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Lexington County sticks with mental health aid cut

State (Columbia, SC) - 5/27/2015

May 27--LEXINGTON COUNTY SC -- Lexington County Council moved ahead Tuesday with ending a longtime donation to local mental health care despite pleas to restore the aid.

Council members said the donation is no longer affordable with state aid cuts forcing elimination of things not required.

Two mental health advocates warned elimination of the aid could threaten to close emergency services commonly used by people contemplating suicide.

"That funding has got to be there to help," Jennifer Bailey of West Columbia said.

It's vital that such care be available for people "who need somewhere to go," especially to cope with depression, Karen Tingen of Lexington added.

Council members agreed the service is valuable but said it's up to mental health officials to find a way to keep them going.

Taking away the aid is a tough call but "we can't continue to contribute" with the need to improve other services, Councilman Todd Cullum of Cayce said.

County leaders are ending the 35-year-old tradition of extra aid for mental health care.

The $650,000 normally set aside for it is being used to add 10 paramedics as demand for emergency medical care increases across the 758-square-mile county.

Lexington County is one of three among South Carolin's 46 counties that provides more aid for mental health care than required, officials say.

Elimination of the mental health aid is part of a $121.7 million spending plan for the year starting July 1 that received preliminary approval.

A property tax increase of slightly more than $2 on a $100,000 home is included for most county residents to pay for building a half dozen more fire stations.

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