Florida Council for Community Mental Health

Budget Update

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The House and Senate finally addressed the Health and Human Services appropriations issues with good news for mental health and substance abuse providers and advocates. With much late night deliberations the conference committee met this morning around 9:00 a.m. and announced that there were no cuts to mental health or substance abuse community funding.

Below are as much of the details as can be determined at this time:

Mental Health:

Children’s Mental Health- fully funded with $3,584,380 shifted to non-recurring

Baker Act - fully funded

IDP - fully funded

Adult Community Mental Health - fully funded but approximately $27 million of recurring general revenue shifted to non-recurring. (This was after last year’s non-recurring was fully restored.)

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Projects: $15,682,018 - fully funded with recurring general revenue (Includes $489,000 of new project funding).

Substance Abuse:

Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse – fully funded with $6,960,000 shifted to non-recurring

Adult Substance Abuse - fully funded with $8,140,000 shifted to non-recurring

Criminal Justice Grants: $3,000,000 funded

Forensic Hospitals: Reduction of 82 Forensic beds and a 7% ($14,501,589) reduction

Civil Hospitals: 10% reduction in civil hospitals ($9,371,569)

Sexual Predators Program: ($2,000,000) reduction

DCF Administration: ($20,348,951)/273 FTE reduction

Mental Health Administration: ($3,149,690)/47 FTE reduction

Substance Abuse Administration: ($2,108,482)/32 FTE reduction

Other areas of HHS:

Medically Needy and Meds Ad: Fully funded

Hospitals: 12% Medicaid rate reduction

Children’s Hospitals: 4% Medicaid rate reduction

Nursing Homes: 6.5% Medicaid rate reduction

Developmental Disabilities: 4% rate reduction – 2011 deficit funded at $54 million

Other News:

Regulatory Relief: The Council’s regulatory relief bills (SB 1366 and HB 959) moved closer to passage. The House took up SB 1366 on the Floor today and moved it to 3^rd Reading. It is anticipated the SB 1366 will pass tomorrow and sent to the Governor.

Medicaid Reform: There is no information regarding whether the legislature will attempt Reform this session; however both the House Bill and the Senate Bill are on the Senate calendar and technically could be taken up at any time.

The Appropriations Bill is in the process of being “printed”. Once everything is typed into the bill the bill will be electronically emailed to all legislators. Once the bill hits the desk the 72 hour countdown to Sine Die will begin. The bill will include proviso however there are several conforming bills that also impact state spending. The conforming bills do not have to sit for 72 hours and can be amended until the end. Once we have a copy of the Appropriations Bill we will provide your more detail.