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2000 HSAC Portia .1.) 1 i . F 1.1 <br />said that OPC Mental Health has been trying very hard to give consumers and taxpayers a better <br />result per expenditure than in the past. The budget has decreased over the last ten years, and <br />three- and -a -half times as many people are being served. OPC Mental Health spent 14% less <br />this fiscal year than last year, and services were increased by 6 %. This year's budget also <br />dedicates more resources to improve crisis services. The organization is rededicating itself to <br />strengthening the three primary systems of care — child services, developmental disabilities, <br />and mental health/substance abuse for adults. <br />Trueblood explained that the ARC's mission in Orange County was to provide opportunities for <br />families and individuals with developmental disabilities to live as fully as possible in all areas <br />of life. She said that family members have a difficult time navigating the care system and that <br />they find that there is no consistency within the state. The ARC concurs that developmental <br />disabilities should be pulled out of the mental health/substance abuse system. The ARC is also <br />glad to hear that OPC Mental Health is stepping up its crisis services because it is a big area of <br />need, especially with children. <br />Fuller said that violence is a mental health issue <br />because of the severe emotional effects that <br />violence has on children. Violence in the home <br />can also lead to neglect of individuals in the family <br />suffering from mental illness or developmental <br />disabilities. Children from homes where there is <br />violence, whether directed at them or not, face a <br />huge number of problems including a suicide rate <br />six times as high as in homes without violence. <br />Older children are 74% more likely to commit a <br />crime against another person and 50% more likely <br />to abuse drugs or alcohol. Fuller said that <br />intervention does help, and if there is help for <br />children, they are less likely to repeat the pattern in <br />their adult life. <br />Blazer spoke about how the percentage of the <br />elderly will increase greatly in the United States as the Baby Boomers get older. This <br />generation has borne a great burden of mental illness, in fact, each succeeding generation is <br />carrying an increased burden. Mental health care for the elderly is very expensive (including <br />care resulting from Alzheimer's disease), although Medicare pays for very little while Medicaid <br />pays for much more. Family members must spend considerable time taking care of older <br />persons at the expense of their own families. The elderly population is unusual in that, 1) you <br />can't separate general health care concerns and mental health care; 2) mental health care for the <br />4 <br />