A public hearing on St. Tammany Parish’s proposed budget Thursday night sparked emotional exchanges as community members and mental health advocates voiced concerns about potential impacts on nonprofit services.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southeast Louisiana warned that the budget could force them to leave their location at the Mandeville Safe Haven Campus.
“You are making an irrevocable decision that will significantly harm decades of progress in a parish that has proved time and time again that its community members are in the middle of mental health crisis,” one speaker said.
Parish President Mike Cooper told attendees he was surprised by NAMI’s call for public comments, stating that discussions about solutions between the parish and the organization were still ongoing.
Earlier this week, NAMI Southeast Louisiana shared on Facebook that the parish had offered temporary housing arrangements for NAMI residents, but the organization may lose its offices, program space, and clothing closet due to rent costs they say they cannot afford.
“People need these services very greatly. very, very big deal. I have schizophrenia. I know what it’s like to be suicidal. I know the ups and downs of having mental illness,” one individual said during the meeting.
Tensions ran high during public comments, with one parent sharing a message typed by their son when he faced mental health challenges: “‘Die in a hole. You’re a waste. Everyone hates you. You have no friends.'” The parent added, “Trying to find someone in this parish to help him was a nightmare, and I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christopher Tape highlighted the urgency of mental health services in the parish in an interview with WDSU, noting a rise in suicides.
“In 2025, we had 35 total. Right now, we’re at 50 and the year’s not over yet. So, we’re easily, hopefully not, but we’re probably going to hit 60 this year,” Tape said.
Council members told the crowd gathered at Thursday’s meeting that budget cuts are affecting departments across the parish, including a proposed 60% reduction to the district attorney’s office budget.
“You are a nonprofit. We are a government entity, okay. It gets very complicated when we start not charging for services,” council member Cheryl Tanner said. “We may have other nonprofits come in and say, ‘Well, we want space, too.'”
Some council members said past tax proposals to increase revenue were rejected by voters, which is part of the reason the parish may need to charge NAMI rent.
“It’s ridiculous to be so aggressive towards a council that no one here has a desire to take away these services, but they have no choice because we do not have the revenue,” council member Joe Impastato said to the crowd.
NAMI Southeast Louisiana treasurer Doc Mancina pushed back on those arguments in an interview after the public hearing.
“They’re trying to get less than 1% of what they need to fix their problems in Saint Tammany Parish, out of a nonprofit that’s providing $1.9 million in services,” Mancina said. “There’s something wrong with that picture. I mean, they’re holding us hostage, honestly.”
Despite the heated exchanges, both the parish president and NAMI representatives said they are open to working together to find a solution. The parish budget was not adopted or amended during the meeting.
If you or a loved one need help, dial 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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