About 200 parents, students and legislators joined forces outside the state Capitol on Wednesday to protest the defunding of 19 health care clinics statewide.
The clinics fell victim to state budget cuts earlier this month that reduced spending by more than $500 million in the wake of declining state revenue.
The spending reductions will eliminate 75 percent of the money for the clinics, 14 of which are located on school grounds, protesters said.
“The idea was to apply some pressure and let folks know at the Capitol that these are needed programs,” said Debbie De Leon, a member of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. “Healthy kids are smart kids.”
One affected clinic, Otto Community Health Center, provides immunizations, screenings, health promotion and referral services for about 2,000 Lansing residents.
During the rally, members of the House Appropriations Committee announced a partial appropriation had been restored in committee. But Matt Resch, a spokesman for Gov. John Engler, said it is unlikely Engler would revisit any aspect of the executive order.
“Those decisions were tough,” Resch said. “While there were many quality programs that needed to be reduced, we’ve moved on from that. We need to focus on future budgets.”
Resch said the money could possibly be included in 2003 budgets.
“The 2003 budget still needs to be written,” he said. “Next spring when the Legislature works on the budget, theoretically anything would be on the table.
“As for 2002, the governor made it clear that the money does not exist. We’d like to fund everything, but the money isn’t there to do anything.”
State Rep. Mike Murphy, D-Lansing, said he is disappointed Engler would not support the restoration of the money.
“We thought it was a great rally,” he said. “People from all over the state came to let the governor and legislators know that we want it back in the budget.
“It is very disappointing that the governor would not support that. But we will continue to press forward.”
Mary Zeineh, a parent and advisory board member for Otto Community Health Center, said she is optimistic the Legislature will continue to work toward restoring the money.
“It provides not only acute care, but it provides prevention,” she said. “It brings the message of abstinence to kids, which reduces teen pregnancy rates.”
Zeineh said access to health care is under-served in the northern part of Lansing.
“Healthy kids learn better,” she said. “If you have services that make them stay healthy and give them the opportunity to take care of their own health, that is priceless.
“In the long run, it is saving dollars.”
