NAMI Minnesota Legislative Update s3

NAMI Minnesota Legislative Update

May 30, 2015

Action Alert - Call House and Senate Leadership Now! The final jobs and housing bill and the final education bill were vetoed by the Governor. As you know, the final bills passed by the legislature did not include increased funding for the Bridges program and did not include the continued funding for the new IPS projects. The final education bill did not including funding to help schools reduce the use of seclusion and restraints on special education students despite there being money in the house and senate version of the bill.

The senate version of the jobs bill included increased funding for the Bridges Housing program (which is a rental subsidy program for people with mental illnesses) which has a long waiting list (1300 people) and the bill included continued funding for the IPS (Individual Placement and Supports) supported employment program for people with mental illnesses.

In the last biennium we were able to get one time funding to transform the EE-SMI employment programs to IPS (Individual Placement and Supports) but the money was not included in the base. In order to keep these programs going we needed to add the funding to the budget which the Governor did in his proposed budget and which the senate did in its bill.

Without the IPS funding, 200 people with serious mental illnesses will lose IPS services, meaning persons will lose access to placement services and ongoing job support services for those that are working. The following counties will lose access to IPS services: Sherburne, Stearns, Benton, Dakota, Nobles, Cottonwood, Jackson, Rock, Pipestone, Blue Earth, Douglas, Hennepin, Anoka, Ottertail, Wilken, Winona, Houston, Wabasha, Fillmore.

The governor vetoed this bill so he, Senator Bakk and Representative Daudt are negotiating a compromise. We believe we should add some pressure to get this money back in.

Everyone needs to email Sen Bakk and Rep Daudt with the following message:

"We urge you to include the funding needed to continue supported employment programs for people with mental illnesses and to increase the funding to the Bridges Housing program. In addition please add funding to the education bill to reduce the use of seclusion and restraints on special ed students. Thank you."

Be sure to add why you are concerned. In the subject line write "Fund IPS and BRIDGES Housing!"

You can reach Sen Bakk by clicking here and Rep Daudt at [email protected]

Time is of the essence - write your email today!!

Not sure who represents you?

2015 Session Summary The annual NAMI Minnesota 2015 Legislative Summary is now available by clicking here. Please note that it is not complete since we are still waiting for the jobs and education bills to be passed and signed into law. An updated version will be made available once those bills are passed.

Several articles mentioned the successes this session: Minnpost, Star Tribune, Editorial.

Thanking our Champions There are so many people to thank for the incredible successes of this legislative session. In addition to all of you who wrote and called your legislators, we need to thank the nearly 40 organizations that are part of the Mental Health Legislative Network, the MN Hospital Association, the staff at the Governor's office (Lauren Gilchrist) and the Department of Human Services (Matt Burdick and Commissioner Jesson), and the staff at the capitol. We also need to thank key legislators.

Please take a few minutes over the next few weeks to do the following: 1. Thank your own legislators. Thank them for being willing to build on what works and for investing all along the continuum. Point out a specific program that you are especially pleased got expanded and funded. 2. Thank the key leaders in the Senate. There were many who helped and supported our efforts by co-authoring bills and speaking up in committees. But here are the people who took the extra steps by being the chief author or chairing a committee:  Sen. Tony Lourey as chair of the HHS budget division he ensured that there was funding for mental health and is truly one of our strongest advocates in the senate.  Sen. Kathy Sheran as chair of the HHS policy committee she heard many of our bills and authored several including the suicide prevention bill, and requiring MI&D commitment review hearings every three years and funding for NEMT and protected transport  Sen. Julie Rosen authored bills to address mental health workforce shortages, raise rates and to increase access to telemedicine  Sen. Chris Eaton authored bills on crisis services, eliminating the word "constant" from CFSS, using MA for clubhouses, reducing MA-EPD premiums, and funding for ICRS, first episode programs, supportive housing and text messaging  Sen. Melissa Wicklund was a champion for homeless youth and authored a bill to expand school linked mental health and to increase the grants for supportive housing for people with mental illnesses  Sen. Scott Dibble authored bills to help homeless youth and supportive housing  Sen. John Hoffman authored a bill to not allow children in grades K-3 to be suspended and to decrease the MA spenddown  Sen. Patricia Torres Ray authored a bill to provide funding to decrease the use of seclusion and restraints in schools  Sen. David Tomassoni championed IPS supported employment  Sen. Clausen led efforts to address the mental health workforce shortages  Sen. Melisa Franzen led the efforts to restrict the use of step therapy and prior authorization  Sen. John Marty for authoring the bill to require jails to provide the right antipsychotic and not make people change meds while in jail and the bill to prevent MH professionals from using conversion therapy  Sen. Susan Kent for authoring a bill to increase the number of school support personnel  Sen. Kent Eken for authoring a bill for text messaging and to allow LMFTS and LICSWs to provide consultation to primary care  Sen. Jeff Hayden for authoring a bill to make it easier to use GRH funds for crisis beds 3. Thank the key leaders in the house:  Rep. Matt Dean as chair of the HHS Finance committee met with us many times to learn our priorities and included many of them in the omnibus HHS bill  Rep. Tara Mack as chair of the HHS reform committee heard many of our bills and authored the bill to allow LMFTS and LICSWs to provide consultation to primary care and a bill to raise rates  Rep. Tony Albright for authoring the bill to expand crisis services and reducing MA-EPD premiums and authoring the bill to restrict the use of step therapy and prior authorization  Rep. Backer for authoring the bill to eliminate the word "constant" from CFSS and another bill to funding for ICRS, first episode programs, supportive housing and text messaging  Rep. Anna Wills for her leadership for homeless youth  Rep. Jim Davnie for authoring the bill to expand school linked grants and for funding to decrease the use of seclusion and restraints in our schools  Rep. Joe Schomacker for the text messaging bill  Rep. Dave Baker for authoring the bill for PRTFs, a bill to increase rates, and a bill for the excellence in MH act, ACT teams, respite care, and early childhood mental health  Rep. Joe McDonaldfor authoring a bill to make it easier to use GRH funds for crisis beds  Rep. Jason Metsa championed IPS supported employment  Rep. Debra Kiel led efforts to address mental health workforce shortages  Rep. Nick Zerwas authored a bill to expand the loan forgiveness program to mental health professionals and to decrease the MA spenddown  Rep. Ron Kreshaauthored a bill to expand the loan forgiveness program to mental health professionals  Rep. Bob Barrett was a champion for suicide prevention  Rep. Diane Loeffler authored a bill to increase rates  Rep. Joe Hoppe authored the bill requiring MI&D commitment review hearings every three years  Rep. Kim Norton for her leadership on NEMT issues including protected transport  Rep. Rod Hamilton for a bill to increase funding for supportive housing  Rep. Peter Fischer for authoring the bill to prevent MH professionals from using conversion therapy  Rep. Raymond Dehn for authoring the bill to require jails to provide the right antipsychotic and not make people change meds while in jail We pushed hard this session on our issues and it really makes a difference to take the time to thank legislators.

Support NAMI's Work at the Legislature NAMI Minnesota's legislative work is funded through individual donations and the NAMIWalk. If you want to support NAMI's legislative efforts or just give a "congratulatory" donation for this session we would greatly appreciate it. To give online simply click here and if you or your organization would like to become a sponsor for the NAMIWalk (for as little as $250) click here to learn more about the sponsorship levels. Creating change isn't free!

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