SWAN QUARTER — As funding continues to decrease, Hyde County is asking the North Carolina General Assembly to continue its aid for mental health needs.

At Monday’s Hyde County Board of Commissioners meeting, Trillium Health Resources’ Chief Executive Officer Leza Wainwright submitted a letter asking for the county’s support in the push for funds for mental health, substance abuse and intellectual/developmental disability services.

Trillium, which provides these resources to a 24-county area, has seen a $263.7 million reduction in state funding over the past two years and projects it will have spent a total of $40 million in savings this fiscal year to account for reductions, according to Wainwright.

“This has a direct impact on how Trillium Health Resources is managing its reinvestment funds and services for those with intellectual/developmental disabilities,” Wainwright wrote. “Our unrestricted savings just this fiscal year will be reduced from $18 million to an estimated $3 million at year end. If reductions continue, Trillium will be forced to reduce state funded services and curtail reinvestment projects.”

Wainwright also wrote that the allocation of reductions is unfair to Trillium, causing the company to shoulder more than 15 percent of the reduction statewide in the past two fiscal years, even though its cash balance has decreased.

In response, the commissioners passed a resolution Monday night, stating the county’s support for maintaining funding for these services.

“Hyde County knows that citizens dealing with mental illness and substance use disorders can achieve recovery with the appropriate services and supports and that citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live productive lives in our communities with similar services and supports,” the resolution states.

The resolution also outlines requests for the General Assembly, including: that it maintain funding for these services; that it allow Trillium to use its savings on reinvestment, rather that covering fund reductions; and that it ensure any further reductions are distributed in a fair way across the state.

“The reduction in state funding in these areas represents an alarming trend and will result in a reduction in services provided to the citizens of Hyde County,” said Kris Noble, assistant county manager. “Those services are critical to maintaining productive and healthy communities across our state, but particularly in disadvantaged and rural communities.”