WARREN - Trumbull LifeLines, the county's alcohol, drug and mental health network, is losing nearly a quarter of its funding due to reductions in Ohio's budget.

The $2.4 million loss has provider agencies planning for service reductions that include less counseling, case management and assessments for those with mental illness and addiction.

''As a direct result of the budget reductions, counseling, case management, housing, employment, assessments and other services will no longer be available for the poorest and most needy persons with mental illness and addictions in the community,'' said April Caraway, executive director of LifeLines.

''This could lead to more people being homeless, jailed, hospitalized and desperate. Suicides and crimes that occur as a result of untreated mental illness could increase dramatically,'' Caraway said.

Numbers provided by LifeLines show that Trumbull County providers are experiencing cuts between 39 and 26 percent.

For the Burdman Group, which also has offices in Mahoning County, it's about a $335,000 hit. Combined, the agency is looking at nearly $700,000 less than last year, said executive director Joe Caruso.

He said the agency hasn't filled positions and reassigned staff, but was unable to absorb the 26 percent reduction, meaning over the next couple weeks they'll be looking at alternatives, which include closing down programs and potential job reductions.

''I view this as like the perfect storm,'' Caruso said. ''High unemployment, poor economy and people in terrible need and dire straights and unfortunately the safety net isn't going to be there for everybody.''

Tim Schaffner, president and CEO of Valley Counseling, said the reduction means those most in need will get the service first. At his agency, he's already established a triage unit to determine who is most in need.

The budget reduction at Valley Counseling hit the fund that helps provides services to people who cannot pay. Last year, the agency spent about $1.3 million compared to the $640,000 they were given this year. In 2008, the agency was allocated $960,000, but it needed the additional $350,000 to get through the year

''We knew we we're going to spend that much given the trend of how our patient load was increasing,'' Schaffner said.

Ken Lloyd, CEO of Community Solutions, said his agency would be focusing on core services, meaning people's access to service would be reduced. His agency is losing 39 percent.

''The mantra used to be, do more with less. Now it's less with less,'' Lloyd said.

rselak@tribtoday.com