ideastream Focus on Mental Health: Funding Community Mental Health: Tim Hagan

Since local funding for mental health services is a relatively new thing, county leaders are still working out the best way to handle it. In some places, like Lorain County, separate levies have been constructed just for mental health services. Other counties, like Cuyahoga, divert money from omnibus health and human service funds. In fact, Cuyahoga County's commissioners will ask voters to approve 4.9 mils for health and Human Services May 6th, 2003. From time to time, consumers and providers have wondered why Cuyahoga County never gave mental health its own levy. With such a large caseload, and many people with serious disturbances, some believe the mental health board would be better served by a stable, separate funding source. Recently, ideastream's April Baer called former Cuyahoga County commissioner Tim Hagan to talk about why this hasn't been done.