Friday, February 18, 2005

Mental health funding cuts could devastate some (Missouri) St. Joseph News-Press story - "Numbers never cry. And they don’t feel. Their job is to impassively state the facts. And these are the facts. Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt’s budget proposal calls for more than $40 million in cuts from the Missouri Department of Mental Health. If this proposal becomes fact, thousands of Missourians who rely on psychiatric services and alcohol and drug treatment programs would be stranded without treatment. Many trapped on an island between incarceration and death."  
  

Mental health parity bill advances (Iowa) Des Moines Register story - "Legislation is advancing to require that insurance companies provide the same kind of coverage for mental illness as physical ailments, giving hope to supporters that this may finally be the year for progress on the issue. A House committee on Thursday endorsed such legislation, which leaders say could have enough traction to make it into law. The bill goes to the full chamber for debate."