Minutes 03/12/1974 - Laserfiche WebLink

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') r" {..1 ~) TUESDAY MARCH 12, 1974 /,,,,.,.-... of commendation of the Board for its valuable community service, Council voted unanimously to instruct the City Manager to include the $855.00 appropriation in the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The report of the Board is as follows: On behalf of the Piedmont Regional Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services Board, I thank you gentlemen of the City Council for the way you have responded in times past when the needs for mental health care have been presented to you. ,- In 1970, the population of Martinsville was over 19,600. This winter, we have attempted to survey the mental health situation, and we have gathered these facts: (l) there are 23 Martinsville citizens at Lynchburg Training School and Hospital. (2) one person is in Piedmont State Hospital. (3) ten people were in Central State Hospital in December, while 28 were released from Central State during tpe last six months of 1973. (4) the city schools are working with l17 educable mentally retarded youth, lO trainable mentally retarded, and 2 with diagnosed learning disabilities. (5) the Patrick Henry Mental Hygiene Clinic held over 200 interviews with Martinsville citizens during 1973. (6) alcoholism is estimated to afflict about 5% of our people, or about 100 persons. (7) drug usage continues to account for many health and legal problems; two out of four persons at a recent drug rehabilitation screening and admissions session in Richmond were people from Martinsville. (8) up to 800 people needed psychiatric consultation and care during the past year, according to our survey. These figures give some indication of the situation with regard to mental health care needs. ~- Our local resources are insufficient to cope with the problems at present. The Patrick Henry Mental Hygiene Clinic has increased its staff and available services, the MARC sheltered workshop has expanded, the Mental Health Association renders a valuable volunteer service, Contact Telephone Ministry is currently being re-vitalized for more effective counseling and referral, and the schools are gearing up to educate and train the mentally handicapped. Even with all these, we barely scratch the surface of our mountain of need. A group of citizens has organized a Drug Abuse Council and plans to fund it through private funds matched by State Drug Rehabilitation Division funds. The Clinic operates mainly on State and local tax funds; Contact collects about one-fourth of its support from individuals and churches; the MARC Workshop is growing stronger fiscally; other groups render aid to the mentally retarded and emotionally troubled in various ways, utilizing their own human and financial resources. The Community Services Board, to which you have appointed two members, Mr. James Price and Mrs. Frances Monday, will be attempting to sustain the current efforts, foster future service facilities, and carefully but compassionately to use whatever resources we can tap in order to fulfill our local responsibility to these citizens. We are