By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
Orange County commissioners criticized the state’s mental health system reform on Tuesday after hearing funding requests from local mental health programs that have lost state funds through the changes.
In a budget work session, the Board of County Commissioners considered funding requests from county mental health programs Club Nova and KidSCope.
Club Nova has requested $75,000 from the county to assist with funding operations and new requirements from the state. Club Nova provides housing, assistance and psychological services to people with mental illnesses.
The Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project requested $50,000 from the county to continue its KidSCope program. KidSCope specializes in providing mental health services to young children and their families.
State officials launched an overhaul of the state mental health system in 2001, and moved residents with mental illnesses from state hospitals to community programs operated by private agencies. With these reforms, the state promised to fund the patients’ care by reimbursing the private agencies. Reform skeptics claim the state never adequately funded the agencies to provide services to patients.
Commissioner Mike Nelson criticized the state for not providing adequate funding to community support organizations.
“I think what the state has done to you guys is disgusting,†Nelson told Club Nova and KidSCope representatives. “I worry about getting this request every year.â€
“How can we fill in for the state’s screw-up every single year?†he added.
In April, the state reduced the Medicaid reimbursement rate to community support organizations from $60.96 an hour to $51.28. The reimbursement rate for psychosocial rehabilitation is $9.36 per hour, but is set to increase to $11.60 on July 1.
According to the request for funds Club Nova the psychosocial rehabilitation reimbursement rate is one of the lowest rates provided by the state for any mental health service, is insufficient to fund patient service and even with the increase will not fully cover costs.
In addition, the state now requires organizations like Club Nova to write a daily note on each patient, increasing the number of notes Club Nova writes from 100 to 1,100 per month, according to Karen Kincaid Dunn, director of Club Nova.
“It just seems like one change after another,†she said. “There’s not even time to get yourself grounded before the next set of requirements hits you.â€
Mike Mathers, director of Chapel Hill Training Outreach, said insufficient Medicaid funding and new state requirements have caused a $200,000 deficit in KidSCope’s budget.
“This is what happens when state government abdicates its responsibilities,†Commissioner Barry Jacobs said. “I think it pains all of us to see people who care … to now have to agonize over how to cover these gaps that have been created in funding.â€
Board Chair Moses Carey said he too was concerned about Club Nova and KidSCope not receiving needed funds.
â€These are both vulnerable populations that we are concerned about,†he said.
The commissioners have said they hope to limit this year’s tax increase to equal debt-service payment increases. The county has increased the tax rate about six cents in each of the last two years, and commissioners have said they would like to offer tax relief to county residents