Open Letter to Ohio Leadership

Dear Governor Strickland, Senator Harris, Representative Buddish:

The new Ohio Department of Mental Health funding allocation formula will severely diminish the ability for the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County to provide important care to those in need. The County stands to lose $13 million in funding through the new allocation plan, reducing funds received from $42 million to $29 million. Cuyahoga County serves the most people with mental illnesses and emotional disorders of any county in the state. This reduction in funding means:

• Nearly 11,000 of the 36,000 people we help to serve will be without appropriate care.
• Suicide prevention and other mental health crisis services will not be available to all of Cuyahoga County residents on a 24-hour basis.
• 240 of 800 consumers could lose their supportive housing.
• Bed days have a potential of soaring from 85 to 115, which represents an additional $5.7 million burden on the local system for inpatient care.
• Over 1,500 of the nearly 4,500 jobs in the behavioral health field will be lost, creating a severe shortage of services.

This new allocation formula will have a detrimental effect on a large portion of the homeless population of Cuyahoga County. Approximately 30% of the homeless population in the county have some mental disorder. Mental Health Services, Bridgeways, and others provides important services to the homeless by providing them with safe havens where their special needs can be taken care of and where they can learn daily living skills. MHS also provide outreach and support services that are vital to the well being of the homeless living with mental disabilities.

This reduction in funding would be catastrophic to this vulnerable population. The homeless services network in Cuyahoga County will be greatly strained and it will for the local community to fill the hole left by state funding. Either the services will have to be cut and the mentally ill homeless population will have to fend for themselves, or other organizations will have to cut equally important services to help soften the blow. We hope you will reconsider instituting the new funding allocation formula and protect this population that can not afford to loose the services currently being provided.

We know that it is politically unpopular to talk about tax increases in this state, but leaders step forward and take risks. Targeted tax increases that correct some of the fundamental imbalances within our tax structure are needed. The average Ohioan is not overburdened by state income taxes, but they are concerned about property and local taxes. The current state budget will only push the problems of supporting the mentally ill, elderly and health care onto the local community. The decision that each of you make this week are to either fulfill your constitutionally mandated obligation to balance the budget in a just and equitable manner or punt the problems down the line. It is irresponsible and fundamentally dishonest to cut these essential programs and force Cuyahoga County and leaders within the City of Cleveland to find the funds to make up the difference.

Brian Davis
Posts reflect the opinion of those who sign the entry.

Quick Takes

A Few Notes...

Cathy Alexander announced her resignation from the Domestic Violence Center. This is one of the most critical director jobs in the homeless community, and it is important to have the best and brightest director in this position. DVC is the one organization that can effectively remind the community that homelessness can strike anyone including families and middle class women who flee their houses because of violence. Ms. Alexander is going to work for Mental Health Services, because if current trends continue, everyone serving homeless people will eventually be working for Mental Health Services. MHS has taken over nearly all the permanent supportive housing, outdoor feeding, the entry women's shelter, North Point transitional, and much more. So far, I have not heard any concern from public officials that the "Milo Syndicate" of homelessness may be able to corner the market and drive up all prices for providing shelter and services. I am sure that I will be replaced with a kindler, gentler advocate when MHS finally takes over NEOCH.

Peace Activist Memorial

ACLU of Ohio Board member and long time peace activist, Al Stern passed away in the last week. Anyone who worked for peace is a friend to homeless people. The fact that Mr. Stern also worked for the ACLU, a partner of NEOCH on many civil rights lawsuits in the 1990s, makes it necessary for us to mark the passing of such an important activist. With American troops occupying a couple of other countries and the unprecedented assault on individual rights in the United States seen since 2001, this is a horrible time to lose such an important leader in our community. A celebration of Al's life is planned for Saturday, July 13, 2008 at 1 pm with reception to follow, at Fairmount Temple, 23737 Fairmount Blvd. in Beachwood. The friends of the ACLU will gather to share stories, sing songs, and have a great time in memory of a man who worked so hard, for so long, to make this world a better place.

Please RSVP to director(at)acluohio.org. More details will be posted as soon as they are available on the ACLU website.

Police respond to the death of Anthony Waters
Edward Tomba, Deputy Chief of Special Operations of the Cleveland Police did respond to our inquiry about the investigation of the death of Anthony Waters. He said that there were a few witnesses, and that the Police were looking at a group of young people. They had confiscated a bicycle and were processing it. The Police were still investigating and were still dedicating resources to find the attackers. He assured us that he would keep us informed about progress.

Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.