GOV. WANTS MORE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

posted by Michael Chihak

The 2012-13 state budget proposal from Gov. Jan Brewer's office calls for additional resources for behavioral health care.

The amounts are small but worth mentioning because in this space last week -- read it here -- yours truly pointed out that the state had done nothing to improve resources for mental health services in the year since the Jan. 8, 2011 Tucson shooting tragedy.

Brewer's proposed budget includes $2.5 million this fiscal year and $7 million next fiscal year for the Arizona State Hospital and $38.5 million next fiscal year for behavioral health services.

The latter figure allows the state to meet its obligations to the "seriously mentally ill" as defined in a 1981 court case whose effect was suspended in 2010 by mutual agreement because of the state's budget crisis. That suspension expires June 30, and thus the governor is recommending reinstatement of the funding.