March 16, 2004

NAMI PARITY ALERT .... Click here

BUDGET ADVOCACY NEEDED

Gov. James E. McGreevey has proposed a record $26.3 billion spending plan for next year that includes higher spending on an array of programs and $625 million in new or higher taxes and fees. With an election year approaching and with revenues now on the upswing, the governor is proposing increases in state and municipal aid and wants to add funds to a program that freezes property taxes for senior citizens. His plan proposes the most significant increases in three years for school and municipal aid, and higher education. Social service programs would see significant increases if the Governor's plan is approved, with the biggest, $125 million, earmarked for the state's embattled child welfare agency.

The Governor's proposed budget contains both increases and cost controls that will affect persons with a serious mental illness.  Among these are the following:

• Redirection II .  The budget includes an increase of 7.4 million (3.4 million to annualize programs begun in the current year and 4 million to be invested in new community programs. This will bring total funding for the Redirection II to $30,125,000.

• Community Provider Contracts .  Following a year with no increase the budget includes a 1% increase (COLA) to community mental health agencies. T he mental health portion of the proposed COLA amounts to $3,435,000, far short of the $13,812,000 needed to fully fund these programs. NAMI NEW JERSEY is advocated for a full 4 percent COLA for mental health services.

• Child Behavioral Health Services ( previously named the Partnership for Children)

The budget includes an increase of $37 million for behavioral health services to children. These funds will enable the program to expand community-based services including mobile response, youth case management, intensive in-community services and behavioral assistance. 

§ Prescription Co-Payments .  The budget includes the addition of a $2.00 co-payment capped at $10/month/person for all medications for those enrolled in Medicaid Fee for Service and General Assistance.

§ State psychiatric hospitals . The budget reflects a $2.834 million decrease from last year. This relates to reduced overtime expenditures through the hiring of 315 permanent part-time staff and other consolidation efficiencies.

§ New Jersey Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged & Disabled (PAAD)  The budget proposes the full funding of the program that provides medication to the aged and disabled.

 

ACTION REQUIRED: NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTACT OUR LEGISLATORS

The New Jersey Senate and Assembly Budget Committees are meeting to finalize the new state budget.   Although we have lived with subsistence budgets over the past few years, the collective effect of this austerity has left the mental health system teetering on the brink.  Now that the state's fiscal condition is showing signs of improvement we need to fight for adequate funding for services to people with a mental illness while holding on to the successes advocacy has achieved. 

When contacting legislators let them know:

• Staff shortages and long waits for needed mental health treatment are commonplace due to a chronic lack of investment in our mental health system.  Nothing short of a full 4% COLA can begin to nurse the mental health system back to health .

• Constraints on the access to medications are penny wise and pound foolish.  Co-payments will discourage people with a mental illness from taking needed medication and lead to increased hospitalizations. 

• It is imperative that the $7.4 million dollar increase in funding for Redirection II be maintained in order to reduce the overcrowding at our state psychiatric hospitals and to develop desperately needed community mental health services.

• Families have fought long and hard for the Partnership for Children, a family centered integrated approach to children with special emotional needs.  We support the $37 million dollar increase for the continued growth of this program.

Write to the following chairmen of the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees:

Senator Wayne R. Bryant

501 Cooper Street

Camden , NJ 08102-1240

(856) 757-0552

SenBryant@njleg.org

Assemblyman Louis Greenwald

231 Route 70 East

Cherry Hill , NJ 08034-2421

(856) 428-3343

AsmGreenwald@njleg.org

Write to the following committee members if you reside in their district.   You can find your legislator at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp or (800) 792-8630.

SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

Wayne Bryant, Sharpe James, Martha Bark, Anthony Bucco, Barbara Buono, Joseph Coniglio, Glenn Cunningham, Walter Kavanaugh, Thomas Kean, Bernard Kenny, Leonard Lance, Robert Littell,

Paul Sarlo, Stephen Sweeney, Shirley Turner

ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMITTEE

Louis Greenwald, William D Payne, Francis Blee, Joseph Cryan, Linda Greenstein, Joseph Malone, Alison Littell McHose, Kevin J.O'Toole, Joan Quigley, Joseph Vas, Bonnie Watson Coleman