FARMINGTON -- A forum Tuesday at Franklin Memorial Hospital gave the community, medical providers and social service agencies a chance to tell state officials what they think of the proposed cuts in services .

Farmington Police Chief Richard Caton told two representatives from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services that reducing mental health-related emergency services will shift the costs to local communities. If the proposal goes through to close or turn county jails into holding facilities -- another government proposal -- the problem will become worse, he said.

"We do spend a lot of time dealing with people with mental health issues," he said. "In the past 15 to 20 years, our jails have become mental health institutions. It we have to transport them farther away, it will add to the taxpayers' costs."

A study by the University of New England shows budget cuts lead to increased emergency police calls and involuntary hospitalizations, which are more expensive than community mental health programs, UNE's Kathy Kemp told a crowd of about 75.

Researchers found a 26 percent increase in the number of mental health-related calls for service between July 2006 and September 2007, with a marked increase in the months immediately following state budget cuts.

Kemp said the study also found police were spending significantly more time with people with mental illness in hospital emergency rooms and taking them to evaluation facilities -- costs that are being passed on to local communities.

The survey estimates increases in officer time and emergency room costs will be greater than $1.8 million by the end of fiscal year 2008.

A weak economy, federal rule changes in the Medicaid insurance program and less state revenue than projected has created a budget shortfall of as much as $230 million in a $6.3 million state budget. Millions of dollars in cuts are proposed in all state agencies but social service programs, which account for a third of state spending, will take the biggest hit.

"The proposed cutbacks are huge. A government is judged on how it treats its most vulnerable citizens ... and these cuts will hit the people without insurance, who lack money and power and who have significant health care needs," said Franklin Memorial President Richard Batt.

He said one way individuals and agencies may be able to voice their concerns, post comments, ask questions and offer ideas on where cuts can be found is through a new Website, mainehealthforum.org, launched Tuesday by Franklin Community Health Network.

"It is a form of political advocacy," Batt said. "We will make this a powerful Web resource."

The site is www.mainehealthforum.org/forum and is part of the new Maine Health Forum Web site, a health information resource for the entire state sponsored by Franklin Community Health Network.

Batt also said pressure needs to be put on Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Second District Congressman Michael Michaud to seek a moratorium on the Medicaid rule changes, which are now before Congress. All three oppose the changes but Batt said it was important for people to "ratchet up the pressure."

Kathy Bubar of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services said her agency has been given a target it needs to cut and emphasized no decisions have been made.

"We have to see what cuts we can offer to the Legislature to balance the budget. It will be up to them," she said.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

bjespersen@centralmaine.com