bickering about who deserves what. County staff - ADMHS - and the non-profits both need to be adequately funded to continue providing the services the mentally ill need to stop becoming homeless, or ending up in expensive inpatient units. The recent Grand Jury report on mental health in Santa Barbara County said the system is currently under-funded, so, to have any reduction in funding in the 08-09 year, will only make matters worse. Following the budget hearings last week, there is still a gap between what is needed to keep the system whole, and the funding assigned to mental health. In the next few weeks, some creativity is needed to keep services and housing intact.
» on 06.16.08 @ 04:46 AM
If you look at the County Human Resources website, you will see County salaries posted there. The director of a County Department who is an attorney or MD makes up to $233,748 per year. A Department director who is not an MD or an attorney makes up to $194,102 per year. An Assistant Department Director makes up to $148,185 per year. The County Executive Officer (Mike Brown) is not listed in terms of salary, though I presume he is not volunteering his time. It might be good in terms of public disclosure to have his salary, and the salaries of the County Supervisors, listed on the County Human Resources website.
» on 06.17.08 @ 06:33 AM
Lack of gratitude? Bulk of County money to CBO’s? Berating elected oficials and CBO staff? Pathetic! County staff and ADMHS themselves proposed cutting $8.4 million in services and defended that sad position until the very end. The only people who stood up for mental health consumers in public was the CBO leaders and consumers themselves. Gratitude? How about the fact that the CBO’s got $4.4 million put back into the budget? At least Kathy Gallagher stood up and defended her senior programs. ADMHS leadership and Mike Brown was completely silent as usual. CBO’s stood up for 100% funding of the County jobs and CBO contracts that keep mental health consumers safe. Self-righteous? ADMHS should have stood up in front of that Board and said “fund us or fire us”, instead they submitted a budget full of lies and did everything possible to prevent the mentally-ill from keeping their services. Fact: CBO’s do not make up the bulk of the ADMHS budget -liar. That you would criticize Foley and CBO’s for being pleased that $4.4 million was returned, but saddended that people will still be hurt under a $2 million plus service cut is proves a serious narcissitic audacity. For the last three nights mental health consumers have gone to bed worried about whether their medications will be the same, if they will keep their current housing and if they will still have access to their counselors. Gratitude? Yes. Worry and concern for the mentally-ill who will be harmed? Damn straight. Let’s get on with healing this divide already and stop this pathetic political spin. You can’t hide from the truth, and you won’t be able to hide from Attorney General.
» on 06.17.08 @ 06:35 AM
You don’t even need to be a good reporter or writer to know that using the word lessen in the context of
” lessen the severity of the cuts ” is lazy and truly bad form. Cut it out, and watch out for the other lazy ways to say things. There are lots of readers who notice.
[Editor’s note: Thank you. We do take grammar seriously although “Strunk & White” rules generally are modified in headlines and intros.]
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