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ACTION ALERT!!
NAMI Pennsylvania Call to Action
On State Budget
NAMI PA Executive Director Jim Jordan and
PCPA (Pennsylvania Community Providers Association)
and other advocacy groups speaking at a rally at the Capitol on budgetary
concerns.
Dear NAMI PA Board Members, Affiliate Presidents, Members
and Friends:
Currently, the state budget is being debated by the legislature
and the Governor’s office. As proposed, there will be cuts to funding
which will devastate services for individuals and families. Cuts have
been made by both the Governor and Members of the Senate. If these cuts
are allowed to become the final budget there will be a serious and negative
impact on families and consumers with mental illness. In addition, the
impact will be felt by families and all persons with disabilities.
We need your help in educating both the Members of the
Senate and the Governor so that they will make changes that restore the
safety net for these vulnerable populations which include persons with
mental illness.
We are asking for leadership and compassion from the Governor and the
Legislature! We need support from both political parties.
The next 30 days are critical.
We are providing contact information which will help you
to set meetings with your legislators in their local offices.
Note: it is important that your legislators know
you as constituents who vote. We also ask that you call, write letters
and send email messages requesting a change that will restore the cuts!
A sample letter you can configure to your needs is part of this packet.
Below are points of etiquette, talking points and an overview
of the cuts so that you will be informed as you make contact with your
representatives. I apologize in advance for the amount of material
we have provided. We think this will be helpful in preparing for the contacts
and meetings. Please call our office for assistance if needed.
It will help us tremendously if you keep our office
informed of your contacts including sharing copies of your letters and
email messages. We need to work together for the best impact on our leaders.
Hundreds of concerned citizens gathered
at the State Capitol to
advocate restoration of budget cuts.
Suggested Actions for Affiliate Presidents
and Members:
Letters:
Contact the Governor, your State Representative and your State Senator.
1. Contact by mail- please sign
and mail the letters. Note: We have included letters that can be
sent as is or you may modify to reflect your specific concerns. It is
important that our message be consistent, and so we ask that changes
be minor, if possible. The primary objective is to make as many contacts
as possible raising our concern to both the governor and your local
representatives.
2. Distribute this packet letters to your friends and members of the
advocacy community. Please stress the importance of using the letters.
Note: letters may be sent by fax, regular mail and by email.
3. Go to our website at http://www.namipa.org/legislativealertformletter.html
to submit a letter by email.
4. Make copies of this packet, including the letters, and distribute
it to your affiliate members and network and ask for their participation.
5. Please make a note of any direct contact which results in a response.
It is important to share the feedback from these contacts with our office
by email or using our 800-223-0500
number.
Local Meetings with Legislators:
The importance of direct contact with legislators in their districts
cannot be overstated. Legislators are very responsive to their constituents
who are knowledgeable about their actions and pending legislation. The
impact of the proposed budget cuts on families and consumers, if allowed
to become permanent, will be very negative. Note: below we provide talking
points about the impact on families and consumers.
The following actions are suggested for Affiliate Presidents:
1. If possible, select three to five members of your affiliate
to form a team. This team will attend local meetings with legislators.
2. Appoint a team leader who will lead the discussion when meetings
are set.
3. Meet with the team to rehearse meetings so that team members do not
compete with one another in meetings with legislators.
4. Assign a team member to take notes so that follow up, if requested
is timely.
5. Make sure your team understands that bi-partisan support is essential
if changes are to be made.
6. Personal political views should be left at home!
7. When participating in your meeting, ask for support in restoring
cuts that are currently in the budget.
8. Urgent! Contact Legislators offices by phone to set up a meeting.
9. Important! Agree to a meeting even if the meeting will be with a
staff person. Note: treat this person as if you are speaking with the
Legislator.
10. Take talking points and a letter with you to the meeting. Also,
please take information about NAMI and your Affiliate including times
for the monthly meetings and leave with the Legislator.
11. Take notes and communicate with our office. The feedback is extremely
important.
12. Call prior to the meeting if you need assistance. Speak directly
with either Ellen Kitz or Chuck
Hamilton
Contact information for the Governor and your Legislators is http://www.namipa.org/legislativealertformletter.html
. To contact the state office call us at 800-223-0500 or make contact
through email at nami-pa@nami.org.
Etiquette for Meeting with Your Legislators
The message most important to get across: We are part
of the state office of NAMI. Our affiliate is comprised of members from
your district and we are here to discuss some concerns we have with proposed
cuts in the budget.
• Be Polite
o It sometimes doesn’t matter what you say, and it almost always
matters how you say it.
o Never be rude: in person or in correspondence; particularly in email.
• Be the Voice of Reason
o Practice patience and kindness.
o Do not debate issues.
o Rise up to shake hands first and give a business/calling card.
o Practice giving and accepting sincere compliments.
o This is not a one time visit. Be respectful.
• Be Effective
o When a question is asked, the person who would best answer should
respond. Note: this person should be selected in advance.
o Don’t monopolize; share the floor! Listen carefully to the information
being expressed by the legislator or person you are meeting.
o If you cannot answer a question, it is OK to say “I don’t
know” and we will get back to you with information.”
General Talking Points
These talking points are intended to help prepare the affiliate
team that will meet with legislators. It will be important to remember
that our focus will not be political. We need support from both political
parties.
• Mental Illness is not a political disease. Rather it is an equal
opportunity disease.
• There are no natural or manmade barriers which will protect one
from this disease.
• It is an equal opportunity disease. It is a disease that affects
the wealthy, the poor, members of all races, and educational and economic
backgrounds. It respects no religion, ethnic group or political party.
• One of the ways that historians measure the greatness of a society
is by looking at the way it’s leaders care for their most vulnerable
members.
• A sign of a great society is a society that has compassion for
those most in need of support and services.
• We are making an appeal for leadership and compassion.
• There is a need for a partnership in these times of great stress
and hardship in our communities. The disability community as a whole may
be negatively impacted by this budget.
• The needs of the disabilities community will not disappear.
• NAMI, like the rest of the disabilities community, is comprised
of persons from both political parties.
• We understand the importance and the wisdom that drives our political
system, but we must ask for a partnership that controls this system for
the sake of those who are in need.
• This partnership must come from the executive and legislative
branches of state government. It must be that the Governor and the legislative
leadership work together to protect and serve this vulnerable population.
• Cuts in behavioral health services do not really save the state
money or its citizen’s money.
Let’s take a quick look at the potential impact of proposed cuts
if they are permitted to become the final budget:
Detailed Budget Talking Points:
Created 5/13/09
Last week the PA State Senate passed a budget bill (SB 850) that would
slash the community and state hospital budgets. Specifically, the budget
makes the following cuts:
• Community mental health budget is reduced by $9.789M; this cut
is in addition to the Governor’s proposed 2% decrease. State hospitals
are also funded under this allocation.
• Behavioral Health Services Initiative (BHSI ) is reduced by 24
percent ($13M)
A reduction to the community mental health budget of almost $10M will
result in cutting off community services to over 4,000 individuals. The
BHSI reduction will eliminate services to 2,761 individuals with mental
illness and 7,500 individuals in need of substance abuse treatment. Without
BHSI funding, persons in need of behavioral health treatment who do not
qualify for Medical Assistance will lose a critical lifeline to services.
1) Budget Cuts Increase Costs for Care
Cutting funding for behavioral health services does not mean that the
persons in need will just go away. When they are denied services that
support their recovery, they are likely to utilize other services that
are more costly and less effective, such as corrections, homeless shelters,
and emergency rooms.
2) Individuals Seeking Services for the First Time Will Be Turned
Away
These proposed budget cuts come at a time when community programs are
documenting a growing number of people seeking treatment because they
are unemployed and without insurance; are veterans coming back from the
war; or are people experiencing significant and increased anxiety over
economic instability.
3) Counties Will Bear Burden of Cuts
SB 850 avoids a state tax increase. Since the need and costs will remain,
county government will be forced to raise taxes to fill the gap.
4) State Hospitals Will Restrict Admissions
State hospitals will be forced to restrict admission and reduce existing
services
5) The State’s Commitment to Community Integration for People
Who Have Mental Illnesses Will Be Broken.
• Individuals discharged from state hospitals will not get the promised
support. The state will be unable to fulfill its ongoing commitment to
the persons who were discharged as part of the closures of Harrisburg
and Mayview State Hospitals. The majority of these men and women are living
successfully in their communities with supports and services funded by
the community mental health services funding
• Mental health courts will not be implemented. OMHSAS cannot move
forward on expanding mental health courts, which have been demonstrated
as an effective method of redirecting persons away from inappropriate
incarceration and toward successful reintegration into the community.
6) Behavioral healthcare providers will reduce services. Without
adequate funding providers will lay off experienced employees and reduce
services. This impacts not just the quantity of available services but
the quality.
7) Rainy Day Fund. The nationwide economic slowdown has
resulted in a serious revenue shortfall in Pennsylvania. There is a Rainy
Day Fund of $750 million and the Governor proposed to use $375 million
of the fund to fill some of the shortfall. The Senate eliminated that
money from their budget and is opposed to using any of the Rainy Day Fund.
It is not just raining, it is pouring in Pennsylvania so any final budget
must include a portion of the Rainy Day Fund for essential government
services.
8) Essential Government Services. Behavioral health services
are essential state services. In a very difficult economic environment
elected officials must make tough decisions and eliminate or significantly
reduce funding for non-essential programs. We contend that the state’s
responsibility to provide a safety net for vulnerable populations certainly
includes the provision of mental health and substance abuse services.
Some Facts:
• Community programs are documenting a growing number of individuals
seeking treatment. This is caused by a number of factors including a depressed
economy, increased unemployment, war and it’s impact on families
and soldiers, general uncertainty and accompanying stress and rumors and
reports of pending pandemics like the swine flu or H1NI virus.
• Disabilities affect 54 million Americans or 1 in 6 people. This
is 16% or 1.8 million people in Pennsylvania.
• Mental Illnesses affect 20% of our population each year. (Surgeon
General’s Report)
• Severe Mental Illnesses, approximately 5 to 6% of the population,
devastate the lives of up to 600,000 individuals and families in Pennsylvania.
• There are up to 3% of People with an Intellectual Disability in
PA. This is over 300,000 people.
• May is National Mental Health Month.
• March is Pennsylvania’s Disability Awareness Month (Governor’s
Proclamation)
• Populations affected by cuts to services:
o 600,000 Persons with a Mental Illness
o 300,000 Persons with an Intellectual Disability
o Thousands of Veterans in Pennsylvania
Impact on Families and Consumers and Communities
The importance of restoring proposed cuts cannot be overstated. The following
are a few examples of the impact these cuts will have on families, consumers
and communities.
• Cuts in the state budget will result in a shift in financial cost
to families already strapped to provide support and services.
• Cuts in state support will also result in an increase in the non-
financial responsibility of families to care and support their loved ones.
• Cutting services for Pennsylvanians with Mental Illnesses is devastating
to their recovery.
• Cuts in the state budget will result in a shift of cost and responsibility
to counties.
• Emergency rooms and community hospitals will face increasing demands
for services.
• Waiting time for services in communities will increase.
• Persons expecting services in communities because of state hospital
closures will receive reduced support based on cuts to counties to provide
these services.
• There will be increased shifts into the Criminal Justice System.
Both county jails and state corrections centers are already experiencing
the increasing burden of growing demands. They are becoming points for
treatment as a last resort.
• Expanding mental health courts may be stopped.
• There will be an increase in homelessness.
Some Populations Affected
• Unemployed and recently unemployed
• Some families and consumers currently receiving services
• Returning veterans and their families
• Families of persons with mental Illnesses
• People with mental illnesses who are on waiting list for services
• County Jails and the State Corrections system.
It is our hope that the Governor and the Legislature will come
together as partners to ensure that the safety net for the disabilities
community and those with Mental illness remains in place.
Thank you for the tremendous effort you will be making on this
important issue!
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