S A M P L E L E T T E R
March 6, 2012
Hon. Matthew D. Bradford
1846 Markley Street
Norristown, PA 19401-2904
Re: Governor Corbett’s Budget
Dear Honorable Bradford:
I am writing to you on behalf of myself, people I work with, people I work for, family and friends. The Governor’s proposed budget cuts to mental health, $120 million and substance abuse services an additional $10 million are of an astronomical amount and would be devastating to the whole community. I urge you not to support these cuts.
The people I work with, for and myself need our services. I used Central’s partial program and lived with Hedwig House and went to their program at a time when I was so sick I didn’t think I’d ever get better and had no where else to turn. I kept on going and after a while I improved. My therapist at the time said “you don’t get better by staying at home”. I made friends with someone I lived with. I quit smoking with the help of a support group at Hedwig House, improving my life greatly. Now I’ve been working for seven and a half years starting out with a volunteer job Hedwig House helped me get.
Without community supports people would not have the tools to thrive and the whole community would suffer. There is an example of this in the 1960’s deinstitutionalization where people wandered the streets, were homeless, ended up in jail and crammed emergency rooms, much more costly interventions
Governor Corbett also wants to make the mental health budget with a block grant, please oppose such a draconian measure also. People using the services, their families and advocates all agree that doing do would throw services into turmoil. It is not necessary and is even against the law, which I’m sure you’ve heard the state is planning to change. If it’s against the law then surely it must be obvious that it did not work before and was never a good idea.
All these changes are being done with out input from stakeholders a promise broken from Governor Corbett who said he would have a transparent and open government. Absolutely essential to the success of the mental health community and substance abuse systems is the commitment to the motto “Nothing about us without us”. How might I ask can you run a successful system without input and feedback from stakeholders, it just doesn’t make sense and from experience it doesn’t work!
Mental illness happens and it’s a big problem for all, especially for those suffering. I am urging you not to support Governor Corbett on his huge budget cuts and outdated theories i.e. block grants, for finding solutions to such serious and important issues.
Sincerely,