Mental Health’s Proposed Cuts Stir Protest

About 250 mental health advocates gathered in front of the County Administration Building on Tuesday to protest Gov. George Deukmejian’s proposed $200-million cut in state mental health funding, a move that could shrink San Diego’s $45-million share by up to one-third next year.

Representatives of the San Diego Coalition for Mental Health, carrying homemade signs that read: “This Could Be You” and “Mental Illness is a No Fault Disability,” rallied during a county supervisors meeting that was held outside to accommodate the crowd.

Bob Lerner, a county spokesman, said the supervisors wanted to join the rally to “make a statement” showing their support. All five supervisors, amid cheers and applause, signed a resolution opposing the proposed reduction.

Throw It in State’s Lap

If the cut is approved, Supervisor Susan Golding said, the county could decide to turn over operation of San Diego’s mental health programs to the state.

“If requirements put on mental health programs operated by the county are so stringent . . . then we can’t operate them. We’re really at the limit,” she said. “That’s very dramatic, but the state has the ultimate responsibility.”

The governor’s proposed cut would reduce the county’s mental health budget by up to $16 million. Describing the situation as a “state of emergency,” Golding said reductions in an already tight mental health budget would mean putting more mentally ill on the street and cutting back on outpatient care.

“I don’t see how we can continue to do it. I’m not interested in running (a county mental health system) without adequate funding,” she said.

“We remain 57th out of 58 counties (in per capita state financing for mental health), while being the second-biggest county in the entire state,” she told coalition members. “San Diego is not alone, but we’re just about the worst off.”

Supervisor Brian Bilbray said: “The state of California thinks equality is giving each person in San Diego a little over $13 for mental health . . . . This is not just a mental health issue, this is not just a money issue, this is a civil rights issue.” By contrast, San Francisco receives about $41 per capita.

The county filed suit against the state three years ago, alleging that the state’s allocation of money for mental health care and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs violates the constitutional rights of San Diego County citizens. The suit, which is still pending, says people in San Diego have less access to these services than Los Angeles or San Francisco citizens.