TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Mental health and substance abuse service recipients, advocates, experts and political leaders will join forces today at 10:45 a.m., in the Capitol Courtyard for a “Rally at the Capitol” as part of Florida’s sixth annual Behavioral Health Day.

The rally is designed to educate Florida’s legislators and policy leaders about behavioral health care programs available to Floridians, the efficiency and effectiveness of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and the dangers associated with additional budget cuts.

Researchers say that studies have shown the evidence-based treatments currently being used by behavioral health agencies in Florida have proven to be both effective and cost-efficient.

“We now have proof that mental health and addiction disorders are indeed brain disorders with biological origins that evidence-based practices are successful in treating,” said Bob Sharpe, president and CEO of the Florida Council for Community Mental Health (FCCMH). “Additionally, there is overwhelming evidence that treating these disorders in uninsured in individuals substantially reduces or prevents economic and societal costs associated with occurrences such as child abuse and neglect, unemployment, increased dependence on public assistance, involvement with the criminal justice system and homelessness.”

Advocates have stressed the economic benefits associated with funding mental health and substance abuse programs for years; however, Florida continues to rank 50th among the states and the District of Columbia for funding. Both Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida House have recommended restoring funding from cuts made during the 2011 Legislative Session. However, the Senate has proposed $108 million in cuts; cuts that advocates say would eliminate many adult treatment programs.

Speakers at the Rally are expected to include: Sharpe; Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg; Rob Siedlecki, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Children and Families’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Division; Maj. Gen. James. D. Tyre, Assistant Adjunct-General for the Florida Army National Guard; Col. Jim Previtera, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Department of Detention Services; Mark Fontaine, Executive Director of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (FADAA); and Dana Foglesong, Chair of the NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) Consumer Council. Each will provide information on how potential budget cuts will negatively impact different aspects of Florida’s communities. Gov. Rick Scott also has been invited to speak.

Other Behavioral Health Day events include:

• Walk for Behavioral Health Care: 10 – 10:45 a.m. (starting at the corner of Park and Adams), sponsored by NAMI Florida
• Legislator visits by advocates: throughout the day
• Legislative reception: 5:30 – 7 p.m., on the 22nd floor of the Capitol

Behavioral Health Day is sponsored by: FCCMH, Disability Rights Florida, FADAA, Florida Partners in Crisis, the Florida Psychiatric Society, the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition and NAMI Florida.

FCCMH is a statewide association of 63 community-based mental health and substance abuse agencies that provide comprehensive services to adults and children throughout Florida. For more information, visit www.fccmh.org.

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