Support Adequate and Sustainable Funding for Community Mental Health Services

Pennsylvania Association of County Administrators of Mental Health and Developmental Services (PACA MH/DS) an affiliate of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) has created a PETITION regarding advocating for an increase in mental health county base funding. Base funds help support counties fund an array of services. Specifically the children’s services this funding helps to support is:

• Student Assistance Programs (SAP)
• Family Based Mental Health Services (FBMHS) if the youth identified to receive such services does not have insurance
• Targeted Case Management (TCM) if the youth identified to receive such services does not have insurance
• Outpatient Therapy if the youth identified to receive such service does not have insurance or does not have adequate insurance coverage
• Crisis Services

These funds also support adult mental health services the counties offer (Community Residential Rehabilitation (CRR – mental health housing), outpatient, crisis). With supporting an increase to this funding, you would not only be advocating for the youth services listed, but would be advocating for services many of these youths family members/support system may be receiving. PCCYFS would like to see an increase in adult services the county provides funding for because most likely, the adults well-being, and mental health has an effect on the youth and families. If the adults mental health concerns are being served adequately though county base funding to providers, hopefully it would prevent youth from needing mental health services or cut down on utilization.

Right now, Governor Wolf proposed a $36.6 million increase to county mental health base funding. This increase needs to be supported but realistically is not enough for the counties to be able to expand services or raise wages for staff. Any support is welcomed to show appreciation for the increase and to advocate for more funds to be allocated in order to be able to do more than maintain programs, but to grow and expand.