Cuts to HHS and the tragic shooting in Carson City

Carson City -- A tragic event happened Tuesday in Carson City.  A mentally ill Nevadan opened fire in a public restaurant and parking lot.  People died during this rampage, including uniformed members of Nevada's National Guard, as did the shooter.  That afternoon, PLAN’s Economic Justice Committee along with the Human Services Network and the Nevada Values Coalition heard the results of the cuts to State services from the 2011 Legislative Session by Michael Willden, Director of the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. 

In spite of growing the Human Services budget from $5.6 billion in 2011 to $6.2 billion in 2012, many services had to be either eliminated or shifted to the counties.  The growth of Federal dollars allowed Nevada to cut general fund dollars to 31% of the total.  With caseloads rising, services have to be provided by fewer state workers thus creating tremendous burnout and long waiting times.  

Solutions tended to be a result of shifting responsibilities and dollars.  Programs (that had general funds before) had to be either eliminated or funded by various non related pots of money.  Real solutions were not an option.  Programs which had to be eliminated included the Family to Family program, Tobacco Cessation programs, Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse grants through TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), Emergency Assistance to the counties, Mental Health Outreach to Seniors, Public Health Trust Fund, Psychosocial Rehabilitation services and Senior Property Tax Assistance.

The most disturbing outcome of these cutbacks is the resulting increase in the waiting lists for most state services, including Autism programs, Traumatic Brain Injury programs, Family Preservation programs, Home and Community Based programs for seniors and the disabled, Child Care assistance, Early Intervention Services for children, alcohol and drug treatment for women and children, mental health beds, youth training centers and the energy assistance program.  

Now is not the time to cut thse vital services but to expand them. The cuts made at the 2011 Legislature and the shrinking of government will only create more problems for us. Nevada will only continue to drop in every indicator of well being if we proceed on this path.  

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Jan Gilbert

PLAN's Northern Nevada Coordinator

jgilbert@planevada.org