Mental health centers struggle with more need

In the midst of all the debate about health-care reform at the federal and state level and ongoing attempts to balance the state budget, concern about adequate funding for mental health services has been little more than a quiet voice in the background.

But local mental health treatment officials say they’re worried that further trimming of state spending for mental health programs – particularly community-based public programs – will result in deep cuts in staffing, fewer clients being helped and more people slipping through the cracks and possibly into incarceration where the cost of care to the taxpayer is much higher.

Wayne…