Grand Jury Report on Mental Health Clinics

This letter is a response to the article (“Grand Jury Assails County Mental Health Clinics for Children,” June 9). I am a volunteer co-chairperson in charge of the fund raising and construction of a school-based mental health clinic for Orange County Health Care Agency/Children and Youth Services (HCA/CYS) at Las Palmas Elementary School in San Clemente.

You indicated in your article that “seven of the 14 clinics are located in predominantly white South County, and several of the South County clinics are located in schools.”

The vast majority of the referrals to HCA/CYS in South County are from the school districts who donate space for clinics and individual office space to the county to allow services to be provided on site to the students who are referred and their families.

This cooperative effort on the part of the county and the south Orange County school districts is possible because the exemplary effort of the south Orange County service chief. The grand jury report appears to have disregarded the hard work and dedication of the South County service chief and the willingness and ability of the community to work constructively with the service chief to promote the mental health and well-being of these children.

You also reported that the grand jury report states, “Her clinics are superior to those in other regions in terms of furnishings, adequate . . . equipment, staff, (and) caseload.” The report seems to have failed to recognize the community involvement in south Orange County, which includes donations of snacks for hungry children, building materials, and volunteer services that save the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, charity organizations donate generously of their time and funds for construction needs, including carpeting and painting. They have also donated artwork and decorating services for several South County HCA/CYS clinics.

In my opinion, the comments which you cited in your article from the grand jury report are absurd because the grand jury appears critical of private initiative, thrift, and hard work on the part of an inspired and capable county employee.

GARY BELHUMEUR

Dana Point

* Has it ever occurred to the investigating grand jury that many of the furnishings, the excellent service and pleasant ambience within the clinics of South County did not occur by accident or at the expense of the rest of the county’s clinics?

In the interest of maintaining a high level of professionalism, the “wife of the deputy assistant director” as mentioned in your article, has used her expertise well beyond the call of duty to secure donations of labor and furnishings from various sources, including her own. The cheerful and pleasing environment within her clinics is one of warmth and comfort to the clients--something to be proud of. This along with a dedicated staff which works in harmony is an example to be emulated--not criticized!

Perhaps if those clinics in the rest of the county, so pitied by the grand jury, were to look within themselves for improvement, their plight might not be so pathetic. I suggest next time the grand jury look beyond the end of its nose.

VINCENT PRINCIPALE

San Clemente

* As both a provider of mental health services for children in Orange County and a community leader and advocate for their cause for over 20 years, I have been a serious observer of the county mental health program for children. I applaud the recently released report of the Orange County Grand Jury on the problems of the system. It is about time!

Through the years I have witnessed the progressively disproportionate share of county interest and resources being directed by Dr. Bernard Rappaport, deputy assistant director for children services, to the south region, which is managed by his wife, Linda Rappaport, while other county regions’ budgets grew less but needed more. To serve the comparatively affluent with significantly more public funds than the minority and poor county populations is not what I consider the purpose of our tax dollars.

I was appalled to read the rebuttal remarks to the grand jury report attributed to Tom Uram, director of the County Health Care Agency, wherein he is quoted as saying that white parents tend to be more demanding of county mental health services for their children, and that the county has responded. This is not only an affront to our sensibilities but a sample of the kind of faulty county leadership thinking that has allowed this injustice to continue for so many years.

Now is the time to solve the problem, not to find further excuses for its continuance. Gentlemen of the County Health Care Agency, I have the answer if you have the mettle for it. Both you and the grand jury agree that despite the problems enumerated in the report, Linda Rappaport has developed the flagship children program of the county in the south region and is the apparent model for a regional manager. Why not transfer her to the region most populated with disadvantaged and underserved children? I’m sure she could solve the problems of mental health service inequity, along with her husband’s assistance, in no time at all.

REX D. GAEDE

Brea

Rex D. Gaede is chairman of the Orange County Mental Health Advisory Board.

* The articles regarding the Orange County Grand Jury’s report on the Children and Youth Services (CYS) program in the Orange County Health Care Agency have prompted a great deal of comment and speculation.

It is appropriate that responses to the grand jury’s recommendations be withheld until the Health Care Agency and the county administrative office have had adequate time to study and review the issues. However, while this process is taking place, it is my sincere hope that the individual citizens and the South County services organizations who have committed countless volunteer hours to fully improve facilities for children’s mental health treatment are not censured for their efforts to provide inviting and comfortable facilities at no cost to the County of Orange.

Volunteers with an understanding of the serious needs for children’s mental health treatment and the personal commitment to really make a difference through their outstanding efforts and “sweat equity” truly deserve gold stars and our praise. I hope this is just a beginning.

THOMAS F. RILEY

Santa Ana

County Supervisor, 5th District