Tue, Feb 18, 2003 (9:10 a.m.)

Gov. Kenny Guinn, during his first term, restored some of the many cuts that were made to the state's mental health system in the 1990s. Now, in the first year of his second term, Guinn wants to build on that record. Guinn, in the budget he is proposing to the 2003 Legislature, recommends that the state's Mental Health and Development Services division receive a 32 percent increase over the next two years. Still, it's easy to see, even with the recent progress that has been made, why our state has a long way to go. Carlos Brandenburg, administrator of the state's mental health division, told a joint Senate-Assembly budget committee on Monday that currently half of the people who have severe mental health problems can't receive treatment in Nevada when they seek it. Often what happens, Brandenburg explained, is that mentally ill patients spend 48 hours in e mergency rooms of local hospitals before a state employee can get there to help them with their problems. That means that r! oughly 25,000 people aren't receiving prompt mental health care that they need. Guinn wants to build a new $32 million mental health hospital in Southern Nevada to help alleviate the situation. Compared to other states, we're barely getting by. Nevada ranks 43rd in the percentage of public psychiatric beds.

It's not, however, just about providing enough money for government-run facilities. There are a number of private residential support homes and community training centers that offer important services for people who have mental disabilities. But these groups have only been given rate increases three times in the last 10 years. One study from last year showed that residential support homes should be given a 37 percent increase and community training centers a 33 percent increase. Such a sharp increase isn't likely, but Guinn is recommending reasonable hikes nonetheless: a 7 percent increase in January followed by an 8 percent increase the next year.

It may be tempting for some state lawmakers to gut funding for mental health because there is no powerful constituency behind these programs. And because the mentally ill don't have a voice, they have to rely on state policymakers to lend theirs. Guinn has done his part to help those Nevadans who need mental health assistance. Now it's up to the 63 state legislators to do their part, by approving the governor's mental health budget.