The fiscal crisis in New York City: effects on the mental health care of minority populations.

The author describes the effect that severe budget cuts accompanied by guidelines stipulating that direct services be given priority over primary preventive services had on a community mental health center in New York City. He focuses his discussion on the effect these guidelines had on the mental health care services provided the minority populations served by the center. Before the budget cuts, 1 out of every 4 staff members was a nonprofessional indigenous worker. After the cutback, 2 out of every 3 of the people laid off were nonprofessionals. The author provides a number of recommendations to help government agencies plan budget reductions without sacrificing primary prevention efforts.