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APPLE* AUtOGbss 781 MAIN wST. #1 2 MILTON 876-4785 A Metroland Comumty Newspaper Vol. 141 No. 63 Friday, October 20, 2000 28 Pages $1 .00 (GST included) No extra funds for mental health clinic Photo by GRAHAM PAINE «/Feelin' hot,, hot, hot Milton flreflghtera set the crowd ableze wlth their dance routine - stripping dawn ta thaîr delmation boxer sharte - whlch wa part of the entertalnment et the annuel charlty feshian show In auppart of breaat cancer research. The avant waa held et Helton Hil Place Sunday. By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Signs of drastic underfunding are showing at the North Halton Mental Health Clinie, Regional Counicillors heard. But requesta for increased funding from the Ministry of Health have been denied for two years running. Most recently, Halton asked for $732.000 for the clinic's 2000-2001 bud- get. tt currently receivea $517,000. Thie additional cash would have brought three more front-line therapista to the cli- ic, which is 100 per cent Ministey funded and serves Halton Hilla and Milton. The clinic bandles about 800 cases per year, a number which could soar as growth bits Milton. But the plumped up budget was denied. "Nothing bas frustrated me more over the pasi 10 years than dealing with the Ministry on thia issue," said Halton's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal. "There is lesa funding and leas full time equivalents than there were-10 years ago." Currently there are about tive fulI-time therapista and four hourly psychiatrists working in the clmic. 'Guilty plea from Deoni More than two years after Halton Regional Police cbarged Joe Deoni witb fraud over $5,000, the Halton Catholic scbool board trustee pied guilty in Superior Court in Milton yesterday. The 61-year-old Miltonian was given a suspended sentence and three years proba- tion ai the momning pmoceedings. He was also ordered to psy, $10,000 in restitution. Mr. Deoni was charged after a two- month police investigation at the Milton business wbere he worked on contract as a bookkeeper. Fred Sweeney, the director of education with the Halton Catholic Sehool Board, said with the conviction, Mr. Deoni will be removed from bis position as achool trustee. "'Nothing has frustrated me more over the past 10 years than dealing with the Ministry on this issue." BR. 808 UOSAL And for the past two years, the psychia- triats have accepted a 60 per cent pay cut for the month of March - a aituation they say can't happen again. But the workload ian't eaaing. and the coffera are empty, aaid Dr. Noaal. Currently the clinic's ataff-patient ratio, which should ideally be ai about 1-30, ia 1- 70. And a two-month waiting liat ia in elfect. According to Dr. Noaal, the Province contends it haa already sunk millions of dollars into Halton's health care. But that money hasn't eased the crunch at the cli- ic, he said. "We're expectcd to pick up ail the rest," said Dr. Nosal. "With the dollars we've been given now, that's juat not possible.' ses MORE on page 9 Comment........ 6 Datlns ....12-13 Lit estyles..16-17 HS Report ......18 Sports ...... 19-23 Classif led .... 24-26 * PUAI OçfOflIN XI fuf "0Consolas MM 0 kabrddu go m Mort 0 GaMNe IIV*e Jolhn Chalilfu * MCM Monta - Royal Boteoloal Gardons - TSC* 8ATURDAY OCTOBER 21- Sars Whole Homo - Saura Salaectsd ores* ooIv -I. - - - -