Problem looming
Give mentally ill care, not jail cells:
"Georgia's mental health care delivery system is crumbling. Publicly funded treatment for the mentally ill is at the mercy of fraud, waste, underfunding and lack of community commitment. Many of the services are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy due to budget cuts, mismanagement and, in some cases, outright theft.
Two of the 25 community service boards that contract with the state to deliver mental health services have been under criminal investigation for waste and Medicaid fraud. Another has been taken over by the state because of money problems and several others are in financial trouble.
State Inspector General James Sehorn believes the entire system is in trouble. 'If you look at where the big money is found, you can probably find fraud, waste, abuse and corruption,' he said. All over the state, clinical staff members are quitting and programs are closing up shop."