Mental Health

As the president and chief executive officer of Pacific Clinics, a nonprofit agency providing mental-health services to the greater San Gabriel Valley area, I want to thank you for your continuing coverage of the crisis in the state and local mental-health system.

Your editorial “The Times’ Response” (March 15) highlighted some of the major issues in the governor’s budget.

Your editorial coverage of the health and social-services section failed to note that the governor’s budget threatens to cut $200 million from the mental-health budget if the Legislature fails to adopt his recommendations.

A $200-million reduction in programs for the mentally ill is not a rationale alternative to the budget crisis.

Your editorial notes that the state of California has never been willing to settle for average and never before have we been willing to tolerate such indifference, discrimination and threats to people who need care and depend on government to deliver services.

I hope you will continue to support sound health and social-service programs and remind the public of the horrible threat to the mentally ill of the state if bipartisan action does not alleviate the budget crisis in Sacramento.

We cannot let the governor’s alternative budget become a reality.

SUSAN MANDEL

President/CEO

Pacific Clinics

Pasadena