We welcomed the month with a signed CA State budget. And by all accounts – loaded with some very hard decisions. Lot’s of cuts and reductions – how could we not? But of course there will be some trickle downs - and families feeling it here in our community …
In San Diego County, there are some great outreach campaigns for mental health. It raises awareness – and with yet another murder-suicide incident – it’s timely. BUT mental health programs are getting trimmed significantly – with possible more to come. So where will families go for help?
South County’s only runaway and homeless shelter for youth is temporarily suspended. No more funds. Casa Nuestra – a haven for almost 20 years for shelter, crisis counseling, and when possible family reunification – is not available for local families. South Bay Community Services has temporarily changed the population turning Casa Nuestra into a foster youth transitional housing – creative and appropriate as many homeless youth are or should have been foster youth. But yet it leaves South County short … the closest help for families and teens’ needing help during troubling times is in downtown San Diego.
And there are many more effects– childcare, elderly and disabled, higher education … and on.
Unfortunately, CA budget is also based on monies that aren’t actually guaranteed. So, it’s like budgeting your home finances for the year based on a possible large bonus or raise. Remember “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”? Luckily that story ended up okay – Clark Griswold apparently got his pool …
We may just see more cuts.
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