NAMI Releases National Report: State Mental Health Budget Cuts: A National Crisis Arlington, VA -March 9, 2010 State Mental Health Budget Cuts: A National Crisis  is the first one to date that takes a close, comprehensive look at the impact of state mental health cuts nationwide in fiscal years 2009 to 2011. Two thirds of states have cut mental health care in the last three years-even though need has increased because of the nation's economic distress and troops returning home from war, according to a report released today by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Seventeen states managed to increase mental health budgets during the same three years. For 10 of them, the increases totaled four percent or less. "State mental health cuts are a national crisis," said NAMI Executive Director Michael J. Fitzpatrick. "Some states are trying to hold the line or make progress, but most are cutting deep. This stands in contrast to the intense national concern about the mental health care system following the Arizona tragedy two months ago."    For all states, budget pressure is getting worse. This pressure includes loss of enhanced federal Medicaid support that expires in June 2011.    Wyoming cut mental health by $3.1 million in state mental health funding over that last three years . That's 2.9 percent.   Mental health cuts are penny-wise and pound foolish.  These costs get shifted to emergency rooms, schools, police, local courts, jails and prisons and taxpayers still have to pay the bill.  Cuts also mean that clinics, crisis centers, and hospitals get closed.  Admissions are frozen and emergency room visits increase.   Mental health cuts mean people don't get the right help in the right place at the right time.  Communities suffer.  Families break under the strain.  People end up on the streets or dead.   This report can be read online at www.nami.org/budgetcuts. The website has detailed state-by-state data.     Recommendations The report makes five priority recommendations for every state. 1 Protect and strength mental health programs while tying funding to performance. 2 Maintain adequate hospital beds for psychiatric care and treatment. 3 Invest in early detection and intervention of mental illness in both youth and adults. 4 Implement mental health screenings and assessment programs. 5 Support widespread peer, family and public education about mental illness. Wyoming