Committee boosts mental hygiene-retardation budgets by $10.6 million

Monday, June 2, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

The budgets were among more than 70 finalized by the Ways and Means Committee in its first weekend session of the 1997 legislative session.

With federal funds included, the total budget for mental hygiene and mental retardation programs would jump from $67.5 million in 1996 to $85.3 million in 1998 and $92.3 million in 1999.

"The major issue not initially addressed in the executive budget dealt with inadequate funding to meet caseload demands for medications plus insufficient funding to provide the newer and safer medication for state clients," said Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, who headed a subcommittee on mental health.

The most dramatic difference is in the medications, which will cost the state $5.8 million more over the biennium.

"The new medications have far fewer side effects - some of which can be permanent - and they are not lethal if a client overutilizes their medications," said Chowning, D-Las Vegas.

But that means medications which cost the state pennies a day or as little as $2 a month are being replaced with medications that cost up to $285 a month for anti-psychotics and $75 a month for antidepressants.

But Chowning said the medications would help the state save money in the long run.

Expanding mental-health services to take care of an estimated 300 people now on waiting lists will add another $3.5 million to the budget over the coming two years. Chowning said while the governor's budget adds some staff, the waiting lists would continue to grow without an infusion of cash to hire more workers.

The budget also includes $634,874 to establish a pilot program to serve 72 severely mentally ill clients in southern Nevada. The purpose of the program is to keep those clients from having to be institutionalized.

The budget includes staffing and operational costs for a 12-bed expansion of Lakes Crossing, the state's hospital-prison for mentally ill and dangerous criminal offenders. That will bring the center to 48 beds.

It also funds clinics in Mesquite and Pahrump in southern Nevada.