Issue: Over the past decade, community mental health providers have been placed at a significant disadvantage to other community-based human service providers who have received multiple funding increases to help them handle increasing operating expenses related to property, personnel, insurance, and energy costs. During that same time, community mental health providers have seen little-to-no such funding increases, and have even weathered multiple cuts in their funding. Without additional resources to accommodate these increased costs, mental health programs will be unable to meet the existing need and maintain the quality of programs provided by a dedicated workforce.

Action: While the 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment provided in the Governor’s budget proposal is greatly appreciated, a 10% increase of funding is necessary to prevent community mental health providers from further scaling programs back or closing programs altogether.