Dr. Stephanie White, the chief administrator of Uptown Clinic, a community mental health agency, is concerned about the dilemma of coping with reduced budgets in the next year and into the foreseeable future, despite increasing demand for services. In order to plan for reduced budgets, she first must identify where costs can be cut or reduced and still keep the agency functioning. The following are some data about fixed costs from the past year:

1. Identify which costs you think are likely to be discretionary costs and which are committed costs.

2. One possibility is to eliminate all discretionary costs. How much would be saved? What do you think of this recommendation?

3. How would you advise Dr. White to prepare for reduced budgets?

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Program Area Costs Administrative salaries $60,000 35,000 42,000 35,000 9,000 14,000 Administrator Assistant Two secretaries Supplies Advertising and promotion Professional meetings, dues, and literature Purchased services Accounting and biling Custodial and maintenance Security Consulting 15,000 13,000 12,000 10,000 Community mental health services Salaries (two social workers) 46,000 10,000 Transportation Outpatient mental health treatment Psychiatris Two social workers 86,000 70,000