What if your loved one needed a community mental health program?

by Kathie Prieve

Fortunately, there are a variety of mental health services to meet the needs of people with a serious mental illness. However, finding mental health services for your loved one is a difficult task and we know this will become more challenging in the next year.

The legislature has proposed cuts to Minnesota Health Care Programs and all Adult Mental Health grants and if enacted, would mean Vail Place could receive a 10-25% cut in Clubhouse Community Support funding. A funding loss of $100,000 – $250,000 would result in reduced hours and services for our members.

 In addition, many members would have reduced access to health care and community mental health programs.

For example, Philip was able to move from Minnesota Care and received Medical Assistance in March, which pays for his medications, doctor visits, hospitalizations and community mental health services such as case management. The proposed legislative changes would not allow Philip to receive Medical Assistance; instead he would receive a small grant from the State, which he would use to purchase a private health insurance policy with a $3,000 deductible, which would be impossible to pay on his limited income. In addition, the insurance would not cover all psychiatric medications or community mental health services such as case management. 

The legislature will be making difficult financial decisions this session. We know mental health services will be cut; we just don’t know how deep the cuts will go.  That’s why it is so important for you to continue to contact your legislators and ask them not to cut mental health services.  You may not know that 1 out of 5 people will be affected by a mental illness; contacting your legislator will help maintain services for Vail Place members, and could help your co-worker, friend, neighbor, or loved one who may need mental health services in the future.