Pubdate: Thu, 01 Jun 2006
Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC)
Copyright: 2006 The Herald-Sun
Contact:  http://www.herald-sun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428
Author: Gregory Phillips
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

MENTAL HEALTH MONEY SOUGHT TO FIGHT DRUG ABUSE

DURHAM -- To kick off an initiative to combat drug abuse, local 
mental health officials are asking Durham County for more than 
$500,000 in the upcoming financial year.

The money would fund the first step in an ambitious 10-year plan with 
a $54 million wish list to address substance abuse in the county.

Wednesday's budget work session was the first time County Manager 
Mike Ruffin and the commissioners had seen the proposal, which mental 
health staff finalized only last week. Ruffin will review it and 
present a funding recommendation to the board at the June 15 work 
session in which he'll also reveal any revisions to his proposed 
schools budget.

The $516,300 request -- a 7.2 percent increase for the Durham Center, 
which manages mental health, substance abuse and developmental 
disabilities services in the county -- includes money to help 
recruit, train and assist substance abuse treatment providers, plus 
money for day treatment programs and supportive housing.

The N.C. Alcohol and Drug Council estimated the cost of substance 
abuse to Durham County at $250 million in 2003. The Durham Center 
used to provide substance abuse treatment directly, but state reforms 
compelled the center to contract with private providers instead. 
Wright said that led to some improvements, but that three of the six 
initial providers are no longer operating in Durham and the remainder 
can't keep pace with demand.

Durham Center Chairman Doug Wright told the County Commissioners an 
estimated 19,000 people are addicted to alcohol or other drugs in 
Durham County. Of those, around 7,000 seek treatment, but only 2,500 
or so are getting it.

Although substance abuse accounts for 23 percent of service provided 
by Durham Center-managed programs in the 2005 fiscal year, only 3 
percent of allocated funding could be used to treat them, Center 
Director Ellen Holliman said.

"We still have a long way to go just to see the 7,000 who will 
actually seek treatment," she said. "This is a very difficult 
population to serve. We've got to find a better way to engage people quickly."

Part of the plan is to address the stigma attached to substance abuse.

"We're dealing with a disease," Wright said. "The people we serve are 
not bad folks; they're sick people. ? Stop saying you understand 
substance abuse is a disease and start funding it like it is."

No funding promises were offered, but there was support for the plan 
on the board.

"We have to begin somewhere," Commissioner Lewis Cheek said. "I hope 
we'll take a very close look at it."

Commissioners Chairwoman Ellen Reckhow, who also serves on the Durham 
Center board, said she wants to see "stronger community involvement" 
in the planning process.

"The feedback I've gotten is that it hasn't necessarily been there," she said.

The commissioners also were concerned that existing resources aren't 
being fully used, including space at the homeless shelter.

"I'm not at all opposed to seeing us move forward," Reckhow said. "I 
want it done right and in as effective and efficient a manner as possible."

During a marathon work session Wednesday, the commissioners also 
received budget pitches from health and social services staff.

Including federal and state funds, social services represents the 
largest single chunk of the county budget because it includes 
Medicaid, 91 percent of which is paid for with federal and state funds.

North Carolina is the only state that requires counties to contribute 
to Medicaid costs. Durham's share is up 8 percent to $11.7 million in 
Ruffin's proposed budget.

Excluding Medicaid, Ruffin is recommending a $390,881 increase in 
county funds for the department. A $516,000 cut the department made 
from its overhead doesn't quite make up for $590,000 in mandated 
increases to other public assistance programs the county is required to fund.

The rest of the increase includes salary increases, and three new 
positions, including two for the call center to enable it to handle more calls.

The health department is set for a $1.66 million increase in county 
money. The new funding will pay for salary increases, an additional 
public health nurse, a dental nutritionist and 15 vehicles in the 
environmental health division, plus a $33,000 to improve the privacy 
of electronic medical records.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman