Groups object to health and human services cuts

Special interest groups are giving mostly bad reviews to a bill that would cut health and human services spending by $154 million in the current biennium.

Members of a House committee took public testimony Tuesday on the bill, which solves another big piece of the state budget deficit.

Sue Abderholden of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota told legislators she was outraged by the proposed cuts, including a $15 million reduction in community mental health services.

"Our mental health system simply cannot absorb these cuts," Abderholden said. "You can't make those cuts obliterate entire programs and expect them to rebound in two years. It will be too late."

The House Health Care and Human Services Finance Division is scheduled to vote on the measure later today.