We are so pleased at what we see in the Governor's Budget, just released today! NAMI NC had an advance call from the Governor's office letting us know how protected mental health has been in this budget. The Governor has shown great strength and wisdom in protecting important mental health services around our state. This shows true vision in that a cuts approach would simply lead to shifting costs to jails, prisons, and more expensive options like emergency rooms and inpatient hospitalization.
What are the specifics in the Governor's Budget?
- 75M increase (nonrecurring) to Mental Health Trust Fund
- 4.2% cut to DHHS, and of that only about l.2% cut for MHDDSAS- which shows much protection of Mental Health in these fiscal times (included within this amount is a 5% cut to LME funding)
- Support for not sunsetting the temporary Sales Tax due to expire in July, showing a balanced approach to balancing our budget rather than a cuts only approach (this amounts to l.3 B towards the deficit)
- 25 M one time incentives for local governments to reorganize to achieve more efficiencies - like consolidation, regionalization, etc.
What is included in the 75M increase to the Mental Health Trust Fund?
- Local inpatient hospital bed expansion
- Housing
- Integrated electronic records
- Integrated primary/behavioral health care development
- Improved care coordination for difficult populations
Click here for the Coalition position on the budget and
click here for the Press release on the Governor's Budget
What happens next?
Now the budget goes to the joint House/Senate Budget process. The General Assembly will most likely challenge the inclusion of sales tax revenues as a way of balancing the budget and may offer instead additional cuts
What can you do as advocates?
- Call the office of the Governor - tell her you are with NAMI- and leave a message that you appreciate her balanced approach to the budget, and her foresight in protecting vital mental health services. Call constituent services at 800 662 7952 or call 919 733 4240. Let's overwhelm the Governor's office with calls - if each affiliate just makes 2 calls, we can provide much needed support to this balanced approach!!
- Stay in touch with your representatives and senators as they begin to work on the budget and their take on it. Support the Governor's approach to balancing our budget.
- Stay tuned- the fight has just begun!
Take a moment to celebrate- our advocacy is really working!!!
On a whole different topic: What is happening with Peer Support?
The individual peer support specialist addition as an optional medicaid service was approved last year, but implementation was delayed until July 2011 due to budget shortfalls. I serve on an implementation task force that is looking at ways to evaluate the effectiveness of peer support, at ways to encourage CABHAS to provide peer support (it is limited to CABHAS) and at ways of making sure that there is enough affordable peer support training available that we have an adequate and prepared work force. People can get jobs that are meaningful, and they can become tax paying citizens as well. Check our web site for the latest definition
What can you do?
Ask your local CABHAS if they plan to provide peer support- urge them to do so!
Volunteers Needed!
- NAMI NC needs volunteers to attend committee meetings at the General Assembly, keep notes and report back. Contact ddihoff@naminc.org if you are interested
- NAMI NC needs public policy contacts from each NAMI NC affiliate in order to implement our telephone tree for urgent legislative action issues. Contact ddihoff@naminc.org with the name and contact info
Other useful links:
1. Click here for a list of Senators and here for a list of Representatives, with contact information. Write a letter to your new legislator(s) - Use the template here
2. Invite your new/and returning legislators to speak to your affiliate - educate them about mental illness
3. Review the telephone tree with your affiliate members. Click here to access the telephone tree
4. For more details from fiscal research, click here
Town Hall Meetings
The Coalition, of which NAMI is a member, is planning 7 town hall meetings across the state in order to reach out to our legislators and tell them the importance of protecting, and building mental health services. Please plan to attend the meeting closest to where you live. If you can volunteer, let Deby Dihoff know! All events run from 6:30-8:30
March 17- Charlotte Meyers Park United Methodist Church
March 17- Raleigh NC Advocates for Justice
March 24- Fayetteville- Southern Regional AHEC
March 31- Greenville - Pitt Community College
March 31 - Wilmington - Hampton Inn
April 7 - Asheville - Mountain AHEC
April 7 - Winston Salem Ardmore Hall, Forsyth Tech main campus
Action steps:
1. Call you legislator(s) and ask them to attend
2. Make plans to attend
3. Ask questions - support protecting mental health from cuts
Other Important Dates
March 15 - Children's Advocacy Day in the General Assembly
March 22- Disability Awareness Event in General Assembly
Thanks for all your advocacy- keep it up!
Deby Dihoff
Executive Director
