Ask Your House Reps to support Amendment #555 to increase Clubhouse funding by $3.5 million

Please ask your House Reps to support Amendment # 555 to increase Clubhouse funding by $3.5 million. The $3.5 million funding boost entailed in a budget amendment sponsored by Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton) would raise clubhouse spending to $22.5 million, according to the coalition. The coalition and other mental health advocates support a $30 million increase in overall Department of Mental Health community services spending, noting $55 million in cuts at the department over the last three years.

DMH-FUNDED CLUBHOUSES SEEK $3.5 MILLION AMENDMENT: Officials from 33 clubhouses that provide services to 8,300 people with mental illnesses say they’ve been flat-funded for 12 years are pressing House leaders this week to add $3.5 million to the annual state budget bill to address “near constant” staff turnover and cutbacks in evening and weekend services. Asked if the pending House budget lived up to Rep. Brian Dempsey’s claim that it maintains essential services, Reva Stein, executive director of the Clubhouse Coalition, told the News Service Tuesday morning, “This is not maintaining essential services.” Clubhouse clients say services they’ve received have helped them avoid being hospitalized and hold down jobs.

Call the State House switchboard at 617-722-2000 and ask to speak to your House Representative. You can also write or email him/her. Click here to find their contact information. If you don’t know who your house representative is, click here to enter your address and find out.