Massachusetts lays off 100 case managers for people with mental illnesses; 3,000 clients affected

From The Boston Globe:

The state Department of Mental Health, facing a more than $9 million cut in its budget, today began laying off nearly one-quarter of the case managers who supervise people with severe mental illness and make sure they get the services they need.

About 100 case managers received their pink slips today or will get them tomorrow, said John Labaki, president of the Department of Mental Health chapter of local 509 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents state case managers, clinical social workers, and others.

The state estimates that more than 3,000 clients are losing their case managers, and a department spokeswoman said these clients will be shifted to other case managers among the remaining 350.

"It's going to be a big loss to them," Labaki said, "and remember, they are very vulnerable. We don't know for sure how it will end up for them -- they may end up back in the street, back in the hospital or, unfortunately, back in prison."

Kristina Barry, spokeswoman for the Department of Mental Health, said, "Case management is still very vital and highly valued at the Department of Mental Health, and it's our intention that the services continue to be provided.

"These are challenging times for the Department of Mental Health and all the agencies in state government, so unfortunately a difficult decision had to be made," she said.

The mental health cuts and layoffs are part of $1 billion in budget cuts that Governor Deval Patrick is making in response to revenues lost in the economic crisis. Further cuts are expected, and advocates say that people with mental illness have been hit so hard by the cuts so far that they should be spared next time.

"We feel that the first round of cuts is disproportionate for mental health and are adamant that that the next round of cuts should spare mental health consumers," said Toby Fisher, policy director of the National Alliance of Mental Illness of Massachusetts.