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Bremen
resident Darlene Davis is one of many clients experiencing -- first-hand
the disadvantages of budget cuts being made at the Fairfield Mental Health
Consumer Group/Our Place.
The
agency is funded primarily through the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental
Health Services Board. Since November's levy defeat, ADAMH has reduced the
agency's budget by $46,387.
Each of
ADAMH's six contracting agencies have made cuts by eliminating staff
positions, freezing salaries, eliminating non-Medicaid services and
cutting back.
Besides
Fairfield Medical Center, whose services now are provided by New Horizons,
the Fairfield Mental Health Consumer Group/Our Place, is the only
contracting agency that doesn't bill for Medicaid.
The
agency's consumer board voted to sell their van that cost $15,000 to
operate last year and let one part-time position go.
Davis
used to be a driver on the agency's van.
"Coming
to the center and driving the van gave me the satisfaction of helping
others -- it helped me so much," Davis said. "I would like to see us get
the van back, because a lot of people aren't able to come and receive
resources anymore."
"We
can't go to the Ohio State Fair, or to downtown Logan to go shopping
anymore," Davis said.
Instead,
Davis and others have to find their own way to the center.
"It's
hard to get into town. A lot of people live out of town," she said. "I
live in a group home and the group home operators bring us in now."
Paul
Bennett, also of Bremen, said he too has a hard time getting to the
center.
"I get
brought in by the group home, but they're busy and bring us in when they
can," Bennett said. "I'm deeply bothered they had to sell the van. I can't
go to the Logan Wal-Mart or Target. I hope we get another van -- I really
miss it."
"The
people I live with bring me in. I really don't like the cutbacks, because
now we're without a van," said Tim Heft, who served on the van's safety
committee. Heft also lives in Bremen.
With
many of the clients coming from villages outside of Lancaster such as
Bremen, Pleasantville and Thurston, the loss of the van is taking its
toll.
"Our
consumers don't come as often as they did before when they were being
picked up by the van," said Janet Galligan, executive director of the
agency. "We have the same people, but they may come twice a week."
Before
this, consumers came every day.
"There's
no way to know if we'll get another van," Galligan said. "We're hoping we
can at some point. We'd love to, but it's just too cost prohibitive for us
to do that right now."
Davis,
who suffers from depression and anxiety, said she is very concerned about
what will happen next if budget cuts continue to stream down to the agency
and other agencies, such as New Horizons, where she receives services as
well.
"Coming
here really helps keep my depression and anxiety under control," she said.
"You don't have to wait three months to talk to a counselor -- they're
here every day, whereas I have to wait three months to talk to a counselor
or doctor at New Horizons.
"The way
things are going, people aren't coming here as much anymore," she said.
"The people who come to Our Place have become like a family for a lot of
people. A lot of people aren't close to their own families and this is
their family."
(This is
the third part of a series on mental health)
Originally published Wednesday, August 13, 2003 |
