Officials Warn Budget Cuts will Impact Mental Health in State

Oklahoma's mental health commissioner said suicides will increase and hospitals and jails will see more mental health patients if proposed state budget cuts are implemented.

Wednesday, April 21st 2010, 5:57 pm

By: News 9


Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's mental health commissioner said suicides will increase and hospitals and jails will see more mental health patients if proposed state budget cuts are implemented.

"We've already been forced to slash $20 million from already underfunded mental health and substance abuse system. Another 10 percent means a loss of services for at least 8,000 Oklahomans," said Terri White, Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services.

White said suicides in the state are rising at a rate that is 38 percent above the national average and will increase if services are eliminated.

She also said as many as 5,300 mental health patients will get caught up in the criminal justice system after losing their medication and treatment.

Susan Boehrer said she was raised in the system but got the services she needed when it mattered most. Unfortunately, she said, her siblings did not.

"I have a brother who's in prison for life, another brother on his way back to prison for life, and all the other siblings did not raise their children. Their children have been raised by the system, and the difference was I received services and support, and they did not receive any services," Boehrer said.

Boehrer is a former Mrs. Oklahoma, who now works as an advocate for treating mental illness in youth. She's also the mother of two adoptive children with behavioral health needs.

"I realize we have budget shortfalls. I'm not naive about that but with mental health you can't put those services on hold. If you try to hold off funding for two years, you lose a lifetime. You can't go back and pick up that loss that happened in that two-year period.

Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said they believe additional cuts could mean reducing more impatient beds, closing some community mental health centers, and also furloughing state employees.

"Unfortunately, what that means in the end, taxpayers will pay because these individuals become involved in the criminal justice system. Untreated mental illness and addiction leads to increases in the foster care system, and taxpayers pay more for all of that than if we provide treatment in the first place," White said.

But Boehrer, said she is proof of pay now or pay later.

Lawmakers are hearing from state agencies all week to see how 10 percent budget cuts could impact their departments. The new budget goes into effect July first.

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