By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Do You Know What’s in Your Pain Pill?
    May 11, 2011
    Depression and Diabetes Linked
    June 23, 2011
    Positive Health and the Heart
    July 28, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Mental Health Cost Cuts Strain Law Enforcement
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Mental Health Cost Cuts Strain Law Enforcement
Health ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Mental Health Cost Cuts Strain Law Enforcement

MichaelDouglas1
Last updated: August 26, 2017 12:33 pm
MichaelDouglas1
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

So-called austerity measures, a strategy in many Republican-dominated state legislatures to control spending, are getting increased attention nationally, spurred by the international news story that is Wisconsin’s budget battle. Within the scope of healthcare-related legislation, budget-specific priorities can come in many flavors. While modifying entitlements (like Medicaid) probably constitutes the best known example for balancing state budgets with respect to health policy, slashing funding for state-employed healthcare organizations and care delivery is increasingly being seen as an easy target for many state governments, many with the potential for significantly negative consequences. In Texas, funding for institutional and community based mental healthcare programs has never been seen as adequate by many mental health proponents there. Those same activists are more concerned than ever that recent cuts in mental healthcare delivery will increase the role of law enforcement in the lives of patients affected by diminished care access. For police officers, sheriff deputies, and other law enforcement personnel, a crash course in mental health crisis intervention is becoming the rule in the Lone Star State. In Washington, cuts to institutional care also add to the burden that will ultimately be placed on taxpayers there to foot the bill for involuntarily committed patients who quite literally have nowhere to go for treatment.

[A] patient who had been civilly committed and previously had threatened his community corrections officer, walked off the grounds at Western State on March 4, fueling concerns among some mental-health and public-safety advocates. They warn that closures and staffing cuts could result in the deterioration of care, potentially endangering patients and the public.

In the realm of ambulatory mental health services, those not qualifying for entitlements under disability rules, for example, can easily “fall through the cracks”, placing further strains on the usual frontline mode of care — the emergency department — propogating the issue of problematic, fractured follow up and further cost of care increases as a result. Whether it be law enforcement, emergency physicians, primary care physicians, or other non-traditional taxpayer subsidized healthcare providers — myriad other disciplines are taking on the new roles of mental healthcare providers, for better or worse, in the age of cuts to essential services in many states. It remains to be seen if reform measures to be implemented in the next two years will increase care access to the relapsed mentally ill or if the priority will be finding a way to simply pay for only the most basic cares for the inevitable backlog in patients some are now beginning to see in states such as Washington and Texas.

TAGGED:health care reformmental health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Is Kathleen Sebelius Listening to the NCPA?

August 29, 2011
ACA dates to know
Health ReformPolicy & Law

Mark Your Calendar: 2014 ACA Dates to Know

January 7, 2014
healthcare elderly
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

The Human Side of the Sequestration

June 19, 2013

Insurer Has E-Security Problem

March 15, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?