URGENT ACTION ALERT
Monday, June 8, 2009

HOUSE BUDGET PROPOSAL CUTS MH/DD/SA SERVICES

UPDATE: The House HHS Appropriations Committee passed their revised budget on to the full Appropriations Committee without any changes. This budget is significantly worse than the previous version and includes 3 billion in cuts to the Health and Human Services budget including many that will directly impact people with mental illness, developmental disabilities and addictive disease. This budget cuts direct services, threatens our ability to draw down federal funding and will result in tens of thousands of lost jobs.

YOUR ADVOCACY IS WORKING! House Democrats are discussing a revenue package, but there is still much more support needed for it to pass. We need you to tell your neighbors, family members, churches, co-workers, people you do business with that the impact of these cuts will be far reaching and includes them! Your Legislators and the Appropriations Chairs need to hear from you!

Here are some examples of the harmful cuts:

o $74,000,000 in state funds – means elimination of a large array of services including crisis services, START programs, local inpatient beds for example

o 50,000,000 in state funds for direct services

o Elimination of the continuation budget in Medicaid – means there is no safety net

o CAP MR/DD services are reduced or eliminated

o Community Support is eliminated: 33,000 people will be removed from this basic service that includes case management and support to live in the community.

o 5.5-6% reduction in provider rates means many providers will not be able to survive; jobs and services will be lost

o Special assistance decrease – impacts everyone in the mh/dd/sa community

IMPACT

The system will collapse
People with disabilities will lose services
People providing services will lose jobs
The state will lose tax revenue and federal funding

ACTION STEPS

1. Contact the Appropriations Committee Chairs and Speaker Hackney’s office TODAY – Tell them this budget harms people with developmental disabilities, addictive disease and mental illness. Tell them they were elected to protect their constituency. This budget does not do that because people will be hurt and jobs will be lost. They need to raise taxes to protect services and supports for people with MH/DD/SAS; SEE LIST BELOW for Appropriations Chairs and Speaker Hackney’s office. Or http://capwiz.com/cdpmi/home/

2. Contact your own legislators with this same message and let them know you are a voter in their district and you want them to raise taxes to prevent cuts to MH/DD/SA services. A listing of House members and info on how to find yours can be found at www.ncleg.net Personal contact is always best, but if you cannot call you can email through our online advocacy at http://capwiz.com/cdpmi/home/ (This site will also give you detailed info on your NC House Representative).

3. Letters to the Editor: write to your local paper expressing your concern. Short personal examples are best.

Appropriations Chairs:
Rep. Mickey Michaux- 919-715-2528 Mickey.Michaux@ncleg.net
Rep. Alma Adams- 919-733-5902 Alma.Adams@ncleg.net
Rep. Martha Alexander- 919-733-5807 Martha.Alexander@ncleg.net
Rep. Jim Crawford- 919-733-5824 Jim.Crawford@ncleg.net
Rep. Phillip Haire- 919-715-3005 Phillip.Haire@ncleg.net
Rep. Maggie Jeffus- 919-733-5191 Maggie.Jeffus@ncleg.net
Rep. Joe Tolson- 919-715-3024 Joe.Tolson@ncleg.net
Rep. Douglas Young- 919-733-5821 Douglas.Yongue@ncleg.net

Speaker of the House:
Rep. Joe Hackney- 919-733-3451 Joe.Hackney@ncleg.net

Additional Talking Points:

This budget harms people with developmental disabilities, addictive disease and mental illness.

The cuts in the House budget will result in collapse of the MH/DD/SAS system, a loss of services and service providers, and resulting loss of jobs will contribute to a worsening of the state’s economy.

Legislators are elected to protect their constituency. This budget does not do that because people will be hurt and jobs will be lost.

We need to raise taxes to protect services and supports for people with MH/DD/SAS. Stimulus funds are not preventing cuts to critical services – more state revenue is needed.

Health and Human Services are taking more than their share of budget cuts: new revenue needs to go back into the MH/DD/SAS and Medicaid budget to protect people.

The Coalition

Action Alert and Budget Update
May 29, 2009

Budget Update: The Health and Human Services Appropriations Sub-Committee released their budget recommendations on Thursday. The “lowlights’ are
• 100s of millions in cuts to mental health, developmental disability and addictive disease including $74 million in “adjustments” to the continuation budget,
• $50 Million in cuts to state funded services, $16 million in cuts to CAP-MR-DD state funds,
• $4 million in cuts to “non-core community services” and
• 465 undefined positions which we believe the majority would need to come from state operated hospitals, developmental disability centers, and addiction treatment.
• In addition, the proposed Medicaid budget would:
o eliminate community support services, the clinical home and support of 10s of thousands of individuals who are living and recovering in the community,
o cut $490 million from the overall Medicaid budget, freeze CAP slots, and reduce Medicaid provider rates 4% across all services.
• House Education Subcommittee proposals would cut the availability of school social workers by 25%, and general education cuts will also harms students with disabilities as schools are forced to lay off teachers, counselors and support staff.

There is no nice way to say this: people will die. These deep cuts will devastate supports for people with developmental disabilities, addictive diseases and mental illness. Infrastructure will be destroyed that is only now recovering from “reform.” This is not a sustainable cut: services will stop, providers will go out of business, and jobs will be lost. Families will be forced to put children in institutions or hospitals, if those services are even available given the current demand and lack of consistent community based support. NC has a choice about how it wants to look: supports and services or deaths and economic depression.

You can help your Legislator make the right Choice!

Take action by calling or emailing your own Legislator and House majority and minority leadership (more info below on how to do so). Tell them that these cuts will be devastating and you support them in raising taxes to fund mh/dd/sa community services and supports. NC cannot cut its way out of the budget hole and these cuts are not to “wasteful” spending. The true waste is when people are left without services, jobs and support.

Who to contact:

1) Call your own NC House Legislator. A listing of House members and info on how to find yours can be found at www.ncleg.net Personal contact is always best, but if you cannot call you can email through our online advocacy at http://capwiz.com/cdpmi/home/ (This site will also give you detailed info on your NC House Representative).

2) Call NC House Democrat and Republican Leadership:
• Speaker of the House Joe Hackney, office phone 919-733-3451 Joe.Hackney@ncleg.net,
• House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, office phone 919-715-0873 Hugh.Holliman@ncleg.net
• House Minority Leader Paul Stam, office phone 919-733-2962 Paul.Stam@ncleg.net

The Message: As always, keep things short and respectful, but be honest about how these cuts will affect you, your family or those you serve.

1) These cuts are devastating and people will die. These services and supports are keeping people alive, well and in their homes/communities. [And let them know how these cuts will impact you].

2) The state needs to raise taxes; we cannot cut our way out of a 4.8 billion dollar budget hole. I am willing to pay higher taxes to make sure people have services and supports.

 

THE COALITION 

2009 ADVOCACY DAY

Wednesday, May 20th 2009

 At the Legislative Building

16 West Jones Street * Raleigh, NC 27601

 

8 am: Registration opens, on the Portico at the back of the Legislative Building  

NEW! 8:30 am: HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN ROOM 643 of the Legislative Office Building. The Committee will begin discussing Medicaid and MH/DD/SAS. If there is time, come by the Coalition registration area and get a nametag and sticker. If not, feel free to come over after the meeting as we encourage your attendance at this meeting.

 9, 10, & 11 am: Trainings on Effectively Communicating with Legislators (3rd floor Auditorium)

 Tip Sheet for Talking to Legislators:

 

Talking Points:

 

Legislator Contact Information:

All morning: Visit with legislators in their offices - use the Coalition talking points you pick up at registration

11 am: Popcorn on the Portico

11:30 am: TROSA band under the tent

 12 noon: RALLY under the tent on lawn behind Legislative Building

 PLEASE NOTE: LUNCH IS NOT PROVIDED, there is a cafeteria in the Legislative Building. Popcorn and cookies will be available on the Portico and under the tent- free of charge.

Coalition Rally Day Parking

 Free parking & transportation from the parking site to the Coalition Rally is provided. On Rally Day (May 20th) please park in the Upper Bunn Field area of the NC State Fairgrounds, which is adjacent to the twin oak trees at Gate 9. Buses will run to & from the rally starting at 8:30 am and running until approximately 2 pm. Coalition member Jane Phillips will be on-site all day providing assistance.

 Directions to the Fairgrounds:

 

 Map of Fairgrounds:

 

http://www.mha-nc.org/english/mha_pdf/2009%20Legislative%20Tips.pdf http://www.mha-nc.org/english/mha_pdf/talking%20points%202009%20on%20letterhead.pdfhttp://capwiz.com/cdpmi/home/ http://www.ncstatefair.org/directions.htm http://www.ncstatefair.org/map_popup.htm

2009 ADVOCACY DAY

Wednesday, May 20th 2009

At the Legislative Building

16 West Jones Street * Raleigh, NC 27601
8 am: Registration opens, on the Portico at the back of the Legislative Building

8:30 am onward: Attend Legislative Committee Meetings (Info on meetings will be available day of the Rally)

(If you would like to speak with your legislator, please make an appointment in advance.  This is a busy time of year, if you do not make an appointment, you might not get to speak with them.  To learn who your legislator is and their contact information go to: http://capwiz.com/cdpmi/home/ )

9, 10, & 11 am: Trainings on Effectively Communicating with Legislators (3rd floor Auditorium)

(Want some easy tips on speaking with your legislators? Check out our Tip Sheet. http://www.mha-nc.org/english/mha_pdf/2009%20Legislative%20Tips.pdf )

All morning: Visit with legislators in their offices - use the Coalition talking points you pick up at registration

11 am: Popcorn on the Portico

12 noon: RALLY under the tent on lawn behind Legislative Building

Coalition Rally Day Parking

Free parking & transportation from the parking site to the Coalition Rally is provided. On Rally Day (May 20th) please park in the Upper Bunn Field area of the NC State Fairgrounds, which is adjacent to the twin oak trees at Gate 9. Buses will run to & from the rally starting at 8:30 am and running until approximately 2 pm. Coalition member Jane Phillips will be on-site all day providing assistance.

Directions to the Fairgrounds:
http://www.ncstatefair.org/directions.htm

Map of Fairgrounds:
http://www.ncstatefair.org/map_popup.htm

 

On Wednesday May 20th, advocates from across the state will gather at the General Assembly in Raleigh for the Coalition Advocacy Day and Rally to advocate for the protection of essential services and funding for mental health, developmental disability and addictive disease services.

Registration will open at 8AM for participants to get information on the day’s legislative committee meetings, the current budget proposal and begin visits with legislators. Popcorn will be available on the portico during the day, and the Rally will start under the tent on the Legislative lawn at Noon. 

As part of the advocacy day, Coalition advocates will be conducting short trainings on effective ways to communicate your message to Legislators.  Trainings will take place at 9, 10 and 11 AM in the Legislative building auditorium (third floor). Volunteers will also be on hand in the auditorium from 8:30 to 12:30 with tips and techniques for making the most of your legislative visit.

 The Coalition encourages your participation in this event to advocate for funding for mental health, developmental disability and addictive disease services.  We also strongly encourage you to make appointments with your Legislators well in advance of the day. 

written by the Coalition for Persons Disabled by Mental Illness

 There will always be a need for State psychiatric hospital beds in the continuum of care for persons with severe and persistent mental illness. The care provided to persons in the state psychiatric hospitals must reflect the same high standard of care required in general healthcare hospitals. Treatment and hospitalization should not result in patients being further traumatized. Policies that provide the best possible services for people with mental illness must be in place. These policies should drive the funding-not the reverse. CPDMI offers the following five principles for successful patient care in State psychiatric hospitals.

To read the full report, click on the link below.

http://www.mha-nc.org/english/mha_pdf/Coalition%20for%20Persons%20Disabled%20by%20Mental%20Illness-final%202009.pdf

 

 

The North Carolina General Assembly asked the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) to convene a Task Force to study substance abuse services in the state (SL-2007-323 §10.53A) and to present an interim report with recommendations to the 2008 North Carolina General Assembly and the final report and recommendations to the 2009 North Carolina General Assembly. The Task Force was co-chaired byDwayne Book,MD,MedicalDirector, FellowshipHall; Representative Verla Insko, Representative District 56, North Carolina House ofRepresentatives; and Senator Martin L. Nesbitt Jr., JD, Senator District 49, North Carolina Senate. It included 51 other members including other legislators, state and local agency officials, substance abuse providers, other health professionals, consumers, educators, and other knowledgeable and interested individuals. Inaddition, the work of the Task Force was guided by a 12-member Steering Committee. 

Most of the Task Force’s work focused on developing a comprehensive system of care to provide evidence-based interventions based on a person’s need.  This comprehensive system begins with a strong prevention effort, targeted at adolescents and young adults. Targeting youth and young adults will help reduce the number of people who later become addicted, as evidence shows that people who initiate substance use in childhood or adolescence are more likely to later become addicted. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), communities can save four to five dollars for every one dollar they spend on substance abuse prevention.

Below is a link to the full report.

http://www.nciom.org/SATF_Full%20Report.pdf

PLEASE JOIN US!!

 

Wednesday, May 20:

The Coalition Legislative Advocacy Day

& Popcorn Rally!

 

 

THE COALITION represents individuals and organizations statewide, that advocate for persons needing services and supports for mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases.  Since 1991, The Coalition has recommended a budget to the North Carolina General Assembly.  Each year during the Legislative session, The Coalition sponsors advocacy events to bring local advocates to Raleigh to speak with their state legislators.

 

ADVOCATE FOR BETTER FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES & ADDICTIVE DISEASE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS

at the …

 

COALITION RALLY - MAY 20 at NOON!

Behind the Legislative Building on Jones St.

 

v    Parking available at State Fair Grounds (Gate 9) with bus services to Legislative Building beginning at 8:30 am and running until 2 pm.

 

v     Registration will open at 8 am on the back portico of the Legislative Building. Participants can get information on the day’s legislative committee meetings, the current budget proposal and begin visits with legislators.

 

v     Trainings will take place at 9, 10 and 11 am in the Legislative Building Auditorium (third floor). Short trainings will be held on ways to effectively communicate your message to Legislators.  Volunteers will also be on hand in the auditorium from 8:30 to 12:30 with tips & techniques for making the most of your legislative visit.

 

v   Popcorn will be available on the portico beginning at 11 am! Please note that lunch will not be provided – popcorn & cookies will be served as refreshments.

 

The Coalition encourages your participation in this event to advocate for funding for mental health, developmental disability and addictive disease services. For more information on the event, please contact Elizabeth Cloud at ncpaelizabeth@mindspring.com  or Erin McLaughlin at erin.mclaughlin@mha-nc.org.

 

Interested in contacting your legislators but don’t know who they are?

Check out our Capitol Advantage site, simply type in your street address and city to find your legislators.

Please find below the link to the new Program Evaluation Website. There isn’t much up there in terms of reports right now, but please feel free to add this to your bookmarks.

Link