A budget noose around three area social-service programs loosened a bit Monday, but Douglas County commissioners warned they still could not guarantee the services’ survival.

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Douglas County Visiting Nurses Assn. and the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department all cut their requests for additional financing from the county’s proposed $44 million budget for 2003.

Going into Monday’s budget hearing, the three agencies sought nearly $500,000 in additional financial help, but left asking only for $177,000.

And the trimming still might not be enough.

“This is the worst part of our jobs,” said Commissioner Charles Jones, after hearing Visiting Nurses’ $72,842 request. “We have wonderful people doing extraordinary things, but we can’t give everybody the money.”

The fate of each request won’t be settled until commissioners complete their hearings, likely a week from today. But commissioners stood by their contention that they did not intend to increase property taxes to cover budget holes for other agencies or county departments.

Here’s how several outside agencies fared during Monday’s hearings:

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center had asked for the largest increase $360,000 to preserve a counseling program in public schools.

Bert Nash abandoned that request but upped its request for operating revenues, for an increase of $61,710. The organization pledged to operate its counseling program on a $462,000 budget, down from this year’s $1.3 million.

The WRAP program’s 24-person staff will be cut to eight or nine by the end of this month, and its services will be dropped from elementary schools and likely trimmed in junior high schools.

“We really need your help,” said David Johnson, Bert Nash’s chief executive officer. “We’ve made cuts right now that are too deep.”

Visiting Nurses Assn. Executive Director Jan Jenkins said she needed $72,842 to cover an anticipated loss of revenue caused by an adjustment in Medicaid reimbursements. Otherwise, more people who need in-home health care would be forced to join a growing waiting list.

Commissioner Bob Johnson suggested boosting fees for clients who couldn’t afford to pay for services, although he acknowledged that such a move likely wouldn’t help much.

“Gosh, I wish I knew the answer,” Johnson said.

Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department Administrator Kay Kent said she no longer needed $21,168 to cover an anticipated loss in state financing to keep a teen-pregnancy prevention program going for the rest of this year. But she still needs $42,333 for next year, just in case.