Stanislaus County supervisors Tuesday approved a $700.7 million budget that provides major increases for job training, health care and probation.

The board also got a cautious assurance that the deficit in the Health Services Agency will continue to shrink.

The budget lays out a tentative spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The board will consider a final budget in September, when the county has more information about state funding, the health department and other issues.

The new budget is up 10 percent from the $637.4 million this year. The bulk of the increase is from federal and state money for welfare, job training and health.

"I think we're the lead county as far as being accountable and accessible and doing the best with the resources we have," Supervisor Paul Caruso said.

The Community Services Agency, which includes welfare and related services, has the biggest share of the budget at $193.6 million, up from $178 million this year. The Department of Employment and Training, which is carrying out federal welfare reform, is growing from $19.4 million to $27.6 million.

Mental health has the second-largest share of the budget. It will increase from $65.5 million this year to $78.7 million in the coming year, mainly because of the August opening of a drug and alcohol treatment center in Ceres.

The Health Services Agency, which does not include mental health, is rising from $67.3 million to $77.9 million. Part of that is a large increase in use of the county's clinics.

The health department has been running deficits ever since the county hospital closed in 1997. The new budget shows a $4.6 million gap between costs and income, down from $6.5 million in 2000-01.

Bev Finley, director of the agency, said part of the progress came from improved bill collection and increased clinic use. Another $2 million a year could come from the state if the Legislature and governor approve a bill that would increase payments for people enrolled with Medi-Cal.

The agency also is trying to get the federal government to restore payments of $4.6 million a year to help with the cost of treating low-income people.

That state and federal money was lost when the county closed the hospital in favor of services at clinics.

The agency will report further on its deficit-closing efforts at the final budget hearing Sept. 11.

Probation Department spending will rise from $15.1 million this year to $17.2 million in the coming year. Most of that is because of a state grant for several programs aimed at keeping young people out of trouble.

The new budget provides smaller increases for the two largest parts of county law enforcement. The Sheriff's Department will go from $48.6 million to $50 million, the district attorney from $26 million to $27.5 million.

The Public Works Department will drop from $36.5 million to $35.2 million, mainly because of a decline in road maintenance projects.

The garbage-to-energy plant will go from $13.3 million to $11.6 million, mostly because of cost savings that already have translated into reduced trash collection bills.

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.