Daily News

Office costs trump children’s program
Lynn Bonner, Staff Writer

Weeks after setting aside more money than ever to care for North Carolina’s mentally ill, the state is cutting $6 million used to help emotionally disturbed children so it can pay local administrative costs.

The money provides short-term care that keeps children out of group homes and helps parents who need advice on getting cooperation among social workers, school officials and other government agencies, said Connie Hawkins, executive director of the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center, based in Mecklenburg County.

"These kinds of silent cuts are just eroding the ability to do what we need to do," she said.

Legislators this summer approved an additional $80 million to treat mentally ill people and drug addicts, pay for housing for the disabled and expand community mental health services. It was the largest single-year increase for mental health programs since the state started overhauling the mental health system in 2001.

But the $6 million increase that was to go to severely emotionally disturbed children not eligible for Medicaid will be diverted. The state will spend $24.5 million instead of $30.5 million.

Community groups statewide are struggling to scale back plans to fit budgets that are suddenly smaller.

"It makes no sense," said Mark Sullivan, executive director of the Mental Health Association in Orange County. He said that the state knew it had to pay these administrative bills and should have devised a way to do it other than cutting money that was intended to help children. (more…)

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