AUGUSTA – Sign-carrying supporters of mental health programs around Maine jammed State House corridors Tuesday, voicing opposition to cutbacks proposed in Gov. John Baldacci’s $5.7 billion budget package.

Health and Human Services Commissioner John Nicholas, presenting details to two legislative committees for a second day, took pains to stress what he called enduring state support for social services.

“Maine has a long history of serving the disabled population, and we still are very, very committed,” he told members of the Legislature’s Appropriations and Health and Human Services committees.

Advocates warned, however, that provisions in the administration’s two-year spending blueprint could result in more mentally ill people becoming homeless or being incarcerated.

According to Executive Director Carol Carothers of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the overall size of proposed cuts was substantial and the roster of groups that would feel the effects was long.

“The governor’s biennial budget includes $20,998,402 in cuts to children’s mental health, $15,090,048 in reductions to children and families in the foster care system or in danger of out-of-home placement, $23,568,390 in cuts to adult mental health services and reductions to MaineCare waiver adults … of $28,126,615. These numbers reflect two years of reductions in state and federal spending,” Carothers said in prepared testimony.

The Baldacci administration distributed material to lawmakers and others highlighting elements of Maine’s provision of treatment and services, asserting that Maine ranks 10th in per capita expenditure in the country for adult mental health services.

The two committees that met jointly Tuesday are in the middle of a weeklong review of the potential impact of the Baldacci budget package on human services and mental health programs.

Before this week, much of the focus of committee-level budget debate has been on a proposal to sell off some future lottery proceeds and to draw out a timetable for reducing pension system liabilities.

But social services cutbacks have drawn scrutiny as well, and some lawmakers clearly have been growing restive.

“The proposed state budget makes the most sweeping changes in policies affecting Maine children in two decades,” said Rep. Sean Faircloth, D-Bangor, in an analysis made available to The Associated Press.

Offering a sampling of program cuts, Faircloth listed:

. Abused children. He said the cuts would result in elimination of community intervention programs that protect children in so-called moderate and low-risk cases of abuse and neglect.

. Special needs children. He said the budget proposes a major cut in child development services.

. Privatization of children’s services “for those in state custody due to abuse or neglect. The privatization plan seeks to ‘outsource’ this incredibly sensitive function without paying private agencies another dime to work with these most vulnerable children,” Faircloth said.

. Home visit services that prevent abuse.

Overall, program requests would be scaled back by about $140 million under the Baldacci proposals, according to testimony submitted by Nicholas.

On Monday, Nicholas told lawmakers that with the administration facing a potential gap overall between spending demands and available revenue of nearly $750 million, things for the department could have been worse.

The Health and Human Services Department consumes about one-third of the entire General Fund budget. If asked to offset a third of the structural gap, Nicholas said, the department would be facing reductions approaching $250 million.