101. Michael Savasta. Healing the sick should have more priority in the budget
102. John Smith
103. BEN KLURE.
104. Mall Jonathan
105. Burke Telford
106. Thomas Lee Dronet
107. Ruben Robles
108. Patricia Patosa
109. Salem Corazon
110. Austin Hicks
111. Joseph Whitfield
112. David Callahan
113. Andrew Wainwright. I'm from England. Cutting funding for mental health research and treatment, especially drug free, spritual & counselling and holistic treatments, means more people will end up in JAIL, simple as that!
114. Rebecca Cameron
115. Violeta Clifton
116. Dreama Runyon
117. Lisa Velazquez-DeNapoli
118. Mary Jo Tornay
119. Gregory Kucera
120. Laurie Gallo
121. Katherine Kucera
123. Marshaun Lebeau
124. Ruth Millican
125. Rebecca Burt
126. Yvonne Williams
127. Candice Love
128. Kenya S. Lewis
129. Toi Gray Elk
130. Ron Giilbert
132. Teri Aitchison
133. Olga Birgans
134. Lisa Davis
135. Jennifer Peters
136. Amy Jensen RN. As a Psych RN in a outpt clinic and a current Psych Nurse Practitioner student graduating in June this year, I am unnerved by the lack of regard for our most vulnerable population. With no funding to the County Psych clinics, over 8,000 mentally ill adults will have no access to services including medication management and case management that have been shown to reduced recidivism rates in psychiatric hospitals. I urge you to reconsider your allocation of funding as a decrease in mental health services will only increase the number of out clients that use the psych inpt hospitals and the ER...and the ones that do not utilize those will still be costing us more money with an increase of police activity due to being off their medications and not having case management services. Even if they have Medi-Cal, these clients can not be seen at their PCP office adequately. If this was your daughter, son, mother, father, wife or husband....what would you want for them???
137. April Holt
138. Andrea Ferrie
139. Luz Stumbo
140. VICKI Ferris Please don't hurt a group who is already at the mercy of society that has failed them in so many ways, please don't make it worse. Remember this will harm all of us ultimately.
141. Andra Grabowski
142. Lisa Johnson
143. Roberta Torres
144. Diana White
145. noel silva
146. Sharon Johnson
147. Matthew Volzer
148. Juanita Martinez
149. Rebekah Kao
150. Sara Meadows
151. Dean Haakenson
152. Felicia Parrera
153. DWILL willis
154. Niesha Streator
155. Sandee Kirshman
156. Ollie Van
157. Karen Markum
158. Linda Ellis
159. Karla Edwards-McCain. Receiving services from mental helath programs has truly impacted my life. I think that if people would take the time to see outside of themselves, for just a moment, I believe that you would see why these types of programs are greatly needed and are important to society. I don't know where I'd be without them.
160. Elizabeth Petersen. In addition to maintaining all the beneficial services to the mental health consumers of Sacramento County, please also consider keeping mental health professionals employed, so as not increase the steadily rising unemployment rate in Ca, and to leave the burden of care for mental health clients in the hands of already skilled professionals. Do not burden other state or county entities with the care of the unique needs of mental health clients.
161. Leilani Shields
162. Jean Marie
163. Alexis Bernard. I oppose cuts of mental health services because of the fiscal impact that a reduction in these services would have on our county. Reducing these services will cost far more as the individuals receiving the services will undoubtedly end up in our jails and hospitals. There will also be an increase in emergency police calls, inappropriate utilization of emergency services, psychiatric hospitalizations and arrests/incarcerations.
164. Delphin Kyubwa
165. Jasmine Hernandez
166. Jennifer Gardner
167. LASHANA MANUEL
168. Eileen McKinnon
169. Cindy Tuttle
170. David Walker
171. Vong Chang
172. Abraham Cerezo
173. Beatrice Taylor
174. Mei Tam
175. Diana Rodriguez
176. Susan Miner . I have already seen the impact of the cuts in sacramento. I see people sleeping behind trash cans at various stores around the sacramento area. Additional cuts will only increase this problem making Sacramento a depressed and sad area to live. Nobody should have to live like that. Please do what you can to put an end to more cuts in mental health.
177. cynthia nover
178. Patsy Yasuhara
179. Kristin Ferrie
180. Kim Warren . I work in the field and I also have a sister with mental issues. There are to many people with mental issues that need support. So please think about not cutting funds for mental health services.
181. Jennifer Dunphy ASW
182. Carol Dufner. I have worked very hard to help get Proposition 63 passed. To take from it or any other budget belonging to mental health is unconscionable. Do not balance a budget on the backs of those less fortunate than we are. What an awful Karma one sets for themselves.
183. Diana McLaurin
184. max calderon
185. Rhoshanda Thomas
186. Troy Payne
187. Heather Luckett
188. Kathi Huckaby .The residents of Sacramento and the surrounding community should be the last people that need to suffer from proposed budget cuts in mental health, as they need these services even more so now with the failing economy. The reductions will cost taxpayers much more by increasing costs in hospitals, emergency sources, CPS and APS, and the criminal justice system. This plan would be counterproductive given these economic times!
189. Carrie Cerezo . Mental Health services are so important to our students in our martial arts studio. Please don't cut their services. Thank you, Carrie Cerezo
190. Susy Cooper
191. Stephanie Hughes. As a society we have in recent years begun to realize the value of offering Mental Health services to all strata of society. My brother in Hawaii has been able to become a productive member of society due to interventions he received in this area. His comment as he proceeds in his 5th year of recovery is : "there should be counseling centers on every corner!" As a society we need to broaden not reduce our efforts!!
192. Larry Wittmeyer. Once again California is proposing to break its promise to provide adequate community based services to Mental Health consumers. Now we want to drive them to more expensive and inappropriate systems of care such as emergency rooms which will further increase health premiums for all of us! More will also needlessly end up in the prison system further exaserbating one of Californias major problems!
193. Joy Muraki .I am a therapist and am very concerned that my adult clients will not be able to access the mental health services that they need. Without such services, their chances of being hospitalized at either psychiatric hospitals or medical hospitals will increase significantly.
194. Anthony Miner
195. Sharon Watson I have worked for Sacramento and Placer County, at non-profit county contracted Metnal Health programs, that help families & children with special needs for 12 years. Every year I see that our service delivery is negatively impacted by funding cuts & bureaucracy. In the end, it only causes more societal domino effects, due to these families notgetting the education and support they need to become more successful citizens. Please do not CUT MENTAL HEALTH funds! This will affect several jobs...but more importantly, the most vulnerable people in our society will be left with no other option, but to continue the cycles that our Mental Health agencies are so desperately trying to break! If you want to cut anything......cut ENTERTAINER salaries! TV sitcoms, hollywood movie stars, music industry, even athletes.....they MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY. None of them deserve several homes worldwide, mansions, several expensive cars, clothes that cost thousands of dollars...that's where the US goes wrong. If every single American put the money from just ONE movie ticket stub in a FUND..that would be millions of dollars in ONE SINGLE DAY. Openings for movies bring in several millions! What if every moviegoer, that day, put that 10 dollar bill in a Mental Health fund? Hmmmmm...
196. Diane Penn
197. Peggy Hermon
198. Caroline Caton, CA Untreated mental illness will cost many many times the amount of money cut from the budget. Untreated paranoid schizophrenia caused my mother to lose her peace of mind and body. After spending over 17 years homeless, she was placed in the care of Sacramento County. The last four years of her life cost well over $2 million. She was one person. Do the math. How effective can it be to eliminate treatment, leaving only the most expensive outcome as an option? Both in human and financial terms.
199. Patricia Pena
200. Linda Andrade
201. Tammy Del Rio. can not afford any more cuts to our mental health services.
202. Sally Carney . This issue is important to me because my parents instilled in me values to care for my fellow man. Mental illness is just as valid a disease as mumps, cancer, or whatever.
203. Raquel Salinas
204. Christina Hardy . Funds for Mental Health, especically for children, is so important and something that we as a society are impacted with everyday. We need to help!
205. natalie stamper
206. Nicole Sibley
207. Linda Hallberg
208. darrell steed .,d the help that is needed
209. Van Sipanya .
210. Selena Cermeno .
211. Jessica Rodgers . I am A staff meber that cares
212. Helga Griffith . My name is Helga Griffith and I am a mental health consumer who may end up hospitalized or worse if I cannot get Medi-cal. I am on many different medications and have been a kaiser member my whole life--and we just now finally seem to have my meds right. I cannot pay my kaiser insurance and honestly, I am frightened about what will happen to me when kaiser discontinues my insurance. I have been through a lot--just to get the right doctors, psych, and finally a great therepist. I applied for medi-cal and they have not informed me if I am going to get it or not--they have 90 days. It has been one month--and I am now two months behind in insurance payments. Do I have to die or get suicidal just to get help? apparently so, or so I have been told. We need more services to help people before they spiral into crisis--it is easily preventable. But cutting fudns for mental health is dangerous and irresponsible. Sincerely, Helga Griffith
213. Ron Griffith
214. arthur Sanchez . this is not the time to limit an already meager budget for mental health needs!
215. Terry Fiscus
216. Barrie Puckett
217. Andrew Hindman
218. Mae Terry
219. Kelly Jameson . I have had the opportunity to work for those with a Mental health diagnose for over 20 years. I feel it is a very important field. Just for a moment think about those who are affected not by just one diagnosis, but several different types of Mental Health Diagnoses. What about, how it impacts their family and friends as well. These people come from various types of backgrounds. Some individuals have obtained a Masters Degree or other people who are high school dropouts. They are all human and all deserve equal Mental Health and medical treatment. There is a definite ongoing need! Cutting funding is cutting off their link to any hope for wellness and recovery!
220. Susan TRUDELL
221. Pamela Frymire
222. Joon Lee
223. Cindi Garcia . Tough times require tough decisions by our Board of Supervisors. I urge you not to cut further funding for mental health services at the time when people most need mental health services because of an unsettled economic condition.
224. aaron brown
225. Jana Cooper
226. Margaret Mungai
227. K Payton Valley . Mental Health services throughout CA. is a major issue & challenge to work through, not just Sac Co. However, working in Social Services I'm finding that there's already people who need our services who are falling through the cracks because of staff shortages. There's also not enough resources for the elderly with developmental delays. Alta Regional is a good resource but more resources are needed but the funding continues to decrease. To cut important community programs on a shoestring staff budget would continue to provide a disservice to our neighbors who have life challenges and it's just not rational nor ethical, in my opinion. The Board of Supervisors need to honestly understand that these cuts not only provide a disservice to our fellow Americans but it will increase the costs to treatment centers, hospitals, and the homelessness will continue to rise. Have you visited "tent city" yet? It's a sad situation so please don't make it worse for those seeking mental health services in the future! Thank you.
228. Jill Lawler
229. Candis McGuire
230. Charlotte Belton .We are facing a crisis in our city with homelessness, and any additional cuts to social service programs will only add to this epidemic. We cannot afford to take Mental Health Services away. We must take care of societies' most vulnerable, it will be to our advantage to take care of the people who need it the most.
231. Ceci Martinez
232. Debbie Ferrie
233. joann granger
234. Caleb Coburn
235. marva martin
236. Lorrie Lorell
237. Allen Duong . Please Don't Cut Funds.in Jesus name we pray.
238. Theresa Jones
239. PEREZ ZABINA .Please dont cut services there will be a lot of people with out medications. it will be a big problem than you think. People need thier medications to function just like a sick child does.
240. Steven Brown
241. Donald Manley . Many people, myself included, rely on community driven medical and mental institutions for help. Without this, we would be without treatment, without the proper medications, and without anywhere to turn to. Don't take away our hope. Don't cut funding.
242. Pamela Gardner
243. Ashley Lu
244. Nichole Wofford
245. Norberto Martin The funds are importanat. please do not cut these funds. We need all the help we can get.
246. Jill Jones
247. Laura Laeser
248. C. Vargas
249. Marcia Gump . I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost. Most concerning is the impact that the cuts will have on children. Sacramento County's Child Protective Services is overwhelmed and will not be able to manage the added risks.
250. Jennifer B Lee .
251. Denise Lytle .
252. Jessica Serrano . This is important to me because I care about all these clients. Where are they suppose to go? To see the looks on our patient's faces when they worry about Visions Umlimited closing down makes me sad. I work at Visions Umlimited and I believe we help a lot of people. To cut money from us will hurt everyone. The clients and the employees. Please reconcider your decision and don't cut from mental health. Thank you.
253. Navneet Singh . We are always here for the clients,of any help they need,please do not cut Funds for mental health
254. Rebecca Martin . To the Board of Supervisors - Please do not cut mental health services in Sacramento County. Many, many people depend on the RST's for help! What will they do?
255. Cheryl Perez . mental Health Services are the reason there is SOME sanity in this world!
256. Sokhom Sorm .
257. Annie Ly .
258. Wendy Hoffman-Blank .It is short-sighted to eliminate cost-effective services for a large number of clients becasue the result will be increased costs for hospitalization and law enforcement. Many of the clients are on medications that a primary care 0physician would not prescribe. Clients also receive support along with medication. They are assisted with housing, coping skills, employment etc. MHSA programs are not designed to handle large numbers and cannot replace outpatient services. Also, it will not work to fund children's services and not adult services. Children and families are affected by adult's mental health.
259. Iris Rivera . We need employment services because we all need to work to support our families and grow as persons.
260. PARJEET SINGH. It is important because I started working for Visions at the age of 18 in Sacramento, CA at first working with the mentally challenged seemed like a job I would never take seriously but then I realized it was meant for me. I loved my job enjoyed the members and realized that we need more companies like Visions and Turning Point so that we can help those who need it. Our jail and prison systems do not have the proper training nor do they have proper housing for the mentally challenged. These are people who can not help themselves and need help of qualifed workers who can help them through the daily grind of life.
261. Regina Williams
262. Jennifer Ruiz .
263. Gerry Dabi . Cutting funds for Mental Health Services would be an ultimate disservice to the community. Not only will patients be greatly impacted, but also the dedicated mental healthcare professionals who have established a rapport with their patients. These professionals are not only there for the patients, but for the patient's families and caregivers. They are their to lend support, awareness, and many other intangibles that only bring a positive outlook for many of the patients.
264. Corrine Bratcher
265. Chelsea Bagias . With the services provided these clients are able to improve their lives which in turn decreases the county expenditure.
266. jeannette wilson . I live in South Sacramento an impoverished area. If we do not provide mental health care to families, then many children will end up in the CPS system, their parents in jail or incapable of taking care of them. Please help!!
267. James Bui . Important people in my life will lose their jobs
268. Kuli Dai . mental healthcare is very important- keep it alive!
269. regena ivory . Because I have family memeber affected with mental issues and professional help is not affordable to some of them. We don't need people walk around street that would possibly be a danger to their families and other because they never got the help they need this service.
270. Donna Pedersen
271. YOLANDA EARTHLY .ALL HUMAN BEINGS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES NEED OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT. WHEN FUNDS ARE CUT THEIR SERVICES AND SUPPORT ARE CUT. HOW WOULD THEY CONTINUE GET THE HELP AND SUPPORT THEY NEED AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE IF WE ARE CUTTING PROGRAMS? LET'S BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THEN WE ARE AND WHO DESEPARTELY NEED OUR SERVICES. PLEASE DO NOT CUT MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS!! MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE THE LIFE OF ALL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.
272. Jeanne Sharif
273. Lee Xiong
274. Meuy Saechao
275. Brian Bratcher
276. Mae Hoang s
277. Darlene Viggiano . My patients need their mental health services, and the services that support them. Without them, many become suicidal, and among those, many have children.
278. Joseph Serrano . I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
279. Donna Shaner
280. Stephanie Griggs By cutting the Mental Health Services you are making a huge mistake. So many families are going to be affected by your decision. So many people are going to be without medication, services, support, & resources. I plead with you to rethink your decision about cutting these services.
281. Tonja Edelman . Mental health is an integral part of Sacramento County's health care system. With a loss of funds for community programs, mental health consumers will again be primarily treated in emergency rooms and locked psychiatric facilities. These settings are far more expensive for the taxpayers of Sacramento County. Please stop the short term planning on the backs of those with mental health issues. It's not only bad for mental health consumers and their families, but also for every taxpayer in the County.
282. Brenda Dauth
283. Jo Ann Jackson-Holt . I am a volunteer with Senior Peer Counseling Mental Health Association in Sacramento. Every week for the last eight months I have visited older and elderly adults that need individualized help for mental health issues. Some may need only preventative measures like going to a Widows Support group. Others may need help getting the right medications from their doctors. These are low cost measures compared to institutionalizing these people. If you cut costs for prevention you will raise costs in the long run.
284. Doreen Bushaw
285. David Brown . I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
286. CHUCK HOLT
287. Mark Grassinger
288. Anthony Hong . Investing in mental health has been shown time and time again to save more money than the initial cost by preventing more severe outcomes, like emergency room visits, crime and crisis in general. So yes, please don't take any funding from mental health.
289. Sorm En . The cuts will only save ur on short term basis, but we are going to create much bigger problems if clt individuals don't get the help they need. Community-base services help maitain long term stability and prevent unecessary hosp or incarceration which could cost the county and state more.
290. POONAM DHALIWAL
291. Cynthia Lopez .I am worried and concerned as a citizen, a MFTI, and as a providor of mental health services. Please put people first.
292. Alice Anaya
293. Cathy Arnold
294. George Samson
295. lorraine matney
296. cristy Tillo
297. Armando. Please reconsider the devastating cuts!
298. Glenda Till
299. Michael Young . It is criminal to leave 8,900 of the poorest, neediest and most deserving people of low cost or free mental health services without. DO NOT CUT ANY MORE FUNDS! And stop giving funds to already inflated, well off programs.
300. Kamal Singh
301. Thomas Bloom LVN
302. Jose Serrano
303. Angel Rodriquez
304. Dolly Truong
305. Mary Tran
306. Evelyn Rodriquez
307. jessica Smith
308. Natalie Parkinson . Important for people with mental helath to be treated. It will cost more to hospitalize patients if they are not treated properly
309. Pang Vue
310. Christina Moylan
311. Lynn B. Cooper
312. christina kenney
313. Robert Sprouse
314. Heather Johnson
315. Teresa Baume
316. kaley parkinson
317. Shawn Oliver We need to take care of those that can't take care of themselves, and prevent those that still can from becoming homeless or worse.
318. Steven Del
320. Emily Wight
321. LISA JUAREZ Stop cuts,our client's need RST services.
322. Camille Cummins . I believe by cutting funds to mental health it will cause an increase in under-staffed facilities, who are already over booked and no longer able to deticate meaningful service to the clients.
323. Jessica Lindsey. This economic crisis is increasing stress and causing an increase in mental breakdowns. Don't take funding from those who need it the most right now!
324. Marie Nitz
325. Denni Mador
326. Celeste Remmert
327. Laurie Jones .Let's not go back to the mistake of the Reagan years. Mental health services are very cost-effective, not to mention more humane. Most of the homeless have mental health issues, cause and effect; many are vets. The measure of a civilization is how it takes care of its citizens who need help.
328. Lori Foster
329. Victoria Harms
330. Debra Azer Brown
331. Antonette Rosenberg
332. Linda Sneed
333. Lanette Davies
334. JoAnn Anglin .As we face increased economic and social stress, the effects of these will doubtless affect those already suffering from mental illness, and those on the edge. Maintaining those support services is not a matter of charity, but of sustaining basic quality of life for all.
335. Zohreh Whitaker . It is all too apparent that our jails are filled with people whose mental illness has been intrumental in their bad choices. Surely, had free mental care been provided and easily accessible, many would be living a productive lives.
336. Joyce Bray . Cutting funds for mental health services would be both counterproductive in terms of saving money, and show a lack of empathy for those who suffer among us. Please vote on the side of practicality and compassion.
337. Phyllis Watts
338. Stephen Ramirez
339. MARCELLA LORFING . Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here (THIS IS OPTIONAL) My son is mentally disabled (in another county) and needs mental health services. They are essential in every city, county and state. Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
340. Roanna Krisko
341. Deni Marshall We don't need mentally ill adults on the streets, homeless and becoming a danger to themselves and others.
342. Christopher Niehaus
343. Judith Ann Wilkin
344. Harold Fong
345. Maija Lamberts .The mentally ill in our communities continue to struggle more than any other populations in our society and still battle stigma second to no other illness. Cutting the already meager services will do great harm to these patients, the families, and our communities!! Please do NOT let this happen!
346. Ron Risley . www.SacDoc.org A lot of people speculate that cutting outpatient mental health services might increase costs overall. They needn't bother. Hard data exists. There is no doubt: these cuts *will* increase costs -- and *we'll* be the ones who pay.
347. Rima Trotter .Mental Health is a growing issue nationwide, it would be an injustice to cut off services to those who truly cannot afford Mental Health care. The problems could be far reaching.
348. Cynthia Neuman . Reducing funds for mental health services will only increase the need for expenditures in other areas (such as jail and police services). Prevention is a more efficient form of expenditure than "clean-up," and is better for people.
349. Kelli Brown
350. Francis Yuen
351. Corrine McIntosh
352. Vernon Martin
353. Linda Brink-Eaton .In the very short run, it looks like government would be saving money. But soon thereafter the impact of letting a few thousand people in the Sacramento area go without mental healh services will be astronomical. The areas severly impacted would be the Treatment Center, Emergency rooms, Law Enforcement, jails and the Coroner's office, as well as local citizens and businesses. Of course it almost goes without saying that it would be unconscionable to leave those thousands of mental health consumers and their families without prevention services.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE TO RE-INVENT THE WHOLE SYSTEM AGAIN ONCE THINGS BECOME DIRE AND THE COMMUNITY DEMANDS ACTION.
354. Catherine Covarrubias
355. Parneet Singh . Please don't take jobs away from innocent people. We all need to survive through these harsh times.
356. Jerry Roth . I believe that by trying to save money by not funding mental health services, you will be creating a larger problem both financially and in terms of human suffering. Please do the right thing and do not cut back funding in this critical area because it affects those most in need.
357. Thomas Hushen .Now, more than ever, we need to be able to provide outpatient mental health services in Sacramento. There are many people who are experiencing mental illness due to the severe state of our nation's economy. This is in addition to those already experiencing mental illness that rely on the County's Regional Service Teams and other vital agencies in order to continue treatment. Cutting these services will have a significant impact on Sacramento County and will displace thousands of client's. I strongly urge you to please consider the ramifications of the budget cutback on mental health services and allow these operations to continue to provide crucial services to the mentally ill population.
358. Nancy Bui . We need to have PREVENTATIVE care for our most needy people in our County. Without preventative care, these people will end up in hurting themselves, people around them and end up in the emergency room where the costs to treat them are 10 times more expensive than if we helped them be productive members of our community through County clinics. It is VERY short sided to cut Mental Health Services to save a few dollars today, we'll end up paying a premium down the road.
359. Haspreet Singh
360. Candace Mcfarland Hope is the answer to our economic woes. We can survive and thrive if we replace fear with hope. We need our MH people to be well trained in PTSD because many people's fears are turning their lives into a trauma. Anger and fear need replacement in the souls of men and women. Love and compassion is the answer. Cut the prison funding and raise the mental health funding and see what a world we can be!
361. Khushwant Singh
362. Judy Kawamoto . As more veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health services will be more needed than ever. Now is not the time to cut services; rather they should be increased.
363. Brittany Serrano . Please don cut the funds for mental health!
364. Carole Nutt . Especially to Supervisor Don Nottoli who represents me. I was dissapointed that you voted to close the C Street Clinic and now a vote to reduce mental health services would only cause even more problems. It is hard enough now for the poorest of the poor to receive mental health services. Creating more barriers by reducing service will have repercussions causing the county to spend even more on emergency care and incarceration. Mental health is a real illnessand people who are untreated wind up self medicating which in turn causes more severe homelessness and involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations which in turn costs the county more. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish retain at least the same level of funding for mental health.
365. Norma l Gonzalez Gonzalez
366. RaMieya Harris . Mental Health Services is a vital resource to multitudes with mental illnesses. This proposed buget cut will have tremendous consequences on, not only the individual who once benefited from such institution, but on society, taxpayers; as well as an increase in many other areas of public services. Why take the chance??? Can we really pay the costs???
367. Marissa Vigil
368. Paul Heffner
369. Diana Feinberg
370. Jessica Munoz Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here (THIS IS OPTIONAL) Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
371. Craig Hays
372. Renae Klee, Nurse Practitioner . Cutting funding to mental health services to save money now will end up costing the county much more in the long run. Consider the financial costs of ER care, crisis care and hospitalizations when patients can't access the psychiatric services and medications they need to stay stable. Consider the social costs - increased drug and alcohol use for those who need to self-medicate if they can't get the care and medication they require; loss of workdays for those stable patients who are now productive, successful contributors to our economy - it's
hard to work when you're sick and you can't get your medication. Consider the increase in arrests and increased homelessness. Don't let Oprah's follow-up show start with "Sacramento's homeless problem has only gotten WORSE since we last visited - now that cuts to mental health services have caused even MORE people to be forced to live on the streets." Please do what is right for our community AND the County budget in the long run. Preserve mental health services for this very vulnerable segment of our population and ultimately SAVE the County of Sacramento lots of money.
373. Gloria Lopez
374. Stephanie Ramos
375. Kathy Dotson . I just cannot wrap it around my brain that there could be nine thousand people with no meds walking the streets because eventually thats what it would come down to
376. Angel Lopez
377. James Yang
378. Sharon Bamford
379. Charles Shields
380. Trisha Horrisberger
381. Socorro Padilla. the proposed budget cuts of mental health services because the reductions will undoubtedly cost the taxpayers far more; increased costs in public hospitals, emergency police calls, inappropriate utilization of emergency room services, involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, the criminal justice system and Child Protection Services (CPS).
382. Cullin Contino
383. Abby Bassett The patients served by the County Mental Health services require stable and consistent treatment in order to maintain optimal functioning within their families and the community. If services are cut, it is highly likely that patients will become lost in the Primary Care system, and potentially end up in the ER's, jails or worse. Please cut the budget somewhere that human lives are not at stake. These individuals do the best they can with the help of the County system - please don't take away their support system - it will negatively effect the patients and our community as a whole.
384. David Fisher . These services provide steppng stones for mentally ill people.If these funds are cut, there will be about 9,000 mentally ill people wandering sacramento, with out care. These people deserve help!The people of our city need
these resources! With out them the possibilty for crime, suicide, and the rise of substance abuse may increase.
please do not cut funding! THese are the people of our city, and they need help!!!!
385. Janis Kelly
386. Teresa Aguilar
387 .. health consumers are desperate and the services that we provide are vital. Without these services our clients may become a burden upon the CA courts and jail resources as a consequence of the lack of mental health services. Please be sympathetic to those most vulnerable in our community and maintain their services. Thank You. Trevor B. Wallace. Mental Health Services Coordinator
388. Jenny Flowers
389. Steve Smith
390. Vivian Wright
391. Edwina Barber. I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
392. samantha winter . Because I dont have insurance and I take an antidepressant that I need filled by a doctor. If I dont take it I get very moody, irritable , lazy, unmotivated. So what would I do ? rise in costs
393. Peggie Diamond
394. Anita Gurin .I am a Clinical Director of a non-profit serving a specialized population. All levels of counselors are working 50 hour weeks with little pay to serve extremely distressed people. We have decreased psychiatric hospitalizations, homeless, depression, ensured medication availability, and worked to increase sanity in the world in all areas, including financial. This matters. Please contact me if you would like more information.
395. Laurie Ferns . Mental health services must not be cut any further. To cut such services is a short-term answer that we will ALL pay for in the future - we will pay financially and in terms of an increase in violence in our society and disservice to Sacramento's children, adults, and families.
396. Raymond (Corky) I am one of those that this cut back would affect. If I were to loose the services I am receiving now I would be at risk of being placed in a psychiatric hospital as these services help me live a normal life. I implore you to reconsider there are so many other areas for revenue generation. Even I would be happy to entertain a sales tax hike to keep these services going.
397. john stumpf .The care of our Citizens with mental help problems is the base line of a safe community.No group of people needs our help and support more then this Segment of Sac.
398. Joseph Dopson One of the most important things that the government does is to provide help to those who are unable to help themselves. Please help keep these services available; it could mean the difference between life and death for many of Sacramento's most needy citizens.
399. YOLANDA EARTHLY
400. debbie flores
401. Donna Lowe
402. Lisa Sexton. Cutting Mental Health Services would cause a lot of people to not get the help they need.
403. Ramona Leivas
404. Cassandra Luera I have family members that are dependent to receiving Mental Health Services and are functioning better because of it. Cutting funding now will just affects our children's future!
405. Heather Troncao
406. Lupe Pessoa
407. Marissa Carongcong
408. David Moen
409. Valerie Davis
410. Terra Skirvin . I think is is extremely important to have proper funding for metal health services for the mentally ill as well as employees. I have personal experience with the mentally ill in my family and knowing the financal hardship in this economy sadens me.
411. Paul Noss . I can't imagine what my family would have done without the support of community mental health services. The services have supported us throughout my twin sister's mental illness and helped us get her stabilized. The services have reduced her use of crisis services and given us hope again. Please do not cut these important services!
412. Matthew McCreary
413. melissa mapp
414. C C Schenk
415. justin walter
416. Elinor Proett
417. JANET THIEL . The more limited the mental health services are in the community, the more emergency hospital visits are required and incarcerations, due to increase of symptoms and lack of support. I was part of an intensive case managment team/program that reduced recitivism rates by 67% utilizing one-stop services and intensive case management...but the county cut the program due to lack of funds...let's look at the big picture people...where are we spending the money...35,000 a year for one prisoner or use this money to assist ten individuals become more independent and stable!!!! Jail for mental illness still doesn't work support/case management does!!!!
418. Shannon Tarter .I have been deeply troubled by the ongoing promises of significant funding reductions for the few programs that actually support clients that live on the fringes of society. These clients have not chosen to have mental health disabilities therefore they cannot choose to make them disappear. Instead they look to our services to be their beacon of light to support them to reach stability so they too can enjoy a productive life. Without these services many transitional age youth will remain unstable and further burden our system for decades to come. We have a chance to support them now. They want the services. They want to improve their lives. We can find a solution that does not take away the lifeline to the county's most vulnerable.
419. Kim Simon . We are funding a new parking garage for our airport... And cutting Mental Health Services... furthering burdening our community with people looking for mental recovery. How can they obtain this goal , when there is no one to support them and encourage and guide them in securing drs, medications, housing and income. But we got new funding for an airport parking garage...
420. Joseph Wiens
421. Patrick Aiello
422. Steve Lefler . Without adequate funding for outpatient mental health services the number of homeless people in Sacramento county will rise dramatically (blowing away the 10 year plan to end homelessness) as well as the number of incarcerations. The demands on the already over-capacity SCMHTC will increase dramatically creating an even larger financial shortfall. The amount of money it takes to provide days worth of outpatient services is equal to 1 (one) night in the treatment center. How does it make sense to create an even higher demand for an already over-burdened and VERY expensive solution such as hospitalization.
423. Candace Taylor
424. David J. Hanks . I believe that if they make cuts in Mental Health funding in Sacramento, County it will make the organizations that are available that much more crowded and un-able to get help to the individuals who need help and especially those who are not even aware they need help and/or have just given up. There are a lot of people who won't seek treatment for the simple reasons of over-crowding or having to wait months just to see a Doctor. As it is now a lot of people avoid help for these reasons. Surly, cutting funding for Mental Health should not even be close to be considered for cuts in funding. I was homeless for 14 years, so I know how important and instrumental Mental Health services are. I have never in my 14 years of homelessness came across a city where intervening with concerned people was so available and instrumental for a person to be moving foward, becoming a law abiding citizen, responsible, and can actually see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope all these issues I have mentioned have been addressed by the appropiate people. Sincerly yours, David J. Hanks
425. Katie Moore
426. Kelli Evans . Mental Health services have suffered through decades of funding cuts. Statistics show the overwhelming results of the outpatient services saving the county money. Who gets to decide that mental health is a lesser service needed by our community? Why is this even an issue? So, taxpayers should pay more taxes for minimal services and 'band-aide' type treatment! Like going to the ER for a shot of Ativan? No!! WE should pay for services which are proven and effective to assist our community with the treatment of people with psychiatric disabilities. Before
these cuts are made, the statistics should be considered. The people in our community rely on these services. Their well-being is as valuable as yours and mine. I urge you to Consider all of the comments given in this petition. If this was YOUR; mother, father, sister, brother, how would you
vote?
427. Joni Deuson
428. Ling Tieu
429. Gabriel Aiello. Rights for all = Not cutting funding for health care. We clearly understand that something must be done to solve the the budget problem, but this does not mean the County needs to turn its back on individuals and family members affected by the disabling effects of mental illness. We implore you to do everything in your power to stop the budget cuts of mental health services.
430. Linda Pulido . Please do not cut funding in the mental health area. Without this services person that are in dire psych services end up in our prison system. Which in the long run cost us more money. I strongly feel we must keep this service open to help those at time that they can be help before it reaches a hopeless situation for them and us. Linda Pulido
431. Cathy Burnett . The mentally ill are already underserved in our city. Cuts will lead to more homeless people in danger on our city streets instead of making progress towards recovery in a mental health treatment center.
432. danika tsao
433. Amber Aiello
434. Carol Allen .Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here.. (THIS IS OPTIONAL) Type any additional comment (optional)... I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates,.. costs of hospitalizations,.. homelessness and rise in cost
435. Jennifer Pearson
436. K Casmey
437. Mark Hopkins . In my work with Jail Psychiatric Services, I already see the impact of individuals that do not receive mental health care. There is an expectation that we will become busier because we will see more untreated individuals come into custody.
438. Shirley Telep . I have been a mental health professional for the last 12 years and have watched the declining level of mental health functioning of families in Sacramento county as the economy has worsend. This has directly impacted parents ability to parent their children, and as a result children are suffering. Please don't cut these vitally needed services at a time when they are so desparately needed to help these children and their families survive these difficult economic times.
439. Lesley Schroeder
440. Nancy White . Board of supervisors please look at the cost that can be saved. I work in the Sacramento Jail system. We work with the mentally ill in prison whose judgement/behavior and decision makingis faulty. They do well on medications and with a person or people for support, but will not be able to continue their medicatioons or therapy to teach them/ role model/and advocate for them if the budget for them is cut. They will be usung more money if they go to jail/prison/or psychiatric hospitals then for RST's and other resources which already have waiting lists. Please re,member they can be functioing members of society if on mediactions. Most mental illnesses are biologically based which makes them phsically ill. Are cuts in serious medical care being cut simarly?
441. David Schroeder . When the services are cut the county will be in violation of the Omstead Act and open to being sued. With no services provided more of our comunity will end up seeking sevices in the Jail or the treatment center which will cost more money. Or they will end up dead and the Board of Supervisors will be directly responsable for those deaths. I just wish we could hold the county accountable
442. Erin Ahern . Cutting funding for mental health services is not good long term planning for a healty community.
443. Rhonda Ybarra
444. Amy Green .The mental health services that WE providers offer ARE making a difference in the lives of the client/patient and the community. If these services were taken away, where would that leave everyone... with unmanaged mental conditions on the streets and in our neighborhoods, no where to treat them, and no one to even give a diagnosis that will matter because there is no care to offer them or their families.
445. Breana Doyle
446. Diane Lucas .As a family member, I have experienced the direct coorelation between reducing funding and reducing
services. We cannot afford to reduce community services further. By doing so, we simply increase the cost of emergency services to this population.
447. Russell Lim .As a former Medical Director of Northgate Point RST for five and one half years, I support the continued operation of the RST'S. These clinics are the only thing between thousands of patient's and the county's inpatient mental health services. Closing the RST's is a penny wise pound foolish idea, as it would result in cost shifting, from outpatient care, which is inexpensive, and inpatient, which is very expensive. This is not to mention the indirect costs of higher law enforcement involvement with mentally ill patients. The County needs the safety net that the RST's provide. Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
448. larry gom
449. alberta nassi
450. Geneva Bechtel . We have an overwhelming amount of people needing psychiatric patients in the Sacramento area. Cutting Mental services would jeopardize the safety of patients, their children, and society. Many of our patients have children, that are already at risk of being removed from their families. Patients would flood the ER rooms in crisis situations.
451. Erin Howard
452. Yvonne Herbert . I have suffered from mental illness for 17 years. Without the help of NAMI, my voice would not be heard. There is a stigma that goes along with mental illness. Organizations that help the mentally ill also help us to have other persons to relate to, so we don't feel alone. There is superb training, both on recovery and pharmaceuticals that has helped managing my illness be easier. Please do not cut our budget. We have so little money as it is. If you cut any more, we will cease to exhist...not only programs, but we as a subset of the community. Our voice will be extinguished.
453. Janice Massie . I urge the BOS to examine the actual costs of eliminating outpatient services for mental health clients. I am the parent of a transition-age youth that currently receives medication management from Sacramento County. Without his medication, he becomes actively psychotic and paranoid. He is mentally impaired and his judgement and reactions are not the same as when he receives his medication. He wants to stay sane! Law enforcement does not understand that my son is not in his right mind, all they see is a crazy man acting irrational and possibly dangerous. My son is more a danger to himself than others!And, he is not the only person in our county who will be affected this way if he does not receive the help he so desperately needs! You will be paying for his emergency hospitalization! You will be paying for his incaration! Why not pay for his medication in the first place? I am asking as a parent and family member for you to reconsider the decision to cut these needed services. Thank you, Janice Massie
454. Raul Galvez
455. Tony Lee
456. Kiah Semion . I am currently an intern at a mental health agency that receives funds from the county. Area agencies have been doing a remarkable job offering innovative and affective services to a diverse client population. The long term
impact of cutting mental health service funds, and the affect it will have on the workers and clients, is unfathomable.
457. Teressa Dane . I am a family member and a mental health support worker and I know and see first hand what the impact of cuts like these can and will do to a population that so desperatly needs these services. Why would you cut funds from the people who need it the most? I urge the BOS to carefully reconsider cutting any mental health services.
458. Marintha Iverson . Due to a cut in county funding I have been asked to terminate clients who have not finished their 10 county approved sessions. This is an abomination - imagine facing people who are in dire need and informing them that there is no longer funding for them to continue therapeutic services.
459. Tabetha Otterson . This petition is important 2 me cause im a client,and its inportant for these services to stay.
460. Guohua Xia . Mental health is an essential part of the community well-being. The budget cutting not only removed the support and will also worse the stigma on mental disease when more mental patients were put into jail or hospital
and create another set of cost, which could be much higher than out patient service. Please, NO CUT to mental health service!!! Mental patient are vulnerable and need more care not pressure. Decreased service will lead to more social problem which is preventable.
462. rosie amalfitano
463. Bertha Picazo
464. Terri Farinacci
465. Linda Dickerson
466. Peg Hopkins
467. Mark Sussman . As one of the manager's of the mental health program at the main jail, I am concerned about the effects the proposed cuts to mental health programs will have on law enforcement and the increased number of mentally ill patients that will end up in jail due to poor access to mental health care in the community. It's quite probable that cutting mental health services will be more expensive, in both the short and long run, than figuring out how to keep these services in place. Incarceration, court costs, state hospitalization, law enforcement and emergency personnel time, and increased hospitalization at the Mental Health Center and local psychiatric hospitals will add up quickly if this most needy population is neglected. I urge the Board of Supervisors to consider these issues before cutting these critically needed mental health services utilized by our most vulnerable citizens.
468. Denise Colter . Why is this issue important to you? I have a dear friend who has benefitted from care from the County Health Department. Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
469. Sherry Mackay
470. Tashua Corum
471. Kevin Corum
472. Belinda Sue
473. Sherri Mikel
474. NAME NOT DISPLAYED .Turning Point:Northgate and clinics like it assists those with low incomes with mental health. This is a place of wellness! At one time, I had been hospitalized in a mental hospital for 10-days...I don't want to repeatedly go there for my mental illness, manic depression/bi-polar. The medication I take, Lithium ER, has been working for me along with follow-ups. Services here at Turning Point:Northgate and places like it are like out-patient therapy/counseling. I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness, and rise in cost.
475. Yvette Rodriguez
476. Jenny Telka
477. Mike Diaz Diaz
478. Patricia George
479. Megan Higgins
480. Sayuri Sion
481. Beatrice carman
482. Alexis Davidson . Preventative care is generally more cost effective than treatment. Access to approriate medications and therapy will prevent many people from needing treatment after some harm has come to them or others as well and reducing the potential for harm to others and a need for treatment.
483. Gloria Vargas
484. Issa Yaya
485. Charlene Hopkins
486. Audrey Edwards . I am a school nurse and I can tell you that the need for mental health services is huge. Treatment options for parents are the only hope for these children; who also need mental health services due to no fault of their own. I constantly refer parents to mental health services offered; and when the parent is not receptive often we turn to CPS to be sure help is gotten.
487. Jackie Hopkins
488. jessica Thumpton
489. Sheila Boltz
490. Elizabeth Pine North . These funds are very important to the development of many programs that are vital to improving the lives of mentally ill individuals
491. Theresa Dilworth . Due to the economic situation, I believe that services will be needed more than ever. If you don't want the mentally ill hanging around your street corners and your stores I urge you to reconsider. Not only that, but as a society we who are entitled shoud assumer part of the responsibility of helping each other. We need to take more responsibility. It could very well be a memeber of your own family
492. Sabrina Fong
493. Rene tam
494. Rene tam
495. Rosse Gotter
496. EB Brauer . I have been mentally ill for most of my life. Thankfully, I have been able to support myself for most of this time, but I am now disabled. I pay my taxes, including property taxes, and I expect my tax dollars to be used WISELY. Decreasing mental health funding is foolish and short-sighted. PLEASE do not contribute to the rise in MH issues by cutting critical Sac County services to the least among us. Please demonstrate your commitment to our citizens by maintaining these services during times of economic distress. NOW is the time to provide people with the support they need as they lose their jobs, their homes, their health insurance. Cutting mental health services undercuts other non-mental health services. It can contribute to increased homelessness, increased crime, increased hospitalization, increased court costs and increase protective services for children. Don't be short-sighted. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish!
497. John David Brauer
498. Jesse Ngu
499. sean bratt
500. Alexis Alvarez
501. Dorothy Saul
502. Michelle Moten . I work in this field and if we don't help who will.
503. Juli and Ben Thompson
504. Heather Roberts
505. Sarah Sleppy . In times of crisis, as our economy is in right now, people need mental health services more than ever. Removing funds for these services is to do a MAJOR disservice to the public. We should be INCREASING funds to further expand the services available to help our community and our country recover in such a time of stress.
506. Diane McGuire
508. Kevin Sharp
509. Terri victor
510. claudia sandoval . As a person that suffers from depression we need mental health services. Since i've used mental health services i've been doing great, I know have a full time job and my home life is more stable. Please don't take away what's working for so many of us. I urge our board of supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitlaizations, homelessness and rise in cost.
511. Birgans Olga
512. Sheila
513. Paul Ferrari .I have a cousin currently utilizing an RST services. Without their support he was homeless and not taking his medication. With their support he is now more stable, has a place to live, and is taking his medication regularly and even working part time. The potential loss of these services concerns me that he will again be unstable, and living on the streets. I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost of emergency personnel including police and emergency rooms.
514. Laurie Ferrari .This issue is important to me because I am working with families who will be directly impacted by these proposed cuts. I work with children in mental health whose parents are receiving services that you are proposing to cut. Cutting those services will cause intended further harm to the children I serve. Without these services, their parents will likely decompensate and loose their stability. This will cause further hardship on the families and is likely to have the unintended consequence of increasing CPS involvement, ER admissions, and increase substance abuse. Further budget cuts of mental health services will undoubtedly cost the taxpayers far more in increased costs in public hospitals, emergency police calls, inappropriate utilization of emergency room services, involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, the criminal justice system and Child Protection Services (CPS). If the goal of Sacramento County is to do more with less during times of economic hardship, cutting funds for mental health services during difficult economic times is counterproductive.
515. Stacy Philmon
516. William Cook .My son is autistic and I moved to California because of the opportunities my son can have here.
517. Jeanette Isakson .Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here (THIS IS OPTIONAL) Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
518. Ari R. Kolman Kettleby. Sacramento County Board of Supervisors MUST abandon plans to cut funding to people who receive community-based mental health services through the Sacramento County Department of Mental Health. What..s wrong with the Government allowing this to happen here, this is Another Disgusting Example of Undemocratic Government & Big Business Corruption, wasteful spending, discrimination and Crimes against Humanity & Animal!!... AS WELL AS GOVERNMENTS TAKING FROM THE POOR AND GIVING TO THE RICH AND THEMSELVES. Ridiculous Unconstitutional Pork barrel Policy Twisting Environmental Hazard Oil Fanatics!! We Will All Distribute This Page to Big Media and Start Letting those ..Useless Talking Heads on TV News.. know what..s really worth reporting to the world.. Useless they are because who knows if they even know about this? But if they did, they should Report it as we will also through our blogs.. .. I..m sickened and disgusted.
519. David DeLeonardis
520. Guadalupe Sandoval
521. Bill Walters . There are no viable alternatives to the needs of the mentally ill.
522. Missouri Radford
523. Terri Warner . I work for Turning Point Community Programs where we help people suffering from mental illness on a daily basis obtain much needed services. We help people with housing issues, medical issues (both medical and psychiatry), nutrition, family and overall wellness goals. We help these folks with employment and keep them functioning in society - a society that, at times, turns the other cheek to those suffering from mental illness. Funding for our program is critical to our community and to individuals and families impacted by mental illness - which is everyone. Please do not cut funds for mental health services.
524. Marleen Goff . Mental health services, almost without exception, are those which get cut each time there is a budget problem. This cannot continue! Marleen Goff
525. Tina Borgman
526. Victoria Mattocks-Lopez
527. Yvonne Moore
528. david tyan
529. david tyan
530. Maria guevara . please do not cut funds for mental health. there is so many people in need,not only adults but there is chlidren in need of help. what will happen to the familys that have loved one with mental health. Are they going to house tham in a convalesent home and have the eldery get abused and or killed by someone with mental problems.with out the help we are going to see a larger crimes out on the streets and inocent people getting hurt.and any one with mental illness will get abused and hurt if not killed.So please do not cut funds so many people need help.
531. Douglas Harding . The costs of mental health services are much smaller than the costs to the community without these services. Without appropriate care, people will fall off their medications resulting in increased hospital and prison costs. Our society should be formed on caring for those who can't care for themselves, not on what we want to pay for.
532. carol stallworth . I work for a mental health agency, and have seen what an important impact these services have. Many fewer hospitalizations and reduced use of emergency services, in addition to an increased ability for individuals to make a positive contribution to society.
533. Claudia Tapia. Morelos, Mexico As a psychologist, I firmly bleieve that mental health needs budget! Mental health prevention will reduce other costs!
534. Karen Markum
535. Jeanett Serva
536. Nancy Yavrom Citrus .Why do we want to pretend that those with mental illness issues don't exist? Why do we want to relegate them to needless suffering? How can we ignore the pain and helplessness of their families? Mental health is something everybody struggles with at one time or another -- consider stress and how you handle it. Do you get angry and have to make a physical display in order to gain control? Is that mental healthiness? Or is that just a more common way of dealing with the difficult so it is accepted? Who has never been depressed in their life? Just because it didn't turn into a chronic condition doesn't make you better than the person who does end up having to endure the prolonged sufferings of depression because the mental health system does not want to recognize it and help treat it. This is particularly true of the elderly. By limiting funds, you limit what can be done for people.
537. darby Patterson Cutting mental health services will most certainly result in increased cost to the healthcare system and to county law enforcement. Even more important is the human toll in which thousands of people will go untreated for serious metal illness that causes dangers to themselves and to society. I urge you to be both compassionate and farsighted. Actively oppose any proposed changes to Prop 63 funds.
538. carol grant . People who have a mental illness have many barriers to managing their lives. The services provided by the MHSA funds are critical to thier health and well being. Please consider very carefully cutting the mental health budget.
539. Shevonna Blackshire
540. susan samu
541. Cordia Wade .Realize the entire country, state and county are facing financial hardships, but we can't afford to cut vitally needed mental health services.
542. Heather Wagers . Who else will look after our children? Who will help them with life trauma, depression, suicidal ideation, homicial ideation, gang intervention, drug treatment and abuse at home?
543. Valerie Willover
544. Evelyn Tisdell-Koroma
545. Kathryn Curry . I am an administrator at an elementary school. We need to address the needs of the children in order to remove barriers to learning. With adequate support, student have more chance at becoming academically proficient.
546. Olga Cisneros-Cruz. Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here (THIS IS OPTIONAL) Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
547. Alexandra Douglas
548. A. Morales . Please do not cut budgets for Mental Health Programs. This would devastate our society and in the long run cost more. Our mentally ill citizens will end up dead or in jail...this is unjust and unconstitutional.. I PRAY!! Thank You!!!
549. Enrique Alvarez . i my self do not know what to do where to go who to get help from and scared to ask cause tired of being turned away i found out about this services though my son counselor cause of disorder allot of people need the help that do not know to or ask
550. jess Thompson
551. Nick Cunningham
552. Oscar Saenz . I believe that supporting people with developmental dissabilities we could have a happier society and we will help the dissable population to live their life the way they disere and where they wish to reside. Love and compasiiotn it is not expensive, grid is.
553. Carol Allen . Carol Allen I have been working in the MENTAL HEALTH CULTURE for over a decade and I am optimistic about the success of this petition. There are so many families that will be adversely affected if the proposed cuts are effected, so with much prayer and much love because love is an action we are collecting signatures and with great expectations.
554. Elisa Duke . Being American is about having a voice, and about protecting the life piberty and happiness of individuals. How, then, can we eliminate the voice and needs of the weakest and call ourselves good citizens? Social responsibility is a founding concept, and we must speak out for those who can't speak up for themselves. "First They Came" First they came for the Communists, and I didn..t speak up, because I wasn..t a Communist. Then they came for the sick, the so-called incurables, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't mentally ill. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn..t speak up, because I wasn..t a Jew. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me. -Pastor Martin Niem..ler "Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!" - The Message
555. Teresa Dunavant
556. Alena Bhagirath .This is important for me because I believe that through recreation therapy we are able to help children and all indviduals with minimal usage of medication. Also, we are providing a service that is well needed throughout the United States.
557. Katrina Vaca
558. Carmen Appleby . ALTHOUGH I LIVE IN UK, I AM USER OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND THEY HAVE BEEN VITAL TO ME MANAGING THE VARIOUS CONDITIONS I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH, INCLUDING OCD, BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER, SELF-INJURY, DEPRESSION.
559. Ronit Aviv .
560. DEbby Barton .
561. Favia Cruz .This issue is very important because the life and well-being of many individuals, families with a member or members with MH issues, and children is at serious risk. The result can only be chaos break-down of quality of services, and meltdown of what this county has stood for for many years. The consequences for this breakdown falls on those who are given the power to exercise what is right for the people at large and not for personal gain. The result is an insult to those in power who have poorly managed funds alloted to run the State. Thus; those in possition should be held accountable for the breakdown in providing for the safety and well-being of the people. Mental health care is not a luxury, it is a state of being, a holistic state of being that must not be tampered with or changed.
563. Clare Merris . At times of high stress, mental health needs go up. If those that need help, or simply someone to listen, have no where to turn then other types of outlets or behaviors are taken. These other outlets can be harmful to the individual and to society. If anything, we need to increase mental health services at this time. A well organized effort can aid both the individual and communities. I urge you to think outside the box, and instead of voting for cuts, reorganize to optimize services and pull in volunteers.
564. Julia Merris-Coots .Individuals with mental health needs are among our most vulnerable citizens. When their needs go unmet everyone around them is negatively affected; children, spouses, parents, siblings and neighbors. Cutting mental health funding will only result in additional and potentially more costly problems like homelessness, increased crime, hospitalization and or possible incarceration. Don't pull the rug out from under these people. Keep the current funding for mental health programs and services in place.
565. josephine simmah sacramento, ca, CA Is this means we were misled that the stimulus money would help save mental health services? The consequences of going backwards on mental health services would have disastrous consequences for both the people who depend on the services and tax payers. I urge our Board of Supervisors to act soon to stop these cuts.
566. Craig McMurray
567. BRENDA STRAT
568. May Nieman Nieman . This issue is vital to me because not only am I in the senior category (71 yrs old), but I volunteer at a local Peer Counseling Service Center and see what the seniors, ages, 87 and 89 yr olds, have to deal with. It's not a pretty picture. This funding is CRUCIAL to ALL aging citizens throughout our country. PLEASE RE-CONSIDER making any more cuts to this funding of our seniors' resources!!!
569. tiffany smith
570. Kyndra Mariana
571. S. Griffiths . First of all, you simply cannot take away what little these people have. They depend on these services and it is literally life or death situations much of the time. Additionally, people will lose their jobs, myself included. When these people are not able to get the help they need and end up in emergency rooms and jails, who will pick up the tab for that? We've all seen how this goes before. It costs less to care for them now, rather than let them suffer and pay later.
572. Linda Geissinger, I urge you to NOT cut mental health funds. The impact will be devastating to the community, especially those most in need and least able to help themselves.
573. Kendra Deem .
574. Rene Miller . This issue is important to me because right now I am reciving mental health services at Northgate Point RST and the doctor I am seeing he is leaving and now I dont have a doctor because of the budget cuts,
575. Bonnie Farr
576. Jill Sheetz
577. linda savarese . Mental health care is essential in any commnity.....there are many other wasteful areas that should be cut.
578. Donna Salisbury .County mental health services have improved life for my non-criminal, mentally ill adult son. The psychiatry, medicine, and board and care help he now receives have stopped his use of homeless services, stopped the use of expensive police intervention and detainment, stopped community fear and discomfort when he was delusional and off meds. This saves the county and state money. Mental health services are cost effective, as well as humanitarian.
579. James Morin
580. Lynnette Mitchell
581. Shayna Clavelle
582. JHamere Howard
583. Rosalyn Holgado
584. betty blackman.well i am a patient through adult access team please dont take money or services away from us we need all the resources we can get. you should give mental health betty blackman citrus hieghts, CA (continued from previous page) services an increase if anything but thats just my opinon thanks for reading
585. Carolee Tran
586. Jeremy Sundby . My mother is mentally ill and needs the help from the county. Mental health needs an increase. Don't disenfranchise those in need.
587. Christopher Davis . Due to the stressful impact of the worsening economy on American families, mental health services must not be cut. Mental health services should be a top priority especially in these times, and should be funded adequately to meet the rising needs of those in need of help.
588. Michele Ianni . My son is 9 years old. It has been 2 years of pleading with the school just to get my son an IEP. On 6-2-09 he is finally getting one. It was 11-08 when he got his 504 plan. No child left behind????? He has ADHD Bipolor, and is even getting tossed to the back seat by ACCESS at this moment,(I just got off the phone with them). He knows he needs help, he cry's for help. please make sure this state can listen to the voices that sometimes can't speak for themselves. Give my son a good chance to a healthy normal life, maybe even your son, or someone you love. If we don't speak for them, who will?????
589. gloria washington
590. Alden Hunter . I work in the Mental Health field and have a great knowledge of the impact cuts will have on the public. There is a large number of the population that currently receive and depend on various services, but moreso, with the current economic status and times more people are in need now than ever. I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
591. Kimberly Perry-Turnbow
592. E B
593. Rachel Paul. Without Mental Health Services I dont know where my mom would be right now, more than likely living out on the streets. If anything we need to provide more services to the Mentally Ill. More cuts only mean more people will be suffering with out access to the proper care they need to live normally. I urge the Board of Directors to stop making cuts to Sacramento's Mental Health Services. I belive it will lead to more and more people becomming chronicly homeless.
594. ANNETTE TURNBOW. Every time the Government cuts cost in Mental Health Services and other needed services the chance of increasing costs in another area triples...So, it would seem to me that you wouldn't quit your job if all of your debts exceeded your income...You get a better job or you take a second job...therefore my dear elected officials--Do the job you were elected to do and fix the problem and Stop creating more problems by pretending that taking funds from one needed area and throwing them into another will solve the fiscal problems that we all created...Let's be better at what we all do...it is my opinion that leaders should lead and stop following each other around with the same theory--Problems do not fix themselves, if you were a student your instructor's would have failed you by now---so, if you want to be politicians and you know how to be one then perhaps you should do what the people elected you to do and find an answer that creates revenue rather than begs Peter to pay Paul for the funds that Mary needs to keep the sanity of all three. We are all good people trying to do the right thing---Do the right thing---Do not cut funding to Mental Health Services....I have a family member that depends on these services, don't put him back in the streets with no hope of getting the care he needs to keep him well, functioning, working and paying taxes like the rest of us good tax paying citizens. Thanks for reading this and please consider all of the damage that these cuts can cause... Thanks, Annette Turnbow
595. Colleen Richards .This is important to me because, A lot of my friends and family have Mental Health issues and more people than you know need our help with their issues, Please don't cut any more programs.
597. Michele Cathleen
598. Michael Sale .I would not want your job making these decisions but along with children, the people effected by reducing these funds to a draconian level are the most vulnerable in the worldvulnerable to others on the street in the most cruel possible ways. Please protect them.
599. Pieter le Blanc
600. Tawnya Jenkins
601. J Creare . Please help us and be part of the solution instead of harming us...please don't cut funds! At least think about it before stabbing us in the gut with what feels like class warfare.
602. Kim Kramer
603. Evelyn Orme
604. Bennie Shaw . Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here (THIS IS OPTIONAL) Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
605. Krystle Plant . Why is this issue important to you? Type your comment here (THIS IS OPTIONAL) Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
606. Dorothy . When a member of your family suffers from mental illness it is imperative that they can get professional help for a loved one. The loss of funding can cause the loss of life when a despondent person cannot get help. Please, please continue to fund this necessary service I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
607. Mikhail Kosachevich
608. Michelle Cerruti
609. Michael Lynch
610. Karin Davis
611. Stephanie Comfort . Many who aren't able to receive mental health care - miss work, aren't able to keep a job without proper care, and many will be applying for unemployment as well as Welfare. Ultimately our economy and society will be furthur damaged.
612. david akpe . Please stop ware housing metally ill people in instutions. We need more programs aid metally ill people come out of state and county hospitals and instutions.
613. Shahni Smith.
614. Joel Canterberry . Mental Health Care or lack thereof, is one of the leading causes to self-medication/drug abuse and results in families in crises and homelessness and the end cost to the tax payer is enormous, cutting the funds for access only acerbates the cost to society, it does nothing to save money in the short or long term. I therfore support not suspending mental health care funding. It makes no sense
or dollars not to.
615. megan carpenter
616. Rick Murnighan
617. Annie Brock
618. deborah womack . please don't cut mental health services ........my son is scizophranic and what little somewhat normal life he could live depends on it. besides the lives it will affect in all aspects we could have more people ending up with more depression due to the fact they are already over whelmed with greif work losing jobs ect.................please don't make cuts in mental health..
619. Lynette Kral .
620. Amber and family . while providing daily care for people whom were mentally challenged,i gained a new respect for their illness. for most i couldn't even imagine them going out into our society, working a regular 9 to 5 without first having gone through some of the wonderful programs northern California offers. i have witnessed patients who could barley perform activities of daily living grow to be productive, self supporting members of society. PLEASE rethink cutting funds and think hard on alternate solutions....what would this cut do to the people whom get up every day and strive a bit harder, because these programs are their hope at living a normal life. Have you (board members) considered the repercussions that the participants of these programs, along with the general public would suffer? increase in crime rate, there is no need to add to the already high prison population, ironically most of the population suffering with some form of mental illness.more drug addictions, more broken homes ect...what would this cut do to our homeless rate? (I believe it would increase dramatically) If we(the public) can take time to sign this petition then we've got time to volunteer more than just a comment, get involved.....donate time,services products, ask how you can lend a hand in keeping the funding in place. thank you for your time, sincerely, amber and family.
621. Raul Sanchez.
622. Sheena Gunst. I am currently suffering from mental illness & stoll need a proper diagnosis & treatment
623. Carole Fried . All communities need good mental health facilities. Without accessible services, we all lose. Someday it could be you, or somebody you love, that will need services that just may make all the difference.
624. Molly Ferrell . many folks in need-- what will they do? Mental health services are vital for a healthy, progressive community.
625. Hector Medero . I'm an SSI recipient because of mental health problems and I'm thinking of moving to Sacramento in the early fall. I'm moving from New York City because i need to be in a more stable and quiet environment. please don't make it any more unstable for me and my recovery. Thank you. Hector Medero
626. Tommy VanWormer
627. RQ Bella .It is more important than ever to provide a safety net of care for those facing challenges today. We need more effective and efficient use of funds for Mental Health Services, not less funding. I urge you to commit to the community and keep services available to those who need it most.
628. Lonon Smith . It is always going to be easier to cut funds from people least able to defend themselves. Education gets cut; health facilities get cut; rapid transit gets cut. And who doesn't lose money? People with sufficient money to protect themselves. This is coincidental, I'm sure, since no moral person would kick already struggling people while they are down.
629. Kevin Klatt .
630. Alan Springwind . My Son would not be alive today if it were not for Sacramento County Mental Health Services. He has much support from his family also, but not everyone does. For many with mental health issues SCMHS is the only place to turn. The other options are jail, the hospital or death.
631. Traci Lewis
632. Marlene Schmitz
634. Kristofer Juett. My mother suffers from mental illness and due to funding cuts has not been able to receive adequate treatment. Before her illness she held a job for over 12 years as secretary for a local church and when healthy can be an active participant in society. However without proper treatment she can not care for herself.
635. Lori Catalano
636. David Blanton . every one needs a chance to be free and to live in the least restrictive place. when you cut this fundding where do all these people go. It cost more to house the ill in locked facilities then it dose to allow them to live on there own.
637. Susan Raznatovich
638. Michelle Arce
639. Jack Love . We cannot afford to increase the number of untreated mentally ill people in our community. I acknowledge money is limited, and would like to see some kind of reasonable i.e., nonpolitical, re-examination of community priorities so that we are spending available budget in the most important areas first.
640. Carlos Arroyo
641. Carl Rosenstock
642. Andre Huddleston
643. Judith Esquivel
644. Rachel Rodriguez
645. E'Laina west
646. Jon-Paul Shakespeare .Because it affects my regimen as a mentally I'll person.
647. alisha allen . It's bad enough I can't afford insurance but I am doing all I can to help myself and not resort to self medications; my meds cost me $100 a month (for one) and I must save up to get them but I think it is worth every penny I earn.
648. Steven Garrett . I must have mental health services
649. Kathi Simpson
650. tanisha green
651. olive morrow. Because when working with alcohol and drug clients it isn't beneficial to treat one symptom and not the other. They go hand in hand. To allow the clients to become whole it is necessary to work with both.
652. Ananka Barrow
653. Theresa Montiel . I have family that urgently needs your assistance with mental health. It needs to keep going. Please do not make cuts to Mental Health.
654. Sean Murnane . Emergency departments are over crowded and this is where people will end up if there are no beds for them.
655. Randie Ray
656. Sally Mason
657. Loraine Walker. This I feel is extremely important! I have a beautiful son who went sideways. Without these facilities, young people who need the help will have no alternatives and will fail. Our younger generation are our future leaders. This is what is so scary. We need better medical and facilities to help our society. Please don't cut mental health. Loraine Walker
658. Timothy Ray Little .This is important to me because I work in the field. If we don't have funds to help people with mental health issues, then we won't have enough mental health workers to help the people. Too many times we allow people with needs to fall through the cracks. A sacrifice must be made.
659. Joyce Herman
660. Tammy Pickens
661. Kathryn Grob I live in Sacramento County. I work at the mental health clinic for Placer County. I know the need! Sacramento County has to be able to take care of the clients that so desperately need the services. Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
662. Susan Si
663. Walter . Making these cuts is NOT saving the state money. Its going to cost us more money and problems putting these people in Jail, Emergency Rooms and back in the streets. The Community NEEDS this facility to operate better then before not cut what we have now. The effects are already obvious there will be more homeless, crime and death because people with mental illness wont get the help the need and deserve. Its difficult for people to speak up when a lot of people don't even know this place exists. I wish the Mayor and Governor would come serve a 5150 and then try to tell me its necessary to make these cuts. Making these cuts is NOT saving the state money. Its going to cost us more money and problems putting these people in Jail, Emergency Rooms and back in the streets. The Community NEEDS this facility to operate better then before not cut what we have now. The effects are already obvious there will be more homeless, crime and death because people with mental illness wont get the help the need and deserve. Its difficult for people to speak up when a lot of people don't even know this place exists. I wish the Mayor and Governor would come serve a 5150 and then try to tell me its necessary to make these cuts.
664. Justin Proctor . I have been a patient at various sacramento county inpatient psychiatric hospitals and these services provided by the county saved my life on more than one occasion and without access to the services that I was able to get I dont know if I would be here today. Sacramento desperately needs access to psychiatric care for its residents.
665. Debra Igou
666. Julie Mortellaro
667. Douglas Castles
668. Ashonda Rice
669. Maria Vazquez . Please do not cut funds to Mental Health Sevices,
670. Anecia Smickle .
671. shelley frey ford fort smith, AR my sister in law lives there and needs the continued help for her mental illness along with all the the other people who suffer from this illness. It's just like a brain cancer which is treated. Let's don't relive just let them out to live on the streets. It doesn't work. Treatment is required everyday for for those who suffer to function to the best we can. why is this even being considered? Have we not learned form the past mistakes? Who's crazy thinking is this? They maybe the ones who will need the help! Shelley
672. Joseph James
673. Maryanna Spataro. We must continue to help those among us who cannot help themselves.
674. rochelle mccarthy
675. Cheryl Sherman. My son who is now almost 19 has had mental health issues all of his life. He now has no health insurance and no job.
676. Maria Fernandez .I am a concerned consumer who believes in the importance of proper mental health treatment.
677. Courtney Buxton . Because everyone needs help in a time of dire emergency and this is just the place to recieve it.
678. Eric Banuelos I have worked closely with people struggling with mental health and seen how many live have been changed in a positive way with the assistance from mental health services. With cuts to services folks with mental health issues that are not addressed could potentially end up homeless.
679. DeAndre Goro I am a health care professional and in this capacity I see the shortage of services for this population first hand. If there are furthur cuts, this population will suffer which will efect already poor situation negatively.
680. Tammy Caleno
681. Michael Brown. As a person affected by a mental illness, I cannot imagine a situation in which some people would see their due access to mental health treatment denied, especially in this country.
682. Rebecca Hipolito .I have had Bipolar disease probably since I was about 10 years old. I had to leave Santa Cruz because they really didn't have treatment that helped me. Fortunately, when I arrived in Sacramento(1995), in very bad shape, I found the care I needed. Gradually I improved, bit by bit. It has taken me 10 years to become stable and to fit in with society. I am really glad that I have Kaiser South Sacramento to help me. They have a really good bipolar program that teaches you aboout medications, which are Manic symptoms, which are depressed symptoms and which medications are used for what. There is ususlly a Rn, Phd who can help with medication problems. Thanks Sacramento for your help. My director of our Bipolar groups thinks that 1/2 of the people in prison are uncontrolled Bipolars. How sad to see such wasted lives and such costly non-solutions.
683. Emily Pinkerton . I am an intern at Jefferson transitional programs, a non profit organization that is located in Riverside, CA. Please visit our website at jtpfriends.org. If this goes through then this will virtually wipe out these programs and the people whose lives we have touched will have no resources. These programs focus on helping those with mental illness to successfully re-enter into the community whether it be through learning life skills, gaining job skills/finding a job, finding assisted living or receiving special services such as 1:1 Occupational therapy. Please visit our blog at http://savementalhealthprogramsca.blogspot.com/ to hear our stories of recovery. Thank you, Emily Pinkerton, OTS Type any additional comment (optional). I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services because this may lead to more expensive consequences such as increased prison rates, costs of hospitalizations, homelessness and rise in cost
684. Amy Brownfield. Hello, I am an Occupational Therapist that has worked in Community-based Mental Health for the past 6 years. I am not a"Sacramentan" but I am a California resident who would be greatly affected by these cuts. President Bush's New Freedom Commission recognized that the public mental health system was fundamentally ineffective at assisting mental health consumers in recovering full and productive lives. In the years since MHSA was passed, we have been able to develop more adequate supports and services in the community, which not only help to decrease recitivism (the "revolving door" problem in which individuals were not receiving adequate support and services in the community so they continually ended up in hospitals for treatment they could have received much more inexpensively and proactively in the community) but also assist individuals in returning to school, work, and contributing to society versus being a large financial drain on it. As a part of 2 programs that have grown and benefited from MHSA monies, these allocations save taxpayers and the government millions of dollars by preventing hospitalization, incarceration, petty crime, homelessness. Please don't cut from mental health services at a time when much of county and public mental health services are being cut. For many consumers, community-based services might be all they have in the next years. Sincerely, Amy Brownfield, OTR/L
685. Javi Torrentez
686. Shannon Ronveaux. Hi, my name is Shannon and I am an occupational therapy intern at Jefferson Transitional Programs (JTP) in Riverside, CA. Mental Health Services can not afford to be cut! JTP is one of many community programs that is giving people back their lives and helping them in their road to recovery. Miracles happen everyday at JTP and I am proud to be a part of it. Please reconsider cutting any funds from mental health! It would be a tragic mistake.
687. Marsha Ballard
688. Laree Foster
689. Gail Erlandson. I am privileged to work at the Wellness and Recovery Center North in Sacramento. We serve over 3500 members in our community. Thanks to the Mental Health Act, we are free and open to the public. One in four families are impacted by mental illness in a serious way. In the management of my own bi-polar condition, I know that self-help is a cost-effective and viable approach. In addition to the importance of Medication Support, at the Wellness Center we address Financial Stability and Employment, Physical Exercise/Nutrition, Setting Goals and Developing Coping Skills. This pro-active approach to Mental Health Challenges is important as it saves money and restores lives. Where will the mentally ill go? Will they be on our streets in greater numbers? Will they end up in our jails? Will they spend time in our emergency rooms? Please consider the negative impact these proposed cuts could place on our entire community. Please keep the intent of Prop. 63 and the Mental Health Act Alive!
690. susan gallagher .Our mh system has already experienced 52m in cuts in the past 2 yrs. This is all that is left and without these outpatient services children and adults with serious mental illness will continue to experience inhumane treatment in emergency rooms ill equipped to meet their needs. Mental health is critical to overall health and 1 in 5 of us will experience a mental illness at some point in our lives. The current situation in Sac County's mh system is a result of increasing costs to county operations, and faulty forecasts of medical dollars. Most of the cuts are not a result of revenue shortfalls and these structural problems require immediate solutions. People deserve services in the community. By cutting outpatient mh services, you make a choice to further institutionalize this long misunderstood illness,
691. Reina Kaslofski . I was a foster youth for many years and already dont agree with too many services that are implemented for our youth in the system. If the few services that are being provided for our youth, ESPECIALLY within Mental Health can make a difference, then why would we take this away? I dont see why the "unrepresented" keep getting attacked first. I call people with Mental Health disabilities "weak" because if they dont have someone to guide them back to their health and help them through their struggles, it can cause problems for familes, and our community as a whole!
692. Pasha Mikalson, MSW .I urge our Board of Supervisors to stop cuts to mental health services. Individuals who are in need of, but do not receive mental health services often cause greater burden to our society by landing in prison, becoming hospitalized,losing employment and/or becoming homeless. If you don't care about the needs of this very vulnerable population, at least take into consideration that our already stressed financial situation cannot afford the more extreme care these budgets cuts will inevitably force us to pay for.
693. Lawrence Shweky
694. Monica Rocha .As a service provider I have seen how continued cuts have put a strain on services and affected the ability to protect children at risk. It has made it harder to deliver services to people who genuinely need them. In the long run we will all pay a greater cost if we continue to cut services.
695. Brittany Hamilton
696. TESLENE mouzon
697. Faith Patterson . I not only work in the mental health field but at various time in my life have received mental health services. I believe that we would be doing our community at large a huge disservice in many impactful ways if the proposed menatl health budget cuts are made.
698. Stephanie Kvasager MSW Student. As a fresh face on the scene I think I look at the people I work with differently. The key is to see the people we serve as you would a close family member or friend, maybe even yourself. How do you think these cuts would impact you if you or someone close to you was suffering from mental illness. You would suffer, your family would suffer, and Your community would suffer. Its not ok for those who don't suffer from mental illness to punish those who do. Money equals prevention and prevention equals savings later on! Lets meet people half way...."EVERYONE NEEDS A PIECE OF THE
699. Shaunee Barnard. independence, KS This is important to me because even though I do not live in that area of the country my home state is considering budget cuts in mental health. I am currently in the Social Work program , so to me it feels like if they are going to cut budgets then why are they still letting students go through the programs? Needless to say all states need the mental health services.
700. Heather Waddle
701. Lyn Hawthorne
702. Zoila Reyna
703. Mauricio Verduzco MSW intern. These budgets cuts which would virtually mean the complete closure of RST's in the county of Sacramento will have a greater impact on the consumer's whose these agencies serve. Not only is it more cost effecive to keep these RST's up and running they provide a valuable service in assisting individuals with severre and persistent mental illness. Do we expect to have these individuals seek out treatment at the SCMHTC , or end up in the E.R of hospitals, homeless, incarcerated or god forbide dead. When such individuals show up in any of the aforementioned locatiosn they will simply receive medication. Yet we know that there is more to mental illness than simply taking a pill. Individuals needs to have support systems, group in which they are able to learn coping skills or develop new ones, psychoeducation, these services can be provided by the RST's so why then do we want to close such places to leave those with mental illness without any resources.
704. Renee Trujillo-Buie. I currently work at one of the current ( RST)companies in Sacramento the budget is opting to close down. I have worked in the mental health system for the last 11 years and seen alot of positive progress come from those who society deems as mentally ill or unstable. I honestly think these budget cuts are setting up alot of the mentally ill population for failure and feel the board members should strongly reconsider thier budgeting strategies. Not alot of people in position to save these programs look at the care mental health services provide until it hits close to home, so on that note I'm assuming either it hasn't hit close to home or they simply JUST DONT CARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
705. Eva McGee. We as a country have got to step up and take respponsibility to new levels realizing that as we move and manipulate our agendas and our budgets we have come to the point of marginalizing humanity. It has always been the responsibility of the more fortunate to care and advocate for the plight of the less fortunate and that is still the case today yet so many companies and organizations are content to cut and snip away for the bottom line unless their family and loved ones are clearly affected by said bottom line. Having said this, it is imperative that the few good and effective programs that are remaining be allowed to function in the manner designed to help the few hundreds of hurt and fractured souls so desperately requiring assistance. I urge you not to cut what is the nucleous of the very fabric of humanity and restoration of dignity and ability and wellness of mind in the plights of the unfortunate, forgotten and ill but to seek more avenues in which to assist and more creative possibilities for funding to actually expand instead of disband programs and institutions of help and healing. Last but not least, cutting the programs that help the less fortunate perpetuate the very circumstances that create the problems and people that are broken, frustrated, hurt and bewildered with no method of helping themselves or regeneration beyond the programs that are being targetted for elimination and downsizing. And that is just the tip of the iceberg when you begin to look at this wholistically and see the connections to overall poverty and lack of medical resources for mentally impared and challenged individuals as well as homelessness increased and despair run amuk which only aggravates the burgeoning prison population as well as miscreants turned criminal, violent or abusive in the search for relief from such a grim outlook and dismal future of hopelessness, dispair and pain as one has no where to turn for help. Please do the right thing - you know the thing you would do for yourself or someone important to you. Lets stop living this life as though we are not affected. One race - the human race needs to be cared for and nutured - its not about money when lives are at stake - especially when it your own. This would not even be a discussionary item if it were about our own lives and not someone we don't know personally or care to know as we pick apart lives and squeeze the almighty dollars out of them. Let your conscience be your guide.
706. PHOMMASONE GRIFFITH, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP OUR CONSUMERS FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED TO WHERE THEY ARE NO LONGER BEING PUSHED AROUND TO LOOK FOR SERVICES EVERY YEAR DUE TO BUDGET CUTS.
707. Marilyn Washington. The County is being unfair to people with mental health issues lets stop the maddness by speaking up.
708. Florida Stringer. Cutting mental health services in Sacramento County just to give raises and incentives to county enployees, and closing regional support teams (RSTs) is a bad, bad, bad idea, and one that will have serious repercussions in the lives of thousands of hurting people. Increased costs will be far more detrimental to the county budget and the taxpayer, as emergency rooms, jails, and homeless populations increase. This is like trying to stop the flow of blood from a cut finger by chopping off an arm!
709. Angela Zolow
710. Jill Schutte .How can we believe that we have an "equal opportunity" community and provide "Fair Employment and Housing" if we make the proposed drastic cuts to services for these individuals... again? You have some very difficult decisions. Thanks for your hard work. Please re-consider.
711. Willyum Waters. I think that it is an injustice to further cut Mental Heath funding while giving the County employees 5.4 million dollars in pay increases, retirement contributions and benefit increases. The County says that they can provide these outpatient services. I disagree. They are going to be nothing more then an place for consumers to get medications. The current outpatient providers are a lot more than that. I went to a budget meeting and all the County seemed to be concerned about was saving there precious county jobs at the expense of the mental health consumers. Furthermore, they are going to provide these services at an increased cost because of how much is costs to pay a county staff versus a contracted staff. This is not only bad math, it is descrimination.
712. Joon Lee. PLease don't close the Sacramento County contract mental health facilities. My brother recieves services from one of the clinics and needs theses services.
713. Sara Christian.This would mean 5200 people in your County without services... I would think that number alone would make you rethink you decisions.
714. Megan Higgins
715. Tracy Perdue .If these cuts contuine to happen it will cost the county more money then saving. The consumer need the programs that are in place . They have been shifted and moved too much already. The board needs to look at the whole pitcure and not just the budget at this point right now. I feel that the county is looking out for their employees and not for all the consumers it serves. I also should remind the Board of Supervisor that cutting the programs that cost less to run and having the county run them will not save anyone anything it will cost more and you will be dealing with alot of unhappy citzens and family members that have been conected with these program that you are trying to close down to save money. Look within your own agency. At this point you have too many people pushing papers and going to meetings then you have working hard to assist the consumers these contracted agecey work with !
716. KIMI SIMON . Please help TLCS never turn away somebody looking for hope
717. Nancy Naungayan. Hasn't the County devastated the Mental Health services enough? Last year 4500 displaced because of their budget cuts. This year the remaining 4500 mental health consumers being displaced just so the County can balance it's budget and pay for salary increases? It is unconscionable and criminal that the County even considers this an option. Just because they close down facilities and eliminate services doesn't mean that all the mental health consumers go away and don't exist anymore. Not only do they exist, there are new people who continue to seek services. The County's "restructuring" is so clearly inadequate that to eliminate the existing cost effective service providers is just plain uncivilized and cruel to those consumers who so desperately rely on them. How about letting the County go without or get reduced services and see how they like it? Hurts, huh?
718. Julie Justus
719. Justin Martell
720. Marlyn Sepulveda. These cuts are appalling and will have a devastating impact on the consumers and the community. Mental Health continues to be marginalized. This is not much different then when Regan release consumers out of the State hospitals with a promise of out patient treatment and they were left with little services and little hope. Please do not marginalize our mental health community and save our services!!!
721. Jamie Johnson
722. Brigita Lusis
723. Connie Homan. I work in the field of mental health, I see the fear in these peopls eyes everyday. Where will they go? what will be come of them. they will either die a slow dealth or just conitue to live on the street. these cuts not only effect the mentally ill but think of the family's and the children that will be effected by these cuts as well. I feel so sad, not for me or my job But for the people who will suffer the most, the consumer, the poor and the needy and even the elderly.
724. Sylvia Navari. Community mental health was supposed to be developed in the 80s. Only since the advent of RSTs have persons with chronic and persistent mental illness been able to receive services. Closing the RSTs will be disastrous to, not only this population, but the entire Sacramento County community.
725. Athena Trollen.People need mental health help. If they don't receive it what is going to happen to our streets & our community???. Horrible things are going to happen. I personally receive mental health help from my county & would be so lost in this world without it. I believe too that the crime rate will rise, the debt in this city will rise. I don't feel the government understands how important mental health help is!!
726. Barbara Field . I think it is important in considering these cuts to consider the long range consequences. Closing programs will put people out on the street. The natural result will be a worsening in many other areas that will be more expensive in the long run than keeping the programs open.
727. Linda Wagoner. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not make any further cuts to Sacramento County mental health services. By cutting additional funding to one of the most vulnerable populations, you are affecting the entire community. Thelatest proposed cuts will affect approximately 5250 clients with psychiatric disabilities. Where are these 5250 clients supposed to go for desperately needed medication and case management services? NOBODY (especially the County-run programs) can provide better services, has a better understanding of this population's needs, or can provide these needs in a more cost-effective manner than the mental health contractors that you are taking money away from. Cuts already taken in mental health over the last couple of years has resulted in hundreds of mental health clients falling through the cracks in the County system, and ending up in jail, our emergency rooms and even our morgues. The voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 63 to provide desperately needed services to the mental health population. Rather than considering what's best for the consumers in this community or what the voters wanted, the County has decided to use mental health services money to save County jobs, and give all workers “unavoidable” (because of “union obligations”) Cost Of Living Adjustments and salary increases. This is a TRAVISTY, and I make that statement not only as a worker, citizen and voter of Sacramento County, but also as a person who has a psychiatrically-disabled daughter who has not been able to obtain services. Yes, the County is in a budget crisis, and emergency measures must be taken; but the COLAs, salary increases & job security of County workers are FAR more expendable than the services to 5250 mental health clients, despite what BS the unions want you to believe or what illegal interpretation of the County is trying to hide behind. There ARE other alternatives; someone just has to be brave enough to stand up for what is right. PLEASE be brave; PLEASE stand up for the rights of this very vulnerable, underserved population; PLEASE vote NO to further mental health cuts in Sacramento! Thank you.
728. Lisa Gray . So few people diagnosed with a mental illness have political influence. I am writing to let you know how important it is to continue the efficent, quality programs that people count on. For many of these people it is their "home base". Should you decide to take these basic services away many people without the support with end up draining the comunity and the county budget through inreased use of emergency rooms, psychiatric facilities, and law enforcement services. What would you do for your family? Think about it.
729. Shona Guider
730. Frank Esquivel. What the county of Sacramento has in mind is criminal. I work with people requireing mental health assistance and there needs are real and significant. The county can not let this population fall in between the political cracks and suffer with what will be left to help them in Sacramento County!
731. Laura Reardon
732. Seth Migdail
733. Deniece Smith
734. Frank L. Topping. Without a vote by the Mental Health Board I have to write as a private citizen. HOWEVER, as stipulated by the CA W&I Code we are to advise the Board of Supervisors and educate the public on all maters affecting the Mental Health System in Sacramento County. Frank L. Topping, Secretary, Sacramento County Mental Health Board. Member: Sacramento County Mental Health Services Act Steering Committee, Representing Older Adults and Veterans with Serious Mental Illness I was the very first client in the Turning Point Homeless Intervention Program and have personally received services from Loaves and Fishes, Volunteers of America, Sacramento Self Help Housing, El Hogar, Sierra Elder Wellness and Salvation Army. I have known at least 8 people who have died of accidental causes under the absolute best of care -- further reduction of services in the area of Mental Health will result in needless deaths as the most desperate and frail among us are deprived needed medication and services. Especially now, in tough economic times, we have many from the middle class including Older Adults and Veterans coming to the system in temporary crisis who can be restored again to being healthy, productive members of our community able to work with us and help solve problems as functional neighbors instead of being a needless and expensive drain on resources. Helping rebuild the community instead of condemning the most needy among us to lives revolving around interface with super-expensive services like Emergency Rooms and Law Enforcement is indeed the wise choice without a doubt. Please remember the horror the Mentally Ill Homeless face nightly on the streets. With Sacramento Steps Forward and other positive steps we are making the strides necessary to keep failures obviated by "Tent Cities" from once again being national news. We have so much to be proud of and you've worked so hard. Please don't throw it all away. Respectfully, Frank L. Topping, Public Information Secretary, Sacramento county Mental Health Board Member: Mental health Services Act Steering Committee (Older Adults & Veterans) MHSAsc Ad-hoc AB-34/2034 Housing Crisis Workgroup MHSAsc Workforce Education & Training Taskforce HSCC / Inter-agency Ten Year Plan - Sacramento Steps Forward / Front Door Committee Sacramento Veteran's Stand Down -
2009 Tent Leader: "Papa Tent" (participant - '07, '09) MHSAsc 2010 Charter Review Committee
735. Greg Simon
736. Kristi Schiele. Mental Health services are important ! I have no one to help me. For me, I have had a life time of depression and abuse and need to learn how not to get into these types of relationships. (learned from my childhood) I need to learn self-esteem, boundaries and assertiveness ... so abuse will never happen again.
737. verna clark .I am currently deployed with the army, however on my return I would like to have security with my job. Mental Health issues are not going away.Sacramento should think smarter and get on the band wagon to prevent tradegies that could have been prevented.Dont get me started on money that is wasted on sending VIP's on trips, wasting our tax dollars.
738. sandie fultom-olds. sandra Fulton-olds
739. Jeanne Templeman. As a clinical nurse specialist in psych/mental health, a licensed clinical social worker, and university educator, I've seen community and hospital based services to consumers shrivel to the point that our most vulnerable are not safe. The safety of providers who try to care for consumers is also compromised due to lack of resources, & inadequate qualified staff. Our correctional system is overflowing--many of the incarcerated are people who should otherwise be treated through services that are being cut. The increase in morbidity and mortality will translate to a negative fiscal outcome as well. Further cuts to mental health spells danger.
740. Catherine Connell.NO MORE CUTS IN MENTAL HEATH SERVICS IN SACRAMENTO
741. Kathryn Kleinman. I am the Director of a busy mental health program for the homeless at Loaves & Fishes. We have already seen the detrimental impact caused by recent cuts in mental health services. To eliminate mental health programs is to increase both the jail population and the emergency rooms, both of which are overwhelmed now. It would be a disaster for consumers, and for the entire city of Sacramento.
742. joyce reid
743. Christina Scott Citrus. I have watched my family memebers deal with Mental illness and the lack or resources. It is so disheartening to see those you love struggle because there is no funding, or they little to know money for medication. We need to helkp those that can not help themselves. Respectfully submitted, a loving sister, daughter and friend~
744. Patricia Pavone . Reduction in vital services currently provided by contractors in order to save county jobs is not a reasonable option unless the county can provide the same level of services at the same or lower cost. This is not the case. Inadequate treatment of mentally ill individuals who are willing to seek treatment is a huge mistake, as it will cause more people to become chronically ill and create more situations that require crisis intervention which is extremely expensive for the county and the community.
745. Linda Bratcher
746. Robin Maitino
747. Danny Fang
748. Jessica Johnson. Additional Mental Health cuts would affect a large amount of sacramento county citizens. Most of the mental health consumers rely on county services for medication services, rehabilitation, and housing services as well. With the proposed cuts coming (elimination of the RSTS and TCORE, many of these consumers would lose their housing, employment and mental health stability. These cuts would effect just more then the mental health consumers; their families will be faced with extra burdens, employees would lose workers, hospitals will be even MORE crowded (since MHTC has lost 1/2 its beds). Im just not sure how these cuts will save the county money. Up front, yes it could help fiscally, however, in my opinion; it will cost the county substantially more to provide care for these consumers and their families.
749. Megan Gage
750. Sharon King. i think its a dang outrage that they are cutting the mental health services this is riduclious, these people must be clueless or can really care less how important it is to have programs such as TCORE and other mental health services. All you have to do is watch the news and see how it is impacting the community NOW. People are using drugs and have breakdwons and this can cause people to do things that they normally wouldnt do if they had services or medicaton and linked with a doctor. I guess the Board of superviosors wont get it until something happens to them and they see how important it is to keep these services when the jial become even more crowded with menatl cleints and the communicty starts to suffers from more criminal acts that will surely follow these people need mental health services and need to stay liked with a docotor and given medicaton and have somewhere to turn to stay as normal as possible.tHE STATE OF CALIFORNIA is in for a rude awakening and espceailly SACRAMENTO we are truly under bad guidence here and NEED someone to stand up and say this is wrong and find a better way to deal with this We as a people have to do it because the GOVERNMENT COULD OBVILOUSLY CARE LESS. Its like when Rgen had releaseall those menatl health people years ago fro the STATE hopital and shut it down given people a check and setting them free and there where crimes and alot of menatl insane causeing crimes and then the re opned the hospital seeing that it wasnt a smart move letting those poeple go with no services. WHY MUST WE AS A PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LET HISTORY REPEAT IT SELF AND NOT LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES?
751. Gary Parent. Thank You for the 2009 Hereo of Public Service Resolution. My comment on this subject is one so simple that we all know the correct answer. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There is a component of HIV we must not overlook mental health is prevention and Substance abuse includes mental health services. Thanks again.
752. Robin Carter
753. candace furlong, RN. As a Registered Nurse, and previous member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, I am deeply concerned about the cuts in mental health funding in our county, as I know you are. We must take a stand and not sacrifice these persons. Please consider alternate funding and /or private contractors. Cutting more services will be disaster for many.
754. Doug Maxwell
755. karen brockopp. I understand the need for budget cuts. Is the county using the available funds to assist individuals in the most cost-effective ways possible OR is the MAIN GOAL TO SAVE COUNTY JOBS???
756. john warren
757. John Merical.Short-sighted and poor decisions created one of the worst morgage crissis in this country in our lifetime. Making further mental health cuts in Sacramento County to our our most vulnerable populations will only create more cost and downtime to law enforcement and other first responders who are currently unable to respond to all the demand for services. Houses have burned, crime victims are left to fend for themselves, homelessness, gangs & drugs, crime, truancies, runaway & homeless youth (both male & female) sexual exploitation continues to be ignored. Another train on the same tracks as the morgage crisis. Don't punish those who need your advocatcy the most.
758. George Ehrlick
759. Lisa Long. There are other ways to balance the budget of the Division of Mental Health Services. Delay the 5.5 million dollars in raises to county empolyees negotiated by their union five years ago. When contract employees are replaced by county employees, pay them the contract salary rate. Invite "for profit" organizations whose sales/costs will be impacted by reductions in mental health care to manage this change on the front end instead of reacting to it on the back end. Medical hospitals and pharmaceutical companies would be a good start. We are counting on you, our representatives, to be as creative as your constituents are when we balance our own budgets at home. We don't just send family members out to the street. We take what we have and make it work.
760. Emily Brayton. Thank you for the work that you do. I know you have been a supporter of mental health services. As you know, Sacramento County is in a budget crisis. People with mental illness who have access to good care in the outpatient setting have a much better chance of not relapsing. Relapsing causes people to be hospitalized and in some instances be taken to jail which costs much more than outpatient treatment. Closing the contracted clinics and shifting people to county clinics or no clinic at all will result in much more additional cost. Please take action and keep the outpatient clinics open. Rethink the intrepretation of Measure 71J. With county dollars you can employ 2 county employees to 5 contracted employees. You can serve more people with mental illness by keeping the contracted clinics open. Closing them is a "pennywise, pound foolish idea."
761. Elizabeth Rollin.
762. Chelsea Markell. I receive services from Northgate Point and cannot imagine what my life would be like without my psychiatrist and support team. I need my doctor, my medication and the support I get there to live my life, to live a life. I cannot manage my illnesses without them. In addition to the increased costs mentioned, do not forget to keep in mind the scores of people you will have returning to their addictions in place of medication and the suicides-the human tragedy could be immense.
763. Julie Cropper LCSW. I wouldn't let my dog suffer like I see people that suffer from menral illness, I have many concerns of non-compliance, the sigma of mental illness, most importantly the lack of resources. We must all do our parts.
764. Shane Antrobus
765. Douglas.
766. Don Welch
767. Elysa Prince. We are so focused on cutting costs now that we are not thinking about our future. Cuts to the mental health budgets not only will result in increased costs to our emergency medical treatments but also to prisons and other institutions that will be used as the backup for the places we are shutting down. Instead of perpetuating the problem by cutting money to a population not as able to speak for themselves as others, we should be allocating more money towards early interventions and treatments. We should be pro active, not reactive. Why is it that when I think about the people making these decisions I imagine a room full of toddlers with big red buttons to push, impulsive and only worried about the immediate things, not able to proccess and plan for even 5 minutes ahead. Our future lies in the hands of the people and/or consumers of which will be hugely effected by this. Our focus should be to guide our future by making sure the people leading it will be healthy, proactive, dedicated, empathetic, and humane individuals. There is absolutely no sense made in all of this. Sure it will free up some money now, but the domino effect it will have on our economy will be majorly detrimental. Costs to service these needs (which will still be there even if the money isn't) are going to rise atronomically, causing us much more strife in the future, then what will we do?
768. Coleman Toner .Would you not treat diabetes, heart disease, cancer, HIV ? Why not treat Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder as chronically severe medical conditions ?
769. Lillian Laree Washington
770: Name not displayed, It will be a downward arrow to decrease mental health services in Sacramento County. Issues of assaults and break ins increase without services for drug and alcohol addicted people, thus more strain on law enforcement budgets and burnout for officers. Those needing treatment are made to suffer their illnesses if they cannot pay out of pocket for all of their needs. These expenses are prohibitive for the majority of patients. And, let's not forget compassion for those who suffer. Mental illness is not visible like broken legs. Thus, the mentally ill seem to be in a minority to all who are unaware of the statistics. Not so. Sweeping the mentally ill under the carpet will have a backlash.Please consider the suffering attached when decisions are made to cut services. We can do without another boulevard or tree until the economy improves. This negative precedent would have long term consequences for
771:Rudy Kaslofski, I come from a family of mental health issues, and the opportunities provided to us has been well appreciated, and highly needed. I'm sure there are many families out there that need these benefits as much as we have. Cutting off these benefits would be more destructive than cutting down school funding.
772: Phyllis Hanniver
773:Sandra Wyatt. I come from a family of mental health issues, and the opportunities provided to us has been well appreciated, and highly needed. I'm sure there are many families out there that need these benefits as much as we have. Cutting off these benefits would be more destructive than cutting down school funding.
774: Shelley Clark
775: Nick Jacoby
776: Melissa Planas
777: Name not displayed