Agenda - 12-15-2009 - 3b - Laserfiche WebLink

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42 MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE REPORT ATTACHMENT K OPC Area Program Q & A Regarding Impact of State Budget Cuts (September, 2009) How will the state budget cuts affect mental health, developmental disability, and substance abuse services in Orange, Person, and Chatham Counties? Approximately $75 million dollars were cut from the statewide mental health/ developmental disabilities/substance abuse services, in addition to reductions in Medicaid rates and services. This translates into $2,250,518 in cuts to the state funds available for services in Orange, Person, and Chatham Counties. This represents approximately 21.5% of our non-crisis state service funding. These cuts in service dollars limit the amount of state dollars available to serve adults and children who do not have health .insurance, but are in need of mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services. In addition, reductions in Medicaid services will affect people with these challenges as well. How will these cuts affect adult recipients of mental health (MH) and substance abuse (SA) services? Will there be services that are no longer available? What services will be available? Reduction in state funds for mental health and substance abuse services will have a huge impact on OPC's array of services. We have received a cut of approximately 21.5% to our state funds, causing major strains on already under-funded services. It will definitely affect how we provide care to consumers in the OPC catchment area. We have to reduce the number of slots available for the enhanced services and also reduce the number of units for individual therapy. After the limited units of services have been utilized, consumers may be moved to group therapy or referred to self-help groups and /or natural support systems in the community. • How will these cuts affect people with developmental disabilities? Will there be services that are no longer available? What services will be available? OPC's developmental disability (DD) state funds will be cut in two ways. First, a portion of the overall reduction in state funding ($55M statewide) will be taken from OPC's DD service dollars. Sewndly, the legislature reduced DD funds by $16M, with the idea being that limited state dollars should not be spent on individuals who are CAP-MR/DD waiver recipients. OPC's share of this cut is $928,923. Combined the cuts will mean a reduction of just over 23% in DD state service dollars. In terms of Medicaid services, cuts to service rates for CAP-MR/DD services and the freeze on CAP-MR/DD slots will have the biggest impact on individuals with DD. Cuts of this magnitude will require significant reductions in funding to many of our DD programs and services including residential services (group homes), Adult Day Vocational Programs (ADVP/ employment services), Developmental Day services for children 3-5 years of age, as well as other services such as Developmental Therapy. As a result of these reductions it is expected that providers will have to downsize programs. Fewer people will be able to receive services and those that do get service will likely be getting less. Will there be services that are no longer available? What services will be available to individuals with developmental disabilities? There has been no determination to fully eliminate any DD service entirely at this time. Rather, significant reductions will be required to the types of services listed above. Services that will remain available to individuals with developmental disabilities (in limited quantities based on available funding) indude: Targeted Case Management, Developmental Therapy, Personal Assistance, ADVP, Supported Employment, Long Term Vocational Support, Respite, Developmental Day, residential services, services for individuals who are dually diagnosed, and Mobile Crisis services. 40