County Seeks Funds to Aid Fire Victims

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to seek $228,441 in federal funds to cover costs of counseling victims of the Laguna Beach firestorm.

The money would pay for a crisis counseling hot line, referral services, community outreach and education efforts, support groups and services to the mentally disabled homeless affected by the fire.

A county report presented to the supervisors Tuesday shows that $44,311 is being requested as reimbursement for staff costs to date, while $184,130 would pay for additional services until Dec. 27.

County mental health director Timothy P. Mullins said budget constraints have forced his agency to dedicate resources solely to children and to adults with the most serious mental health problems. The added burden of the fire-related services is too great for the strapped agency, he said.

In a letter to the state, Mullins wrote that his agency had “determined that there are immediate mental health service needs beyond the capacity which our local mental health system is able to provide.”

The county is eligible to apply for the federal money because of the state of emergency declarations made on the county and state level, and President Clinton’s Oct. 28 declaration that dubbed South County a disaster area.