LANSING—Senate Democrats continued their fight for Michigan citizens today by negotiating funding for important programs in the 2008-2009 state budget, including money for community colleges and universities, the No Worker Left Behind program and Mental Health Courts.

“We completed these budgets today in a timely and fair fashion and were able to include funding for some innovative programs,” said Sen. Mark Schauer. “Our higher education institutions will continue to prepare our students for the 21st century job market while No Worker Left Behind helps Michigan’s invaluable working men and women learn new skills in growing industries.”

Senate Democrats helped pass the Community College, Higher Education, Department of Education, Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Department of Human Services, Department of Community Health, Corrections, Judiciary, State Police, Military & Veterans Affairs, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and the Department of History, Arts and Libraries budgets today. Transportation, Capital Outlay, General Government, and School Aid still await action. Some highlights of programs approved today include:

• $65 million for the No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) program, $15 million of which comes from the state’s General Fund, to help train workers to compete in the 21st century economy.
• Mental Health Courts received $550,000 in the Judiciary Budget for the operation of pilot programs, and $1,126,900 in the Department of Community Health Budget for program implementation.
• Almost $300 million for community colleges and nearly $1.8 billion for universities. This is an increase in funding from the previous fiscal year.

“As lawmakers, we must strive to find solutions to Michigan’s increasing corrections costs,” said Sen. Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor), a longtime advocate for Mental Health Courts. “Too many people with mental illness are serving jail time when what they really need is treatment. The establishment of Mental Health Courts will ensure the best use of limited resources and appropriate sentencing for those who commit minor offenses.”

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