…to hate Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California:
A nationally lauded program that has helped thousands of mentally ill homeless men and women break the cycle of psychiatric hospitalization, jail time and street life is now on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s list of budget cuts.
Many misinformed Republicans and Rednecks (they go hand in hand, really) have this notion that homelessness and poverty are caused by laziness. In the mean time, people who are actually fighting the War on Poverty (a war started by none other than the best president ever, FDR) know the real causes to poverty. Sickness, low wages, too much wealth in the hands of the few, a Republican party run-government, rising gas prices and, of course, MENTAL ILLNESS (one of the largest causes, as well as the most important to address).
So why would we cut the funding of a program that addresses mental illness and helps get human beings off the streets? Because we’re being screwed by another Republican! Integrated Services for Homeless Adults With Serious Mental Illness receives $55 million dollars annually, according to the article in the LA times, “Gov. Seeks to Cut Mental Health Services for the Homeless.” Apparently, the Governor needs to close a $3 billion dollar gap in our budget. So it only makes sense to close that gap by cutting funding to a program that actually saves the tax payers millions and saves lives as well.
Well, the Republicans can fall back on their worn out mantra- “Them people jus’ need a take some ‘sponsability fer there lifes and git a real job.” But, you see, that has never gotten results. The Integrated Services for Homeless Adults With Serious Mental Illness however, has seen great results. As a pilot project in 1999, the ISHAWSMI (not it’s official acronym) took 1,000 people from LA, Stanislaus and Sacramento counties and gave them stabilized housing and guidance. Within 6 months the program reported a “75% reduction in hospitalization and significant declines in time spent on the street or in jail”. The next step was to get state-wide funding with Proposition 63, passed in 2004.
How can a Governor get away with this? Proposition 63 prohibits the State from cutting funds for mental health services. But, since the Governor isn’t cutting the funds below 2004 levels he can get away with putting thousands of mentally ill people on the street where they cannot receive the support they need, be it counseling, medication, or just the ability to call somewhere ‘home.’ This latter service is the corner stone to combating mental illness. I guess ol’ Schwarzy just can’t understand that. And who is going to pay when these people end up back in jail, rehab, prison or dead? Taxpayers. The blood of these people are on your hands, Arnold. And real Americans will foot the bill.
So what does this program do that makes it so vital? Instead of only treating mental illness or only treating homelessness, this programs treats all these aspects. Before this program was begun, mental health patients were only treated for specific issues.
Services had previously been rigidly targeted to addressing one component of a client’s problems — mental illness, for example, or addiction or housing. But many severely mentally ill people needed coordinated help that addressed a host of problems.
The new funds allowed counties to treat the whole person, starting with the notion that stable housing is key to wellness. Substance abuse, chronic medical conditions, job training and education — all are managed along with psychiatric needs in a centralized way, tailored to each individual.
The Governor himself has praised the approach this program takes its results. So now he wants the same results with less money. That’s so like a Republican.
