|
by Marvin Coleman
Operation PAR may have to close four
programs, lay-off more than 100 employees and eliminate services to
roughly 2,000 clients if the Florida Department of Corrections
recommendation to eliminate all $37 million dollars of existing
funding for substance abuse programs is accepted by the Florida
Legislature. Should this budget cut happen, it will have far
reaching repercussions devastating some individual treatment
providers by as much as $3.1 million dollars alone. This will
directly impact more than 250 individuals currently receiving
treatment at Operation PAR and thousands more throughout the county
and state treatment systems.
This Florida Department of Corrections
budget reduction is an attempt to cut 10% from the Department's
$3.2 billion dollar budget and will greatly impact Pinellas
County's Adult Drug Court Program and its treatment providers
since funding for the majority of substance abuse treatment is
provided by the Florida Department of Corrections.
According to Florida Department of
Correction representatives, anticipated reductions in the
Legislative Budget for fiscal year 2008-2009 will significantly
impact the department's ability to provide contracted substance
abuse residential and outpatient services for offenders during FY
08-09. Therefore, when Corrections Secretary Walter McNeil appeared
before a Senate committee, and the question was posed to cut 10
percent of the agency's $3.2 billion budget, McNeil reluctantly
suggested cutting $36 million for prisoners, probationers and those
in Drug Court.
"This financially devastates
community-based treatment providers, resulting in a 145-bed
reduction in residential treatment. It also is not cost effective
to the taxpayer since recidivism always ends up costing more than
treatment," said Chief Executive Officer Nancy Hamilton. "This
result is an impact on public safety."
Marvin Coleman is Vice President of
Community Relations, Operation PAR, Inc. Call 727-422-9907.
|
Front Page 
Op-Ed 
