Proposed state budget cuts mental health services

The Washington state budget for 2011-2013, proposed by Gov. Chris Gregoire, attempts to take $2 billion out of the growing deficit. In 2011, a succession of midyear cuts to community treatment programs for the mentally ill and drug dependent totaled $19 million. David Dickinson, the director of the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, said, "This led to the closing of a 16-bed evaluation and treatment center, as well as a 30-bed ward at Eastern State Hospital."

According to the 2011-2013 proposed state budget, the following mental health services and providers are up for elimination: delay on the implementation of the Involuntary Treatment Act, closure of state hospital wards for dementia and traumatic brain injury patients, reduction of Regional Support Networks from 13 to no more than six in the next year, and the closure of two civil wards at Western State Hospital in Lakewood. Most importantly to the Spokane community, the Spokane acute care division would be reduced at least 50 percent, diverting mental health patients from the state hospital system that could be their only source of help.

As a key contributor to the Logan Neighborhood and beyond, the Gonzaga community has always adhered to a specific standard. GU is known nationally for outstanding civic engagement in all elements of on-campus activities, such as the mentoring programs and also in the community through volunteering with Campus Kitchen, CCASL and other service learning projects. However, the resources provided to organizations at GU to help with these needs are running low. 

"Dozens of willing students are turned away from the mentoring programs because of a lack of resources," said Sima Thorpe, the director of CCASL and assistant dean of students. "We have to turn them away literally minutes after the applications and sections are open for signing up."

"CCASL is highly dependent on foundational and state government support. Nearly 50 percent of funds come from this ‘soft money,'" said Thorpe. "Mentoring program grants are in decline and the students who do work study for places like Sally's House as a job are in danger due to federal work study cuts, which are occurring across the nation."

In terms of GU students taking action to help the Spokane community, on Friday, Jan. 27, the Spring Service Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Cataldo Hall.

While waiting for the Legislature to decide who gets what cuts throughout the entirety of Washington, one particular Logan Neighborhood community organization called Sally's House has an unknown fate. Sally's House provides the only safe and loving environment for children in transition between the parents' home and foster homes.

"These children need Sally's House," Becky Hoogstad, the program manager, said. "They come to us immediately when in danger from parental abuse and neglect and we have been providing this care for the past 10 years. Before Sally's House came into being, these neglected children would sit in cars for hours. They would sleep overnight in Department of Social and Health Services offices, and bounce from foster home to foster home, psychologically regressing up to six months if the fit is not good."

Hoogstad also said: "These children sometimes feel like they are living in a total stranger's house when sent to a foster home. However, at our home, there is a more neutral atmosphere with the other kids there, kind of like summer camp where they can come to grips with their home situations and attempt to recover in a safe and loving house. Losing the only emergency foster care to budget cuts would create need for raising money outside of anything given by the government just to keep Sally's open."

In 2011, $900 million went to serve the needs of Washington state's mentally ill, including drug dependency programs. Gregoire proposed the reduction of funding for more than 26,000 patients in community health services delivered through Regional Support Networks, saving nearly $18 million.

"No one directly affected by the mental health care system knows what's coming in the next couple months as the state Legislature buy back hangs in the balance," Jan Dobbs, director of urgent care services for Spokane Mental Health, said. "Nothing concerning the help with the mentally ill and drug dependent is set in stone. So Spokane's Regional Network, who will determine the uses of money given by the government and divvy it up to providers, has nothing to go off right now."

"We have not determined any particular course of action as many of the changes (concerning mental health services) are still in the works," Jody Nelson, the volunteer coordinator at Spokane's Catholic Charities, said. "Although we have recently experienced less funding to provide service, we are currently working with proposal requests that reflect current funds that are available through the City of Spokane. However, there is no doubt that resources will continue to decrease in 2012 and into 2013."

"The main cuts of 2012 will not affect state-level care as much as the services provided through non state-run organizations. Almost all services in the state are funded at least partially through the state budget," John Murphy, a caseworker at Eastern State Hospital, said. "With a 10 percent total cut across the board, the next 18 months look grim for the mentally ill patients without health insurance and charities able to help them out."