More Spending on Health Urged Despite Shortfall

SACRAMENTO — Among the unmistakable signs of spring around here, ranking right up there with hay fever and rafting on the American River, are the large groups of anxious-looking people who invade the state Capitol to lobby the Legislature and governor for budget dollars.

On Monday, groups promoting more spending for mental health and nursing home programs served notice that, despite the state’s $2-billion revenue gap, this year will be no different.

If anything, the current budget problem, caused by a massive drop-off in expected income tax revenues, has added a degree of intensity to lobbying efforts that has not existed for several years.

Budget Cuts

Just Friday, Gov. George Deukmejian announced that he will need $450 million in budget cuts and $800 million in tax increases to help balance his proposed $44.5-billion budget for the new fiscal year.

One group, the California Assn. of Health Facilities, responded with a full-page ad in a local newspaper Monday to urge increased state funding for nursing homes. “There may be a budget problem in Sacramento, but that’s no excuse for neglecting on (sic) elderly health care.”

The health facilities group was able to draw about 500 nursing home administrators and nurses from around the state to the Capitol to meet with legislators from their hometowns and plead for extra funding for the Medi-Cal program. Officials said they would like about $120 million in extra state funding.

Meanwhile, in one of the largest demonstrations at the Capitol in recent months, about 2,000 placard-carrying demonstrators seeking a $228-million increase for mental health programs chanted “Just say yes, just say yes,” on the sidewalk below the Assembly chamber, hoping to attract the attention of lawmakers meeting just above them.

They did.

Drown Out Debate

The chanting crowd, members of the California Coalition for Mental Health, at times drowned out the political debate going on two floors above.

Prompted by the crowd’s enthusiasm, a stream of lawmakers went down to lend their moral support and praise the crowd’s vocal ability.

“You can bet your bottom dollar we hear you,” said Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles), chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the author of mental health funding legislation.

Buses full of protesters came from the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Four busloads came from Los Angeles. The Los Angeles contingent left at 10:30 p.m. Sunday and arrived here Monday morning.

Southern California groups joined with contingents from cities in Northern California. They gathered on the steps of the Capitol waving placards and colorful hand-printed signs. The signs said things like, “Treatment Not Warehousing,” “Money Is the Key,” and “Our Kids Hurt.” Some wore T-shirts saying “Mental Illness, Chance Not Choice.”

One of the demonstrators from Los Angeles was Hal Hollister, a member of the steering committee of the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression. He said it was his first demonstration. In an emotional address to the crowd, he related the difficulties of his daughter, a schizophrenic. “We desperately need the support of our Legislature. We need money for rehabilitation. We need money for research,” he said.

Demonstration leaders, whose strongest complaint was that local mental health programs have not received inflation adjustments in either of the governor’s last two budgets, said they were pleased that the governor agreed to meet with some of them later in the month. “The problem may not be solved this year, but if we can get a long-term commitment for increased funding, that would be terrific,” said Susan Mandel, head of a private nonprofit mental health clinic in Pasadena and president of the California Coalition for Mental Health.

Dr. D. Michael O’Connor, head of state mental health programs, said he does not see much chance that the groups will get the increases they want. He said mental health program spending has increased 10% under Deukmejian, but has tapered off in the last two budgets because of competing priorities.