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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.
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