League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
| ||||
 |
|
|||
|
Issue 28 Mental Health Services Levy (Renewal and Increase) Hamilton County 107,723 / 55.25% Yes votes ...... 87,268 / 44.75% No votes
See Also:
Index of all Issues |
||||
| ||||
| Information shown below: Summary | | ||||
|
A renewal of 2.74 mills and an increase of 0.25 mill to constitute a tax for the benefit of the County of Hamilton, Ohio, for the purpose of PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE ALCOHOL, DRUG ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND THE ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, FINANCING, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES at a rate not exceeding two and 99 hundredths (2.99) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to twenty-nine nine-tenths cents ($0.299) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2007, first due in calendar year 2008. A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.
What the Levy will do: This levy supports 40% of the MHSRB Budget and leverages funds for services from federal and state sources including Title XX and Medicaid. 90% of funds are used to contract services for children and adults who are severely mentally ill; 10% covers treatment for mentally ill people with substance abuse addictions, in the criminal justice system or with less serious mental illness. In FY 2006, contracted services were provided by more than 40 agencies. In 2006 over 40,000 adults and children received mental health services funded by the Hamilton County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board:
Background: In 1968, Ohio HB 648 authorized the formation of county-based Community Mental Health Boards throughout Ohio with responsibility for planning, funding, and evaluating outpatient mental health services. In 1988, funding responsibilities for in-patient care for mentally ill were transferred to the county boards. In 1989, under authority granted by Ohio HB 317, the Hamilton County Commissioners established separate Boards of Alcohol and Drug Addictions Services (ADAS) and Mental Health. On October 19, 2006, under authority granted by Ohio HB 530 County Commissioners combined the Community Mental Health Board (CMHB) and the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ADAS) Board to form the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board (MHRSB) to eliminate duplicate administrative overhead and other expenses without a reduction in of services. The net annual savings from the consolidation totals $627,274 with those annual savings committed to service provision for Hamilton County consumers. This levy request focuses on the Mental Health portion of levy dollars and does not include alcohol and drug addiction services. Tax Levy Review Committee Findings: A Tax Levy Review Committee (TLRC) was formed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to provide an independent citizen review on tax levy proposals, to hold public meetings and to present findings and recommendations to the BCC. The TLRC began its review in February 2007. An outside consultant completed a thorough review of MHRSB operations and finances, submitting its report to the TLRC on 5/14/07. The TLRC recommended that the County Commissioners place the proposal on the ballot this year.
|
Official Information News and Analysis
| |||
Hamilton Home Page || About Smart Voter || Feedback
Created: December 19, 2007 17:42 PST
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund http://www.lwvc.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.