The health cuts would reduce mental-health treatment beds by 232, take 5 percent in funds from community service boards that offer substance abuse and mental health treatment programs, and freeze enrollment for a program that provides insurance to low-income children...
...They include reducing Medicaid eligibility for those in long-term care, such as nursing homes, which could affect 2,000 Virginians.
Robert Vaughn, staff director for the House Appropriations Committee, said McDonnell has suggested reducing eligibility for Medicaid programs -- state- and federal-funded programs for low-income and disabled people managed by the state. Virginia already has some of the toughest eligibility requirements in the nation.
In other words, aside from the huge cuts to schools funding, which is being screamed about elsewhere, McDonnell is trying to balance the budget on the backs of the states most vulnerable, elderly, impoverished, and ill.
These also reflect funds that, in many cases, the federal government MATCHES. So for every dollar cut from the state, we lose two, and sometimes three times that amount.
That's mean, Governor McDonnell. Mean in both the cruel sense and the stingy sense. Others have called the Governor out on his not even having the courage to publicly discuss his budget, so I won't talk about it more here.
Normally, I'm a "okay! Let's roll up our sleeves and get 'er done!" sort of person, but this is looking a bit like the Hydra. Everytime we think we can keep providing services despite cuts, we see more cuts. And more. And more. Well, we've got a CSB meeting tomorrow evening. Maybe we'll come up with something.
Speaking of, the deadline to apply for Community Services Board vacancies is February 26. Come serve with me on the CSB!
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