NEWS RELEASE
September 16, 1998

Haveman Applauds Agreement on Department of Community Health Budget

Michigan Department of Community Health Director James K. Haveman, Jr., was pleased that agreement has been reached on the 1998-1999 budget for the Department. The members of the Senate and House Conference Committee today signed the Conference Committee report.

"This budget continues our policies to serve the health and well being of Michigan citizens," said Haveman. "More than two million Michigan residents will receive services this year funded in whole or in part through the Department. This budget continues our focus on providing mental health and substance abuse services, caring for our senior citizens and protecting the public health from deadly disease."

The Department of Community Health budget provides funding for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Community Public Health, the Office of Drug Control Policy, the Office of Services to the Aging, Medical Services Administration and the Crime Victim Services Commission.

The budget bill allows the Department to establish a work group to work with the House and Senate to determine the direction of the integration of long term care to assure a comprehensive, seamless plan for the next century for our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and disabled.

Included in the $7.5 billion budget are:

• $15.8 million to expand the Home and Community Based Waiver. This program will allow more seniors to remain in their homes as opposed to going to a nursing home.
• $19.7 million wage increase for Community Mental Health Direct Care Workers.
• $10.6 million wage increase for Nursing Home workers.
• An increase of $2.6 million for Senior Program funding. This will provide assistance to an additional 2,000 individuals and assist them in obtaining services they need to continue their active lives in their own homes.
• An increase of $2.3 million for Local Public Health Operations.
• A $7.4 million Dental Program Increase in order to increase the participation of dentists in the Medicaid program, which will increase dental services to children and adults.
• A $1.9 million increase in Substance Abuse Funding to support treatment activities.
• Restoration of the $8.3 million funding for Graduate Medical Education.
• $1.6 million to fund the Indigent Medical Program, to allow counties, such as Ingham, who plan on implementing an insurance program other than the state medical program to receive the same level of general fund funding that was previously received.

Included in the more than $44 million Healthy Michigan Fund are:

• $500,000 for testing of bovine tuberculosis in Northeastern Michigan,
• $320,000 for diabetes efforts in African American Males,
• $4.6 million for a new program to vaccinate against Hepatitis B,
• $400,000 for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),
• $100,000 for Alzheimer outreach efforts,
• $617,500 for SAFE KIDS to improve child safety,
• $200,000 for fetal alcohol syndrome,
• $750,000 for the "Circle of Life" Palliative Care program,
• $500,000 for Osteoporosis education,
• $100,000 for Genetics Education,
• $100,000 for Antibiotic Resistant Disease Infection and Surveillance.

"Senator Geake has done an outstanding job as Chair of the Conference Committee and I would like to commend him and the members of the Conference Committee for their work on this important budget," concluded Haveman.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS CONTACT: Geralyn Lasher
September 16, 1998 (517) 241-2112