For
Immediate Release
Contact: Mary Ann Gillis
(425) 349-8122
COUNTY LEADERS CALL FOR STRONGER REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM
MOUNT VERNON -- December 13, 2002 – Four dozen community leaders from Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties are calling for legislative action to advocate for a stronger public mental health system. During a daylong work session earlier this fall, the Community Stakeholder Work Group prepared a four-part position paper that was delivered to state legislators this week. The paper calls for:
·
Adequate
funding for mental health services.
With the state budget process looming ahead of the legislature, the
Community Stakeholder Work Group implores legislators not to cut funding for
direct services to those with mental illness.
The paper also noted that increased regulation in recent years resulted
in duplication of regulatory activity and cost.
·
Parity
of mental health insurance coverage.
Currently, most health insurance plans do not cover mental health care
equally with other health care services. The group backs proposed legislation
this coming session that would provide phased-in mental health insurance parity
over several years.
·
Increased
public awareness and understanding of mental health issues and treatments.
“Parents of children with mental illness are still often blamed for their
diseases. Adults still face prejudice, ignorance and misunderstanding,” the
paper noted.
·
Advocacy
toward more comprehensive mental health care.
Currently, resources and capacity are limited for the public mental
health system to meet the full range of needs.
Early intervention programs, vocational services, housing and
multicultural services are examples of service capacity that is stretched too
thin.
San Juan County Commissioner Rhea Miller participated in the work group out of concern for maintaining mental health services in the San Juans. “What we’re trying to do is create health for the
whole community,” she explained. “If we cut local mental health services, we will only shift costs to more expensive alternatives, such as our criminal justice system, hospitals and emergency rooms; and for us, that includes the cost of transporting people to higher-cost services on the mainland.”
Regional correctional facilities continue to feel the effect of strained capacity. According to jail representatives at the workshop, many of their inmates have mental health problems that could be more appropriately treated in the community mental health system. A recent Coalition for Juvenile Justice report submitted to Congress indicated that 50-75 percent of juveniles who are arrested suffer from mental health problems.
“One person in five suffers from mental illness,” said Larry Harris, President of Community Mental Health Services. “It is simply incomprehensible that this medical fact is not recognized by our lawmakers. To continually under fund mental health services at the state level is clearly false economy, to say nothing of the pain and suffering it brings upon a significant segment in our community."
Harris, along with other members of the Community Mental Health Services board of directors, who organized the workshop, complimented the level of commitment shown by the work group to make the public mental health system an area of priority for state legislators. “The health of our communities is dependent upon a strong coalition of government, schools, businesses and health and social service agencies,” said Jess C. Jamieson, Ph.D., CEO of the agency. “I appreciate the spirit of collaboration shown throughout this region in support of a strong mental health system.”
A listing of the Community Stakeholder Work Group members as well as the position paper created by this group are attached.
Community Mental Health Services (CMHS) is the largest public mental health agency serving Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties. On Dec. 3, the CMHS board of directors voted to merge operations with Compass Health, of Snohomish County, to create greater efficiencies and economies of scale for both agencies. As of Jan. 1 2003, the new combined organization will serve the public mental health needs of the four-county region.
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