After receiving budget cuts, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) has had to make tough economic decisions which have resulted in programs and services enduring substantial cuts and/or eliminations. Our goal is to ensure that the public mental health system is providing services to those in need in our state. As you are aware, this is becoming increasingly difficult as Mississippi faces the worst financial crisis of our lifetime.

The public mental health system is made up of programs operated by DMH, the 15 CMHC's, and non-profit community mental health providers who receive funding from the state.

In order for DMH to continue providing existing services, in FY12 the agency will need $20 million to pay the state's expected share of Medicaid match for Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) programs, and $17 million to replace the loss of the enhanced federal share of Medicaid.

More than 15,000 individuals have been and will continue to be impacted by the reduction or loss of services such as medication purchases, group homes, case management, halfway houses, crisis intervention, physician services, child development programs, and work activity programs if funds are not restored.

More than 100,000 individuals who served eached year by the Community Mental Health will be impacted if the Legislature is unable to fund the state's expected share of Medicaid match which is 50% of the total match required for the program.

If DMH is forced to eliminate and/or reduce existing services, the impact will affect the entire public mental health system and thousands of Mississippians. The results will be far-reaching and devastating for many of the people depending on the public mental health system for services. This is not a one city or one county problem - this will impact the entire state including your local community.

Before a large cut occurs, DMH's Executive Director and the Board of Mental Health will look to state policy makers for help in deciding what services and programs to eliminate.

You can help by contacting your local legislator and ask them to support funding for the public mental health system.

FY12 Budget Impact Flyer

DMH Letter to the Editor

DMH Letter to Governor Barbour