Message to Legislators on the State Budget

From its inception, the League of Women Voters has worked for equal rights and social reforms. The League’s longstanding social policy goals are to secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all, to promote social and economic justice, and to protect the health and safety of all Americans.

LWVTN is especially concerned about the welfare of vulnerable Tennesseans in the current financial crisis and the consequences of dismantling a less than adequate infrastructure of social services due to related budget constraints. We urge legislators to consider the devastating impact on their constituents of reduced funding for vital public programs that serve children, families, and persons with mental health disorders.

BACKGROUND

· Tennessee is facing record deficits due to the economic downturn, but has managed to accumulate a substantial rainy day fund, and many feel that it is certainly raining.

· In his proposed Budget, the Governor wisely continued funding for many essential programs in the state’s child welfare, education, health, human services, juvenile justice, mental health, and disability systems. Nevertheless, vital programs have not been sufficiently funded.

· If not restored, proposed cuts in TennCare services will have a long-term, devastating impact on enrollees and hospitals, and will sharply extend chronic underfunding of behavioral health services.

· Funding reductions of this magnitude will also seriously erode the foundation of public-private and state-local partnerships forged over 20 years to implement these essential services.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. We request that the Legislature approve the Governor’s Budget, which continues funding for programs including:

EDUCATION – Coordinated School Health and Safe Schools

MENTAL HEALTH – Children’s Community Services, Behavioral Health Safety Net Services, Community Mental Recovery Services, and Alcohol & Drug Community Services

CHILDREN – Juvenile Justice Community Grants, Children’s Advocacy Centers, Relative Caregiver Program, and Home Visitation Services

HEALTH – Federally Qualified Health Centers

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES – Family Support Services

2. We request that the Legislature approve the Hospital Coverage Fee (SB 3528/HB 3310) proposed by the Tennessee Hospital Association to fund TennCare services. A significant portion of projected Budget cuts are slated to come from reductions in benefits that TennCare enrollees receive. The hospital coverage fee will restore $659 million (in state and federal dollars) to the TennCare program. If these funds are not restored, hospitals (especially public and rural hospitals) will surely have to close and TennCare benefits will be severely cut.

3. We request that the Legislature restore funding for essential TennCare services not covered by the Hospital Fee, ensuring that public hospitals in Tennessee can continue to provide services.

4. We request that the Legislature support the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coalition’s $7.3 million budget amendment to maintain important mental health services, including Peer Support Centers across Tennessee.