As members of our Butler community are aware, the state of our economy has affected many of us in business, the nonprofit sector, individuals, and, most tragically, those who are disabled or struggle through life with a behavioral or mental disorder.

People who once were considered middle class have lost their jobs and medical coverage and no longer can support themselves. They might be forced to seek help once unimaginable to them.

The Irene Stacy Community Mental Health Center serves all walks of life in the Butler community. However, we anticipate an increase in our client base with people who typically would find help from private behavioral and mental health professionals.

Any increase in our client base puts us in a serious financial situation.

The Irene Stacy Center is a nonprofit community mental health center that treats people struggling with mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance-abuse disorders. We have been operating at 75 percent of our 2008 budget, yet we are threatened with a 20 percent state budget cutback.

This threat poses grave concern as the Irene Stacy Center now is uncertain as to how we can sustain our programs without significant cutbacks and decreased quality of service.

Members of our staff have been underpaid for multiple years and are leaving the field. With any budget cut, we simply will not be able to provide quality programs as well as maintain a quality medical, therapeutic and operating staff.

Moreover, our facilities are deteriorating, internally with 20-year-old carpeting and on the exterior with roofing that has seen better days — not a pleasant environment for our employees and clients.

Programs we provide help our clients to live a mainstream way of life, and cutting programs affects them directly, putting them at risk, and creating a potential risk to the community.

We ask that members of the Butler community either call or write to their legislators and voice their opposition to the state’s proposed 20 percent budget cut for human services.

Ask them to reconsider how to best use taxpayer dollars caring for those less fortunate than the rest of us, and for those who are unable to help themselves.