Budget fix shifts millions from state mental health care services

By JAMES SALZER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/30/08

Gov. Sonny Perdue succeeded Monday in rounding up enough votes to shift millions of dollars away from mental health care to fill other holes in the state budget.

The potential shift comes at a time when the federal government is investigating problems in the state's treatment of Georgians with mental illnesses.

A fiscal affairs committee made up of top lawmakers voted 8-4 earlier this month to shift $6.6 million budgeted for children's mental health services to help cover shortages in other Department of Human Resources programs. Perdue said the shift wouldn't prevent the state from meeting the needs of mentally ill children.

However, Perdue's Office of Planning and Budget discovered that state law requires 11 committee votes to approve the transfer. So lawmakers had to vote again. They did so during a telephone conference call on Monday, the final day of the state's fiscal year.

Some of those opposing the transfer didn't take part in the meeting this time, and others who were absent at the earlier meeting voted Monday. The shift was approved 15-0.

Besides the $6.6 million, $1.8 million in mental health money was shifted earlier this month to other DHR programs on a separate vote. That vote was not contested.

Mental health advocates had hoped the revote would give lawmakers a chance to rethink the issue.

The vote came only a few weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice sent a blistering letter to the governor about "critically deficient" conditions at the state mental hospital in Atlanta.

Care in the adolescent unit at Georgia Regional Hospital/Atlanta, in particular, drew strong criticism. The letter quoted one employee of the unit as saying patients "would be safer outside" the hospital, and another who described "continuing clinical chaos."

Perdue said the $6.6 million was needed to fill holes in the Department of Human Resources' budget. He said the state overbudgeted for mental health services, and the leftover money would have lapsed if it's not used this fiscal year to cover deficits in child welfare and adoption services programs.

But officials with the community services boards that deliver mental health care said they believe state law allows them to carry over money to the next fiscal year and use it.

Mental health advocates say the money could help the state cover unmet mental health needs.

Grant Updates

The following grants are under review for Berrien County. A couple of the grants we've applied for are collaborative grants with Turner County. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding the following funding opportunities. Applied for and still under review:  

1. Carol White Physical Education Grant - Approximately $500,000 to upgrade our physical education curriculum and equipment at all of the Berrien County Schools.  

2. STOP (Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act) SAMSHA- $50,000 to add new environmental impacts programming and components to our Drug Free Communities Coalition initiative that brings $100,000 drug/alcohol prevention resources to Berrien County.  

3. Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse SAMSHA - Approximately $350,000 per year for Turner and Berrien to implement alcohol prevention curriculum and programming in each community and school system.  

4. AT&T Aspire Grant - $400,000 per year for technology upgrades and project based learning curriculum training for Berrien Academy PLC faculty.  

5. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - $500,000 to build a new Boys & Girls Clulbs in Berrien County.  

6. Gear Up Grant - $600,000 to provide secondary education focus for parents and students beginning is 6th and 7th grades during 2008-2009 school year. This a six year grant between Turner and Berrien County.  

7. Staples Grant - $5,000 for support of our Parents As Teachers program that helps keep our Teen moms in school and developmentally up-to-date with their children.  

8. 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant - $1-million in after school program resources. This was the grant the we should have been awarded last year for $1.2-million. We are having to resubmit our application this year and compete with everyone that was awarded last year and those whom apply this year.  

Grants Awarded in 2008  

1. March of Dimes Grant - $45,000 for expansion of Parents As Teachers Program that helps keep our Teen moms in school and developmentally up-to-date with their children.  

2. Cancer Coalition Grant - $5,000 for local Berrien County Health Care Advocates to provide pre and post treatment support for Cancer patients.  

Thanks for your support! --  

Matt Jansen Executive Director Berrien County Collaborative, Inc.

Valdosta Tech, YES Center & Chamber Partner to Offer Computer Class

Nashville, Ga.— Valdosta Technical College, the Berrien County Collaborative YES Center, and Berrien County Chamber of Commerce have partnered to bring an Introduction to Computer class to the Berrien Academy campus beginning July 17.  The 50 hour course will cover the basics of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel and Access). This class is a credit course that is required for every diploma and degree program at Valdosta Tech. If a potential student has been out of the classroom for sometime it is the ideal course to take with no admission test required. The class will meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights for 3 hours a night. The HOPE Grant covers the cost of the class including tuition and registration fees.

            “We are thrilled to welcome Valdosta Tech to our facility,” said Matt Jansen, director Berrien County Collaborative YES Center.  “Offering technical classes locally is a huge asset to our community, especially with the rising cost to commute to school.  We are pleased to be a partner in the effort and look forward to hosting more classes in the future.”

            “Valdosta Tech is honored to be part of this partnership and fully committed to Berrien County. We would like to thank the Chamber and YES Center for their progressive leadership and willingness to help us bring classes to the citizens of Berrien County. The goal of Valdosta Tech is to have at least 5 classes available by fall quarter with all courses being easily transferable to VTC programs, said Angela Crance, Vice President of Economic Development at Valdosta Tech.”   

            If you are interested for registering for the introduction to computers class call 229-251-1172 or you may pick up a class registration form at the Chamber of Commerce 201 Jefferson Street.

 Crissy Staley

Perdue may divert funds from children's mental health

Move would cover deficits elsewhere

By JAMES SALZER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/11/08

Gov. Sonny Perdue is scheduled to recommend a $8.4 million cut in funds for mental health services for children Thursday, just two weeks after federal investigators slammed the state's treatment of the mentally ill.

The money would be shifted from mental health services to other programs in the state Department of Human Resources to meet administrative expenses and cover funding deficits, according to copies of the proposal obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/06/11/childrens_mental_health.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab 

MJ

State Mental Health Report Plagiarized

Gov.'s commission copied others' material
By ALAN JUDD , ANDY MILLER 
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/11/08

A "new vision" outlined for mental health care in Georgia last week isn't so new after all.

Large sections of a report by Gov. Sonny Perdue's mental health commission were lifted, often verbatim, from a Michigan study published in 2004 and from two other sources, a review by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found. The commission's report, released last week by the governor's office, credits none of the cloned material.

*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/06/10/mental_0611.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab 

MJ

Southeast Georgia RDC Merger with South Georgia RDC

HB1216 was passed and signed by the Governor which merges our region with
South Georgia RDC's region.  The South Georgia RDC Board of Directors has
voted to ratify the new region boundaries.  However, the Southeast Georgia
RDC Board has yet to do so, but the ratification will be on the agenda of
our next Board meeting (6/17).  Both RDCs are working together on how to
best facilitate the blending of the two organizations, there are still a lot
of details to be hammered out.

MJ

Family Night at the Park

Saturday, June 14th, 2008

YES Center/Val-Tech Branch Opening Soon!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2008
MEDIA RELEASE: 06-08-02
CONTACT: Crissy Staley
Telephone: 229-686-5123
Fax: 229-686-7196
Email: berrienchamber@windstream.net

Val-Tech, YES Center & Chamber partner to offer computer class

Nashville, Ga.— Valdosta Technical College, the Berrien County Collaborative's, YES Center, and Berrien County Chamber of Commerce have partnered to bring an introduction to computer class to the Berrien Academy campus beginning July 17. The 50 hour course will cover the basics of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel and Access). The class will meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights for 3 hours a night. The HOPE Grant covers the cost of the class including tuition and registration fees.

“We are thrilled to welcome Valdosta Tech to our facility,” said Matt Jansen, director Berrien County YES Center. “Offering technical classes locally is a huge asset to our community, especially with the rising cost to commute to school. We are pleased to be a partner in the effort and look forward to hosting more classes in the future.”

If you are interested for registering for the introduction to computers class call 229-251-1172 or you may pick up a class registration form at the Chamber of Commerce 201 Jefferson Street.

-end-

School Based Health Clinic Update

I am convinced this method of access to healthcare can change children's lives, as they attend school more often, and their parents attend work more often. Emergency room visits and hospitalizations are reduced by 50%!!

Carolyn B. Aidman, PhD