The charade of poverty funding for community mental health centers

Abstract

In the interest of funneling additional monies into designated poverty areas calculated to provide the additional services urgently needed in these areas, the Federal Government recently passed legislation designed to increase funding to community mental health centers serving such poverty communities. However, the law as written makes it possible for such awarded monies to be diverted for purposes other than originally intended. Unless amended, the law, as it now reads, can prove to be a charade.