Officials disturbed by mental health funding

Jan. 21--CLINTON -- Clinton County Supervisor Shawn Hamerlinck continued to raise concern about the lack of mental health funding for Clinton County at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

At last week's meeting, Hamerlinck warned the county about the effects of what could happen if the Iowa Legislature does not follow through on its funding promises. Hamerlinck continued that the governor does not plan to follow through with the funds for mental health in the county, which could cause problems in future budgets, particularly in 2017.

"I got a message back from Russell Wood, he's the head of the Mental Health Association for a county such as ours," Hamerlinck said. "He said not that it's a surprise but the governor did not identify the $30 million in equalization funds. That's when the money is backfilled into the regionalization districts. This was supposed to be used to save us money and is now not being put in. Additionally, on top of that, Director Palmer identified that the $10 million that was used to offset the redistribution to the regions for Medicaid is not going to be funded. As a result of that plus other items we're going to be under-funded in the current governor's budget by $46 million."

When the counties switched to regionalization, they were promised that there would be no harm for the county, according to Hamerlinck. With the state legislature operating under a two-year budget, the worry for Hamerlinck is how the county will provide mental health services with a lack of necessary funds.

"Just think about this, the governor is using a two-year budget," Hamerlinck said. "Both years that $46 million is removed. That's a huge gap that counties like this one now have to make up. As a result of that, we got a report back that you're going to essentially end up with waiting lists and we have to pull it out of our general fund."

While attending the new officer training school in Des Moines last week, Supervisors Vice Chairman Dan Srp heard concerns about how the state has a tendency to not follow through with promises.

"One of the overriding themes was the state's trend currently of leaving mandates in place but withdrawing funding," Srp said. "That's something that the counties have identified as a trend. They feel that it's going to continue to increase as a problem and present itself and the burden will continue to increase."

Hamerlinck added that if the state has a mandate but does not fund it, what they are really doing is taxing the county.

"It's an unfunded mandate. If you mandate it but you don't fund it, it's a tax upon the local community."

On top of that, the proposal calls for two of the four mental health facilities in Iowa to be closed. One of the sites, located in Mount Pleasant, offers certain services that the other facilities are unable to provide.

"That facility, specifically, has some unique services that the other three do not have," Srp said. "And so that being one of them that's being eliminated is really causing some additional concerns."

With the mental health facilities possibly closing, Hamerlinck confirmed the savings will be returned to the county of origin. However, Hamerlinck continued that the savings will go to the state but not the county. This will require the county to use money in the general fund.

"Is there going to be a savings? Yes, to the state," Hamerlinck said. "Is there going to be a savings to the county? No, unless they backfill that dollar amount I told you. You see the state can say we're healthy as long as they don't follow through with their responsibilities. There's absolutely no savings to the county, if anything. It all falls ultimately on your general fund. And if they don't backfill it it's a direct tax increase off the general fund and the state did it. I just want to make sure everyone understands that. Or you have a waiting list but no matter what it still falls on the general fund because they end up in the sheriff's department."

Herald Staff Writer John Rohlf can be reached at jrohlf@clintonherald.com.

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