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From YouTube: Comcast Newsmakers - Councilmember Derek S. Green on Cuts to Mental Health Programs 11-12-2020
Description
Via Comcast Newsmakers
Derek S. Green (D), Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large, discusses past funding cuts to the city’s mental health programs and his concerns about how the state’s current financial challenges may lead to further reductions in state allocations to the city.
Recorded 11/12/2020
A
Economic
insecurity,
housing
concerns,
health
worries,
fear
how
is
covet-19
impacting
philadelphians
mental
health
and
how
could
potential
cuts
from
the
state
make
things
worse?
I'm
jill
horner-
this
is
comcast
newsmakers
with
me,
is
philadelphia
city
council,
member
at
large,
derrick
green
thanks.
So
much
for
being
with
us.
A
When
we
talk
about
the
state
of
the
city
right
now
and
and
how
we're
doing
you're
hearing
from
constituents
about
their
concerns
related
to
covet
related
to
their
economic
state,
you
recently
had
a
hearing
related
to
potential
cuts
and
mental
health
in
pennsylvania
and
in
philadelphia.
What
are
the
concerns
right
now.
B
Well,
covet
has
been
a
pandemic
that
has
impacted
every
aspect
of
our
lives
from
a
healthcare
perspective
from
an
economic
crisis,
but
for
those
that
have
a
physical
or
learning
difference,
it's
really
impacted
in
ways
that
people
never
would
have
thought
it's
impacted
them
in
reference
to
the
services
they
receive,
so
many
people
are
used
to
having
someone
come
into
their
home
or
actually
go
to
a
location
that
receives
services
and
that's
been
interrupted
by
this
pandemic.
So
there's
been
some
real
concerns
about
their
ability
to
receive
and
access
services.
B
A
And
let's
get
into
the
finances
of
this
when
we're
talking
about
where
we
are
as
a
commonwealth
right
now
in
2012,
there
were
cuts
in
the
amount
of
dollars
coming
into
the
city
of
philadelphia.
You
are
concerned
that
there
will
be
additional
cuts
related
to
the
state
budget
and
the
amount
of
money
coming
to
philadelphia
in
2012,
there
were
84
million
in
cuts
that
money
comes
into
direct
grants
to
philadelphia.
What
are
the
concerns
right
now.
B
B
My
concern
is
that
no
years
ago,
when
we
had
a
similar
economic
challenge
at
the
state
level
coming
out
of
the
great
recession,
they
had
significant
cuts
to
the
services
for
people
that
people
rely
on,
especially
those
that
have
a
physical
and
learning
difference
about
84
million
dollars
in
cuts
which
come
as
direct
grants
to
the
city
of
philadelphia.
That
was
not
made
up
until
now.
A
B
Well,
at
the
national
level
and
as
a
board
member
for
the
national
league
cities,
we've
been
advocating
to
our
federal
lawmakers
lawmakers
that
we
need
another
stimulus
package
because
for
states
and
cities
like
philadelphia
or
pittsburgh,
or
allentown
or
erie,
we've
all
lost
significant
amount
of
revenue
and
that's
put
a
real
strain
on
our
ability
to
close
our
our
budgets.
And
so,
as
we
go
into
this
next
fiscal
year
going
into
2021.
B
You
know
many
of
us,
like
philadelphia,
have
used
all
of
our
resources.
We
don't
have
any
rainy
day
funds
because
we
exhausted
all
those
to
get
through
this
budget.
So
this
could
impact
not
only
the
services
for
people
that
have
a
learning
physical
difference.
But
how
can
impact
police
fire
a
whole
host
of
public
safety
as
well
as
quality
of
life
services
that
we,
as
a
municipality,
provide
to
our
constituents.
A
B
Well,
we
talked
with
our
acting
head
of
the
department
of
behavior
health
and
intellectual
disabilities.
Dr
jill
bowen
and
she's
been
in
conversation
with
the
state
about
these
issues
and
concerns,
and
we
said
we
need
to
start
preparing
for
what
could
happen
to
the
city
if
these
dollars
don't
come
in,
and
so
as
a
result
of
this
hearing,
they're
putting
together
some
action,
steps
and
plans,
as
we
are
going
into
the
latter
part
of
this
year,
various
city
departments
are
also
starting
to
put
their
budgets
together.