And time just keeps passing ...with still no budget. Each day that passes with no budget means the amount of time to deal with the crisis has lessened, making the solutions harder. The continuing resoluton requires a l5% cut but who decides where, and when? There is no agreement on both sides of the general assembly; the Senate supports revenue packages of $l.5B (along with the Governor), but the House is not comfortable with that amount. And the role of the Governor right now is not clear either. Ask your legislators to get a budget adopted, and to put revenue increases if adopted towards restoring some services for people with mental illnesses- like community support and access to medications. PLease ask them to consider long overdue modifications to our outdated tax codes as part of the overall solution.
Your advocacy efforts are working, because the previous across the board cuts (over two years) to Community Support have been scaled back. Still huge cuts, but a little more flexibility. Please remember that these cuts are a moving target until both the House and Senate come up with an agreed upon budget.
Which means you can still make a difference. The latest shows CS with a cut of $65M year one, and $97M year two. The second year represents 80% of the previously allocated service dollars - so still a huge, sweeping cut to CS, and remember: this affects perhaps 37000 people, with 75% of them being children. We're hoping many of these children can receive a higher level of service like intensive in home, which they probably need.
Yet another consequence of the massive curtailment of services in medicaid is it probably will eventually mean a rollback in the medicaid block grants which are tied by formula to medicaid spending.
When our state elects to discontinue a service, or radically curtail a service- for each dollar we put in, the feds put in 3 dollars. So you can see the other consequences- not only people not getting services they need, but jobs are lost, economies worsen, communities suffer. Ask your legislators to:
1. Restore matching state funding to earn us $l.45 B in federally funded services. Don't be penny wise, pound foolish!
2. Restore adequate funding to CS - that has to be more than 20% of the current level.
3. Question the wisdom of the consolidated Case Management and whether there will be sufficient resources to deal with the massive movement/transitions caused by these cuts- kids moving from group homes, adults and kids both losing community support.
4. Explain the domino effect of each of these separate cuts- loss of CS leads to loss of overall community stability- possible onset of crises, hospitalization. Ditto for loss of access to medications
Capital Sentencing SB 309, HB 137
Let's not forget this very important bill! We have a chance to get this bill heard, and with luck, passed! You must call your legislators- anyone on Judiciary l, or anyone on appropriations- start with the House side! And you must do this by Tuesday of next week. We expect the committee, J-l, to hear this either Tuesday or Thursday of next week; we expect it to pass there, and go straight on to appropriations. That will be a struggle, and we need your calls.
Open Access to medications
It's not looking that good for maintaining open access to medications- the House is looking to save $40M by instituting a preferred drug list. For years those on medications treating mental illness have been exempt from these requirements - and bureaucratic managed care practices like prior authorizations, fail first, etc. There is good work going on to investigate other ways to save this money- like educating prescribers, starting wtih those inpatient settings where polypharmacy starts. Studies show those who have barriers to getting their drugs have 3.6 times as many adverse effects (ER visits, inpatient, even jail..)
Action: Tell the House and Senate Budget and Finance Chairs, and the leadership that you oppose a preferred drug list for mental health, and share your personal stories of how long and arduous is the journey to finding the right mix of medications for your own recovery.
Make a call to your legislator on Monday!! It works. Thanks for all those efforts.
And have a happy fourth.
