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Florida Ranks 49th in per capita spending on mental health programs and the situation could be getting even worse.

State funding for mental health and drug prevention services are facing drastically cuts to help meet the demands of falling sales tax collections. Advocates spoke out at the state capitol today, calling on lawmakers to fund their services. Department of Children and Families Secretary George Sheldon says cuts now will lead to a higher prison population in years to come.

“If you see our jail population, our prison population increase as a result of these kind of cuts in mental health and substance abuse, I think it’s a step back,” said Sheldon.

Cuts to the mental health and drug abuse programs would leave 24-thousand Floridians without the service they need to function or beat addiction.