SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
Starting July 1st, Mental Health Services in Woodbury County will be changing.
The county serves more than 1,400 individuals and current programs that aren't state mandated could be in jeopardy.
The reforms are lowering the county's mental health budget from $12 million to $3.5 million.
County social service coordinators say because of the changes, they won't be able to provide as many services as they do now.
Instead, Woodbury County will implement a waiting list starting July 1st.
Now it's just basically, we're going to have to see and struggle to keep what we have and still be able to develop those priorities for the folks that live here," Patty Erickson-Puttman, Social Services Coordinator, said.
Some of the programs that could be in danger are the mental health court and school outreach.
She says these programs have helped keep mentally challenged people out of jails and hospitals, and saved money.
Another major disruption, some of the intellectually disabled workers at local facilities will lose their paid jobs starting July 1st.
"They have a lot of pride in what they do. They know that their work and attendance and performance earns them a paycheck and they can see it increase the better their skills increase so it's direct impact to them," Erickson-Puttman said.
Erickson-Puttman says the bottom line is this, the waiting list means they can't take on new clients.
It also means, they are doing everything they can to keep their current clients on the rolls.
