Mental Health Funds Called Inadequate
Although it gets more than one-third of the state mental health dollars, Los Angeles County has been shortchanged because the funding formula does not account for the homeless mentally ill, the county grand jury said Friday.
“Even though Los Angeles County has had 42.1% of admissions for the severely mentally ill, it has received only 34.6% of state funding,” the jury said in a report to the Board of Supervisors.
Jurors recommended that the board ask the Legislature for “an equitable share of state funding.” Supervisors begin budget deliberations next week, with the Department of Mental Health facing an $8-million cut on top of last year’s $12-million reduction.
Cecil Greenwold, chairman of the jury’s mental health committee, said that even if the formula is changed, more money is needed for mental health programs.
Other counties have claimed that Los Angeles County already receives more than its fair share of state mental health dollars.
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