Layoff is imminent for 22 mental health workers after the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors approved a tentative list during its Tuesday meeting 4-1, with 5th District Supervisor J. David Colfax dissenting.
Mendocino County Health and Human Services Agency Director Stacy Cryer proposed the layoffs as part of a plan to close a $2 million mental health services budget gap and streamline services.
"We must reduce core, mandated services," Cryer told the board. "We can no longer afford to provide the same level of service as we have in the past."
The list includes a senior program manager, five staff assistants, a "Human Services" worker and a community health worker, a supervising staff assistant, a social work assistant, four client services specialists, a social worker supervisor and two social workers to be laid off Jan. 1; and three clinicians and two client services specialists to be laid off Feb. 1.
During the public comment portion of the discussion, speakers said the county needs to give more credence to trained peer counselors who help mental health clients, generally supported the cuts, questioned what mental health employees make and criticized the county for not making clear the duties of the workers proposed for layoff or the impacts of the proposed cuts.
Cryer's plan also includes revising the Mental Health Services Agency plan to allow for consolidation, cost savings and bringing in more Medi-Cal dollars; decreasing mental health services
in the county jail; analyzing day rehabilitation services; co-locating Alcohol and Other Drug Services for adults with mental health; and cutting out-of-county placements, among others.
Tiffany Revelle can be reached at udjtr@pacific.net, or at 468-3523.
Response to report given to the Board of Supervisors 11/9/10
We all know we inherit the results of these cuts when the consultants return to their own communities. I am currently looking at the elements in MHSA that I think can realistically be accomplished through volunteerism that in all likelihood will not survive the restructuring so we don't lose any more momentum in the dismantle.
Peer Support Recovery based case management can be an effective service and is best practice. It looks to me that some if not many of the peer employees of mental health,that many of the clients depend upon as part of their recovery team, may be on the roster of lay off positions. I am waiting to hear.
I am dedicated to identifying and supporting the steps to make the peer support model HEALTHY and STRONG in this county.
I think that peer specialist courses at our local college like the education training course offered by San Francisco University this past autumn (which was funded by MHSA-Mental Health Services Act) is important. All of this is going to take time, education, job opportunities, consistency and diligence.
The Willits Peer Support Recovery center , Manzanita Healing Hearts,is moving into storage Dec. 1st. at the same time the county is moving our conserved clients from Redwood Valley to Redwood Creek(formerly Redwood Manor) in Willits.
I know personally of a lot of prevention and stabilization that has happened for clients as a result of having that center and it is "closing" at the same time we are moving our clients from Redwood Valley to Willits. The center has not had contract funding for the past two years and has stayed open on a shoestring, volunteerism and admin. being covered through Ukiah. That just doesn't make financial sense to me in the long run if we are looking for prevention services. The Willlits center is hoping to relocate to a new place and is in talks with the county to possibly relocate to the log cabin in the WISC center.
I have hopes that the clinics will continue to become the medical homes for clients and that the long term result of that will be greater access and better health outcomes.
The Mental Health Board began the Crisis Residential Task Force in August of this year understanding there isn't any money but knowing that crisis stabilization preferably in a home like setting is a vital service for the community and one that will save dollars and lives. The next meeting will be November 17th after the Mental Health Board meeting in Fort Bragg. I hope that the voice of the Mental Health Board and the community stakeholders will be listened to as the next cuts will involve the recovery services funded through the Mental Health Services Act but it looks to me like there are few voices being listened to and many who will be deeply effected by these cuts.