Del. Dave Albo continues to completely miss the boat when it comes to addressing the problems exposed by the Virginia Tech slayings. This week, Del. Dave Albo said he is planning some "legislative fixes" to the state's mental health laws because of many of the anticipated changes. That's nice. Some of that is needed. But so is something else - MONEY.This week, one study came out regarding the failures of the Commonwealth's mental health system. What was their conclusion? Well, the Washington Post mentioned it in this story with the inconspicuous title of "Grim Findings in Va. Tech Probe."
James W. Stewart III, inspector general for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, issued his findings after a six-week investigation into Virginia Tech killer Seung Hui Cho's interaction with mental health professionals before his April 16 campus rampage. . . .
In testimony before the panel, Stewart said it often takes more than a month for someone to receive court-ordered or voluntary counseling for a declared mental illness. Stewart attributed the lag in part to a lack of funding. According to the report, more than half of community mental health providers say they have less capacity today than they did a decade ago.
"The underlying factor here is the resources available at which to provide a full range of community mental health services are inadequate," Stewart told reporters after giving testimony at George Mason University. "We do not have an adequate enough range and comprehensiveness within that service system to assure we prevent crises and we intervene effectively during crises."
Grim Findings in Va. Tech Probe, Washington Post, B01 (June 12, 2007).
"The bottom line is that NoVa needs at least $300 Million more per year in addition to what has already been proposed, and the existing gas tax will not deliver it. If I was Governor, I would deliver $400-500 Million by cutting spending in our core service areas of government. But I am not Governor."
- Del. Dave Albo In Letter to Constituents
Del. Dave Albo leads the floor fight to kick 1,900 poor kids out of childcare to use General Fund money for roads.
AMG, Albo Wants Kids Back on WelfareRepublicans refuse to appropriate $18M from the General Fund to get childcare for 10,600 kids because they need the money for transportation.
AMG, Albo Wants Kids Back on Welfare
"Sen. Charles Hawkins, R-Chatham, voted against [Albo's 2007 Transportation Funding] bill, saying it "leaves much to be desired in many ways." Hawkins said the amended bill still relies too much on debt, drains too much money from the general fund and provides an insufficient fix for transportation."
Kaine Gets Transportation Funds, Roanoke Times, 4/5/07.
Joke #1 - This is a General Fund Raid
Delegate Dave Albo should be boasting that this is the biggest General Fund raid in history. The most of the General Assembly's "funding" is (a) "capitalizing" "surpluses" (turning it into bonded debt) and (b) taking existing revenues and dumping them into the Transportation Trust Fund.
AMG - Albo Kicks and Misses Wide RightDel. Dave Albo votes to cut $120,000,000 from the General Fund by cutting the Estate Tax for Virginia's wealthiest families.
AMG, Letters to the Editor #3 - Robbin the Hood for Middleburg
was out on the street because of this guy:
Grover Norquist, Chair Americans for Tax Relief
Author of No Tax Pledge Signed by Delegate Dave Albo
Hey Delegate Dave Albo - we were wondering if you would let that tax pledge thing slide just this once so we could prevent some more mass murders?
But the public availability of mental health services, which might have helped the 18-year-old gunman, Michael W. Kennedy, remains the same, experts said. Kennedy was killed in a shootout with police that afternoon....But the situation for mentally ill civilians is unchanged. Kennedy's parents said they had difficulty getting help for their son, and even after the Virginia Tech shootings involving another mentally ill person, "we're still dealing with families that can't get anybody to respond," said Mary Zdanowicz of the Treatment Advocacy Center in Arlington. She noted that there has been no increase in beds to treat the seriously mentally ill. ARTICLE HERE
How many people have to die before the General Assembly does something about properly funding the General Fund or the Washington Post calls out the General Assembly on this?
We can't afford to mow the grass, people aren't getting needed treatment, kids are getting kicked out of childcare, GOP candidates are talking about taking MORE from the General Fund to pay for roads while they decapitate what few GOP moderate are left - what has to happen for the People of Virginia to stage a revolt to the current leadership in Richmond?