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Audio: Comments from the Board of Supervisors and CEO regarding ADMHS cuts
 At its April 22nd meeting, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors directed the County Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services (ADMHS), and Michael Brown, the county administrator, to create other budget options and seek out new sources of funding for mental health services. Please write or call our County Supervisors to thank them for their leadership and to remind them of how important mental health is to you!
For 30 years, non-profit mental health programs in Santa Barbara County have served thousands, providing housing, independent living skills and self-advocacy training, social support, mental health education, vocational training and paid employment. We believe the programs we provide are the essential part of recovery for approximately 900 adults who are slated to be released from County mental health services (according to ADMHS's "Level of Care" document and proposed restructure plan).
That's why we've contracted with Santa Barbara County over the years to operate these programs. Yet, in the face of its current budget deficit, ADMHS has planned to cut 58 percent of the funding for our clients' programs in the coming year.
The cuts ADMHS has proposed will lead to a greater deficit, a devastating increase in human suffering, and major problems for our communities:
Current community supports which allow people with mental health disability to live independently will be gutted.
The cuts, if implemented, would lead to the loss of…
- Intensive treatment for 70 people,
- 217 beds of housing,
- The 2-1-1 Helpline,
- 68 regular paid jobs,
- Supported education and life skills training for more than 410 clients,
- Support for 80 family members, and
- Services to more than 100 clients at severe risk for homelessness.
Costs to the county through increased mobile crisis team use for mental health emergencies, increased in-patient hospitalization and an increased burden on criminal justice and law enforcement systems will escalate.
Our communities will most certainly feel the impact through a significant gap in the safety net of mental health programs, a loss of gains made in - and community funding for - local mental health services over last 30 years, and an increased risk to community safety.
Comments from the Board of Supervisors and CEO regarding ADMHS cuts. Click on the links to hear the clips.
April 22, 2008
- Janet Wolf, Supervisor, 2nd District: clip 1, clip 2, clip 3, clip 4, clip 5, clip 6
- Joni Gray, Supervisor, 4th District: clip 1
- Salud Carbajal, Chair, 1st District: clip 1, clip 2, clip 3, clip 4, clip 5
- Joe Centeno, Supervisor, 5th District : clip 1, clip 2, clip 3, clip 4, clip 5
Read Roger Thompson's article, "We, the Mentally Ill".
 Local leaders of nonprofit mental health and housing agencies gathered February 6, 2008 to establish the Association of Local Leaders for Community Mental Health, or ALL 4 CMH. The coalition was formed to promote improved delivery and increased efficiency of mental health services and housing supports in Santa Barbara County. ALL 4 CMH members represent over 200 years of leadership in local nonprofit agencies with expertise in fund development and efficient service delivery.
Comments from the Board of Supervisors and CEO regarding ADMHS cuts. Click on the links to hear the clips.
March 11, 2008
February 5, 2008
- YouTube
ALL4CMH / Press Conference regarding possible budget cuts for community mental health services.
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