San Diego County’s Proposed Budget Allocates $1.6B for Health Care, Social Services

San Diego County officials yesterday unveiled a $3.7 billion budget proposal for FY 2001-2002, with the "biggest chunk" -- $1.6 billion -- allocated for health care and social services, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Under county Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard's proposed budget, some of the $1.6 billion will be spent on mental health services, including early screenings for children and services for older adults. County officials said they are not allocating funds to meet the requirements of Proposition 36, which mandates that drug users receive treatment rather than jail time, because they expect that the $9 million the state is providing the county for implementation will cover the proposition's first-year costs. However, the county plans to expand its drug court program to accomodate an expected influx of offenders under Proposition 36. The county Board of Supervisors, which must approve the final budget, will hold its first hearing on the issue June 4 (Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/16).