This report published by the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center and backed by over 65 advocacy groups examines the impact of South Carolina’s budget on the state’s children.  The report notes that over 22,000 fewer children received community-based mental health care in 2010 than in 2007 and fewer than half of the 18,500 children in need of substance abuse services will receive those services through the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services this fiscal year.

From the report:

DAODAS (South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services) and its county authorities have suffered one of the largest proportional state funding cuts of any state agency. The majority of these cuts were taken in the Medicaid Match line. During FY 2009-2010, this line was cut by 50%. For every dollar in state funds cut, there is a loss of matching dollars that can be drawn from the federal government through Medicaid. Between FY 2007-2008 and FY 2008-2009, state funding for chemical dependency community-based prevention services was reduced by 70% and chemical dependency community-based treatment services received a state funding cut of almost 60%.

Full report:  Effects of South Carolina Budget on State’s Children (PDF | 341.78 KB)

Focus on Kids. South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center. (2010) The children's budget behind the numbers.