A new report shows that Virginia has cut its mental health spending by $38.5 million between 2009 and 2011, compared to $44.2 million for the District and $26.2 million in Maryland.
The report released Wednesday by the National Alliance on Mental Illness shows that two-thirds of the states cut funds for mental health over the time period; California topped the list at $587.4 million.
Spending dipped 9.1 percent in Virginia, compared to 4 percent in Maryland and 19.1 percent in the District – the sixth-largest drop in the country.
“We have consistently maintained that cutting mental health is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” said Mira Signer, executive director of NAMI Virginia. “Costs get shifted to emergency rooms, schools, police, local courts, jails and prisons. The taxpayer still gets the bill and it often costs more.”
Signer did praise Gov. Bob McDonnell and the General Assembly for appropriating funds in next year’s budget to reverse the trend.
