Pubdate: Mon, 17 Feb 2003
Source: Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN)
Copyright: 2003 The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Contact:  http://www.knoxnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/226
Author: Anita Bertrand
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

MENTAL HEALTH CARE NEEDED IN DETERMINING BUDGET

The latest roller-coaster TennCare dilemma concerning the status of 200,000 
enrollees is high on drama and low on common sense, especially when it 
comes to providing mental health services to consumers.

Regardless of the decision the courts ultimately make about TennCare, 
Tennessee must make every effort to provide treatment to adults and 
children with severe mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders.

These Tennessee citizens face acute challenges such as schizophrenia, major 
depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism and drug addiction.

In cases of substance abuse, TennCare as it currently operates isn't 
meeting the needs of the patients it serves, even for those patients who 
survive the latest roll call and remain eligible for the program.

 >From a financial perspective, the state usually winds up footing the bill 
for these tragedies, which costs much more than providing preventive 
treatment before crises emerge.

Even worse, the emotional and physical toll on individuals' lives is far 
more taxing than anything the state pays in such instances.

A significant number of adults and children facing the challenges of mental 
illness and substance abuse in Tennessee are people from low-income 
backgrounds, the exact population TennCare was established to care for.

They cannot afford the assistance they need without the program.

Our state's budget crisis is legitimate and complicated, but a solution 
must not come at the expense of the state's most vulnerable citizens.

The Tennessee Coalition for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services 
urges the state not to let mental health and substance abuse care become 
the latest casualties of the state's budget battle.

The war against mental illness and substance abuse is one we can't afford 
to lose.

ANITA BERTRAND
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager