DHHS offsets budget cuts by $15 million

Raleigh, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday it is reallocating $15 million to relieve the impact of budget cuts on the community.

The move comes a day before a coalition of mental health advocates are expected to demand Gov. Bev Perdue call a special session to take care of what they call a state of emergency.

Earlier this year, lawmakers cut DHHS funding by approximately $1.7 billion to help close a $4.6 billion state budget gap.

About $65 million to $75 million of the department's $390 million community services budget was cut.

“DHHS continues to implement reductions in light of the tough budget situation, but at the same time, we are focusing on operating the mental health care system in a more coordinated manner to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of care to North Carolina’s citizens,” Secretary Lanier Cansler said in a statement.

A DHHS spokeswoman said the move was the result of a request from Perdue to minimize the impact of budget cuts.

Opponents of the cuts have argued that thousands of people will likely see a reduction, if not an elimination, to the mental health services they receive. Thousands who provide those services could also be out of work.

Cansler said earlier Tuesday that the agency has implemented approximately a third of budget cuts for this fiscal year and that a majority of the remaining will likely occur in the next 30 to 60 days.

Anytime costs are cut by more than $1.5 billion, Cansler said, the system will be different and the people that depend on it will be affected.

"This is unprecedented with respect to the budget of DHHS. The reductions are historic," he said.

Cansler will speak about the cuts and their impacts Wednesday before a legislative oversight committee on mental health.

The department is trying to do in 90 days what would normally take 18 to 24 months, he said, and mistakes and errors are likely to occur as a result.

"The challenge we have is to try to maintain the level of services to the extent we can with the dollars we have available," he said.

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Unbroken: bless your lil ole heart for being so understanding! I suppose you are unemployed so you can surf & post too??

jjs: I was not complaining that more cuts are necessary. I'm sure most of these services are critical for those who really need them. My point is that 30+ year DHHS employees, according to rumors months ago, were to be cut. I welcomed it, but it did not happen.

Animal Lover
October 14, 2009 1:28 p.m.

I admit there needs to be an overhaul of the majority of the programs, but having family members who depend on some of the services provided, I am disappointed that, once again, the government is shutting out the people who are most dependent on others for survival. How cruel our society has become when we push into a closet those who are mentally or physically disabled. It's not all about food stamps, laziness, or race, it's about human decency and respect, or as we are seeing more and more, the lack of it.

Some of the workers are frustrating to deal with. They become complacent over time, but there are some who truly want to help ensuring basic human dignity for those who cannot help themselves. I am saddened to see more cuts to already strained services and instead would like to see a reorganization of these services.

LaLa-Land
October 14, 2009 11:37 a.m.

I don't worry about these types of situations. I know that all will work out just fine. I know that this recession will end soon and we will all look back on it and laugh. President Obama will see to this. Bev Purdue does not have the faith of a mustard seed. There should be no budget cutting at this time. She needs to cut her own budget for starters. Money is allocated to the wrong places. Get that straight also.