Doing more with less may be a necessary economic strategy these days.
But to a group of advocates and providers of behavioral-health care yesterday, the combination of continuing cuts in financing and the inability to get the attention of their elected officials has them wondering how much more they, clients and family members can bear.
The Coalition, a statewide advocacy group, held the third of six town-hall meetings at Dana Auditorium at Guilford College, which drew more than 100 attendees. The group represents 40 organizations advocating for more state money from the General Assembly.
"When people are in crisis, they don't need to know about our increased case loads and limited services," said Melissa Horton, a case manager for a local provider of developmental-disability services. "They need the best help we can provide them.
"Instead, we have to say to them, ‘You're out of hours, good luck with that,' or do we work for free?"
The goal of the town halls is educating the public about the budgetary and political process around behavioral-health care, said Jennifer Mahan, the chairwoman of The Coalition.
For example, in 2009 legislators cut $155 million from the budget of the N.C. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse, and another $60 million from state direct-service money for the three categories.
North Carolina is 43rd in the country in annual per-capita spending for mental health -- about $300 a person in state money, according to the group.
"We're being told to expect between 5 percent and 7 percent in budget cuts off an already too-lean budget for 2009-10," said Jack Register, the director of advocacy and legislation for the National Association of Social Workers-North Carolina.
"People are losing services, access to necessary medical treatments, supports, quality of life, independence, and too often, their lives. Providers are closing their doors for lack of resources and staffing at a time when more people are unemployed."
The advocacy group encourages putting more resources into prevention care "so we can reduce the stress and strain on emergency departments and law-enforcement officers," Mahan said. "We have to promote quality and enhancement so that we don't waste precious and limited resources."
Even though several speakers said they have grown weary of getting nowhere with their elected representatives, Register said that they can't give up.
"You have to tell your story," Register said. "Too many legislators are willing to save 50 cents on behavioral services today even though it may cost $2.50 in the future because of the delay of services.
"We're in a crisis, and unless legislators hear from you on a regular basis that we're in a crisis, it's not a crisis to them."
rcraver@wsjournal.com
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