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Florida 50th out of 51 in Mental Health Funding

July 24th, 2012 by Mike Vasilinda

Mental health funding in Florida ranks 50th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only Texas spends less per resident on mental health than the Sunshine State, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, Floridians are paying the price in other ways.

Large numbers of veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. They are also finding delays in getting treatment. Mark Alvarez is the commander of VFW post 3308. He believes that as many as 40 percent coming home are feeling the effects of combat.

“They’re very quiet, you know, very edgy sometimes,” Alvarez said. “They lose their focus at times.”

A swamped Veterans Administration is the first place for those seeking help to turn. After that, it is private or state programs. The problem is that Florida ranks 50th out of 50 states and the District of Columba in mental health funding. Experts says the state is losing ground.

“If they’re not in an acute situation or a crisis, they often have to go without care or wait a long time to get it,” Bob Sharp with the Florida Council for Community Mental Health said.

With long waits for services or no place to turn, those with problems become homeless, get in trouble, or both, ending up at expensive emergency rooms or state prison.

“The cost for prisons, health care, emergency department is a lot more than what we would pay for outpatient treatment,” Sharp said.

More than half the money the state spends on mental health goes to keeping people locked up, not helping them before they need to be institutionalized.

Posted in Mental Health, State Budget, State News, Veterans | 8 Comments »

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