NAMI Minnesota Legislative Update
April 30, 2017
Action Alert: Legislature Sets Joint Targets
House and Senate leadership held a press conference on Friday to reveal the shared
budget targets for the Legislature This is a very important step that allows the conference
committees to make final decisions about the items that will be funded in their omnibus
bills. Note that this is an agreement between the House and Senate and once the omnibus
bills are agreed upon, there will have to be an agreement between the Legislature and the
Governor. Read more from the Session Daily and St Cloud Times.
The Legislature will increase spending on Health and Human Services by $2.05 billion
dollars (splitting the difference between the house and senate targets), which is almost
$500 million dollars below the budgeted forecast for this program. This is a
significant cut to Health and Human Services spending that would force the department to
make some very difficult decisions. It is extremely important for NAMI members to reach
out to Republican leadership about the importance of funding mental health programs and
services now that targets have been agreed upon. The reason that the Department of
Human Services' budget is forecasted is that it includes Medicaid (Medical Assistance) and
they have to forecast how much will be spent on health care.
The budget target for the Public Safety Omnibus bill is $87 million dollars above the
spending from the previous year. NAMI wants to be sure that the necessary supports for
individuals living with mental illness in the criminal justice system are there, including the
Governor's request for increased mental health staff. Read a recent article about solitary
confinement in the Wall Street Journal.
The Education budget target increases spending over base by $1.14 billion dollars, which
is also below forecasted inflation for the education spending, while miscellaneous state
spending including environment, jobs, and state government will face just over a $500
million dollar cut from the Governor's budget.
We are counting on you to reach out to House and Senate Leadership about
funding for state government before Thursday. Without your advocacy, it is possible
that programs serving individuals living with mental illness could be cut and certainly not
increased in order to meet these targets. We need you to call House and Senate leadership
this week (even if you don't live in their district) urging them to increase the HHS
"I am NAMI member and I urge you increase the
health and human services target so that we can continue to build
our mental health system. The needs are great and we cannot
improve access without funding."
target. Your message is
Rep. Kurt Daudt - 651-296-5364 or [email protected]
Rep. Joyce Peppin - 651-296-7806 or [email protected]
Sen. Paul E. Gazelka - 651-296-4875 or email
Sen Eric R. Pratt - 651-296-4123 or [email protected]
It also never hurts to let the Governor know that you care greatly about the target for
health and human services - thank him for having a higher target, tell him you care about
funding for community mental health services and urge him to stay strong on this issue.
His number is 651-201-3400 or contact him by email
Also, we need you to continue to contact the leads on the conference committees letting
them know what's important to the mental health community.
Health and Human Services Leadership
38B
Matt Dean
White Bear
6512963018
[email protected]
31
Michelle
Benson
Ham Lake
6512963219
[email protected]
Here's what you have to say:
I am a NAMI member and I urge you to make investments in our
mental health system. Please ensure that funding for school-linked
mental health grants in the House bill is adopted by the conference
committee. School-linked mental health grants co-locate mental
health services where the students already are. This dramatically
increases access to mental health services for students in need.
The mental health innovation grants in both omnibus bills are
another crucial investment in our mental health infrastructure.
Additional Intensive Residential Treatment Services (IRTS), crisis
residential services, and collaboration between crisis teams and
critical access hospitals will expand local options and provide
alternatives to treatment in a hospital. NAMI urges you to adopt the
Senate funding levels for these programs. Both bills provide funding
to replace the loss of federal funds for our children's residential
treatment programs and we strongly support this provision.
We are also counting on you to include the funding in the House
omnibus bill for additional first episode psychosis programs. This
early intervention leads to better outcomes for individuals
experiencing psychosis. Another key investment made in the House
omnibus bill are funds for supportive housing for people with mental
illnesses, ACT teams, respite care, crisis services and Text4Life.
Thank you for your support and leadership on the Health and Human
Services conference committee.
Public Safety Leadership
23B
Tony Cornish
Vernon Center
6512964240
[email protected]
34
Warren Limmer
Maple Grove
651296-
[email protected]
2159
Here's what you have to say:
I am a NAMI member and I urge you to adopt the house language
that restricts the use of solitary confinement. This legislation sets
basic living conditions for inmates in solitary confinement like
dimming the lights during evening hours and requires yearly reports
to the legislature so we can better understand how solitary
confinement is used here in Minnesota. These changes are long
overdue and we can't wait any longer.
We also need you to adopt the Governor's funding request for
Mental Health Staff in our prisons and to include the House funding
for mental health crisis training for Police officers. We ask that you
not accept language that would make it a felony for assaulting any
staff in a hospital, even on a psychiatric ward. Thank you for your
support and for your work on the public safety conference
committee.
Education Leadership
48B
Jenifer Loon
Eden Prairie
651-296- [email protected]
1069
26
Carla Nelson
Rochester
651-296- [email protected]
4848
Here's what you have to say:
I am a NAMI member and I urge you to fund the help me grow
program in the final K-12 omnibus bill. This interagency initiative is
a very effective program that helps families identify early
developmental programs and provide education and guidance for
any next steps this family will have to take. We also encourage your
support for Sober High Schools and funding to address the high
mental health needs of students in Intermediate Districts. Thank you
for your work in the K-12 conference committee.
Jobs Leadership
58B
Pat Garofalo
Farmington
651-2961069
[email protected]
28
Jeremy Miller
Winona
651-2965649
[email protected]
Here's what you have to say:
I am a NAMI member and I urge you to adopt the Governor's
funding level on Vocational Rehabilitative Services. With two new
mandates from the federal government, Vocational Rehabilitative
Services is not going to have enough funds to accept any new
clients. That means that people with a mental illness in need of help
from Vocational Rehabilitative Services will be put on a wait list. I
would also like to thank you for maintaining current funding levels
for Bridges Housing and IPS Employment. Thank you for your
support and for thinking of people with mental illnesses during your
work on the jobs conference committee.
Thank you for your support. to read the full document about what is in each bill, click here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Sam Smith
Letter From Commissioner Piper
Following her presentation before the HHS conference committee, Commissioner Piper
wrote another letter outlining her concerns with the HHS omnibus bills in their current
form.
She focused on the lack of adequate funding to the central office and direct care and
treatment due to the lack of an operating adjustment to their budget. Commissioner Piper
was particularly concerned about what this would mean for the Minnesota Security Hospital
(MSH), Anoka Regional Metro Treatment Center (AMRTC), and the Community Behavioral
Health Hospitals (CBHHs).
Commissioner Piper estimated that they will be required to reduce 300 full time
equivalent (FTE) positions to meet the budget cuts called for by the legislature,
including 210 FTEs in direct care and treatment. DHS is even more concerned about the
Senate omnibus bill, which goes further and makes a 7-10% cut to the DHS central office.
Commissioner Piper warned that all the progress that has been made in recent years,
including CBHHS, would be in jeopardy if DHS was forced to make these cuts.
DHS also released a table outlining their proposals to increase program oversight and
deliver services more efficiently. Hopefully this additional scrutiny will lead to higher
staffing levels at state operated facilities and a more efficient use of their funding.
Click here if you would like to read the letter in its entirety. While NAMI has been
frustrated with the lack of progress in hiring staff at the CBHHs, which means they have
been operating below licensed capacity, we have been told that we will see greater
progress in April. We will share that data once we receive it. We do know that we cannot
lose staff at this point.
Conference Committee Summaries
Health and Human Services Conference Committee
The HHS conference committee met on Tuesday to address the policy only provisions in the
House and Senate omnibus bills. While most of this work centered on non-controversial
elements with no fiscal impact that are in both bills, the conference committee did accept
an amendment to Senate language on school-linked mental health services. In addition to
making technical changes, the amendment inserted policy language that allows schoollinked grant dollars to be used for transportation for these services when school is not in
session.
This is a positive step that NAMI has been advocating for and that that will help to ensure
that students can access school-linked mental health services throughout the year.
Now that the Senate language on school-linked mental health grants is aligned with
language in the House omnibus bill, it is imperative for the Senate to match the funding
increase in the House omnibus bill.
The conference committee also adopted policy language on Psychiatric Residential
Treatment Facilities (PRTFs), which provide residential mental health care to children
and young adults up to age 21. The changes accepted by the committee clarify the
eligibility requirements and care requirements for PRTFs. An amendment was also adopted
that as well that set the effective date for this policy provision.
Public Safety Conference Committee
The Public Safety Conference committee met on Wednesday and heard testimony on a bill
that NAMI opposes. This bill would make it a felony level offense for anyone to
physically assault or throw bodily fluids on hospital staff anywhere in the hospital.
This is a large expansion of previous legislation, which was only effective in emergency
rooms.
NAMI representative John Stuart expressed NAMI's concerns with this language during
public testimony, noting that this bill in no way accounts for the patients living with a
mental illness, as well as patients with dementia and other medical conditions. Sen. Latz
was receptive to this argument and had concerns that the legislature would have to "rely
on the discretion" of the hospital and prosecutors to ensure that this policy change wasn't
abused. Rep. Cornish was unconcerned with this potential risk and claimed that "I don't'
mind charging mentally ill people if they deserve it." NAMI is hopeful that this policy
language will not be adopted in the final version of the public safety omnibus
bill. John also testified on the provisions to restrict the use of solitary confinement in the
prisons.
News from the State and Federal Government
The Legislature passed HF 919 / SF 562, which makes significant changes to the treatment
of young children with autism. This bill makes changes to the Early Intensive Treatment
for children with autism spectrum disorder, including requiring culturally competent care, a
comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation that must include input from the family and
educators, and creates the Early Intensive Development and Behavioral Intervention
(EIDBI) benefit set to provide this care.
Another important bill that passed over the week was HF 1702. This bill makes changes to
Juvenile Justice law and requires every child over the age of ten in child protection be
notified of their right to legal counsel, including that the counsel is confidential, will be
provided free of charge, and that the child has a right to participate in all hearings related
to the proceeding.
Three bills were heard in the Senate bonding committee on Monday that are of interest to
NAMI. The first two were authored by Sen Senjem: S.F. 2159 which funds housing
infrastructure bond particularly for supportive housing and S.F. 2161 which issues bonds
and funding for regional behavioral health crisis programs in selected communities. Sen
Senjem, Paul Fleissner from Olmsted County, Dr Bruce Sutor from Mayo Clinic, Courtney
Lawson from NAMI SE, Erin Metzger from St Luke's Hospital and Sue Abderholden from
NAMI Minnesota testified for the bill. Sen Senjem shared that his parents lived with a
mental illness and felt it was time to take action. Courtney shared her personal story. Sue
Abderholden explained the current system and urged adoption of an amendment to make
clear that we needed programs that went beyond assessment and included crisis beds and
short-term residential as well. The amendment was raised by Senator Laine and then Sen
Senjem offered it and it was adopted.
S.F. 2086 authored by Sen Jensen, would provide bonding to convert a hospice program
into a crisis residential facility in Carver County. NAMI supports this bill as well. All were
laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bonding bill.
More on Repealing the ACA & Changing Medicaid
Despite the push from the White House and certain members of Congress, there was not
a vote on the AHCA and it's new amendment by the self-imposed Friday Deadline.
This delay was primarily due to the strong stance of moderate Republicans and Democrats
in Washington and the efforts of advocates like yourself to reach out to your members of
Congress regarding the many dangerous changes being proposed. To read more, click here.
The new amendment that was negotiated between the House Freedom Caucus and the
more moderate Tuesday Group did not resolve the fundamental problems with the AHCA.
The amendment still has way too many problems. Here's what it does:

Allowing states to pick and choose which of the essential benefits would have to be
covered by insurance plans. Mental health and substance use disorder treatments
are an essential benefit. You don't get to pick your illness and so states shouldn't
get to pick which illnesses get covered by insurance.

Allowing plans to deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions

Eliminating community rating which prevents health plans from charging higher
premiums to people who have medical conditions.
It is certainly encouraging that the AHCA has faced another setback, but we cannot
afford to rest on our laurels. NAMI has no doubt that another push will be made to pass
this extremely problematic bill. We are counting on you all to continue to reach out to your
congressperson and oppose the AHCA.
Even if you've already reached out to your U.S. Representative, they need to hear from
you again that we can't afford to lose mandated essential health benefits and we can't
afford to block-grant or use per capita payments under Medicaid. These policy provisions
will damage our mental health system. The proposed restructure of Medicaid will put a hole
in states' budgets, leaving states with no other choice but to cut services for the people
who need help the most. Losing Medicaid funding and not requiring private insurance to
cover mental health benefits means there will be little funding to continue to build our
mental health system. If you are willing to share your story with the press or for NAMI to
use in lobbying against this bill, please email your story to [email protected]
Here's all you have to say:
My name is ____ and I am a NAMI member and live in your district.
Please vote NO on the American HealthCare Act. Please reject
provisions that convert Medicaid to a per capita cap or block grant
and reject provisions that allow states to choose which of the
essential benefits to require. Our mental health system is still being
built and we can't afford to lose funding.
Add a little about yourself, such as you live with a mental illness, have a family member,
etc.
Thank you for your advocacy!
Here is the contact information:
First District
Timothy J. Walz
(202) 225-2472
Walz Email
Second District
Jason Lewis
(202) 225-2271
Lewis Email
Third District
Erik Paulsen
(202) 225-2871
Paulsen Email
Fourth District
Betty McCollum
(202) 225-6631
McCollum Email
Fifth District
Keith Ellison
(202) 225-4755
Ellison Email
Sixth District
Tom Emmer
(202) 225-2331
Emmer Email
Seventh District
Collin C. Peterson
(202) 225-2165
Peterson Email
Eighth District
Rick Nolan
(202) 225-6211
Nolan Email
Not sure which district you are in? Click here for a map.
Vocational Rehabilitative Services
Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) provide vital support for
individuals living with a mental illness who are seeking employment.
VRS gives the tools people with a mental illness need to find and
maintain stable employment. Unfortunately, at the funding levels
currently proposed by both omnibus bills, VRS will be unable to
accept any new clients including those with a mental illness.
VRS is currently facing financial pressure due to two new mandates
from the Federal government. These new requirements order VRS to
provide pre-employment transition services to youth with disabilities
and one-on-one meetings with individuals currently receiving subminimum wage to determine if they would like to seek competitive
wages.
Without additional state funding, these two new requirements will
prevent any new Minnesotans from receiving VRS services.
This program is already facing very high demand levels. Currently,
VRS is only accepting Category 1 applicants, which are the highest
need individuals with severe disabilities. Of the almost 12,000
Minnesotans that receive VRS services, 22% live with a serious
mental illness.
Here's a table of who is currently served by VRS
Row Labels
All Other Impairments
Autism
Chemical Dependency
Deaf/Hearing Loss
Developmental Disabilities
Learning Disabilities
Orthopedic/Neurological
Disorders
Other Mental Impairments
Other Physical Impairments
Serious Mental Illness
Traumatic Brain
Injury/Stroke
Grand Total
Category
1
2114
1614
57
252
1059
1635
531
Category
2
137
58
4
48
19
215
70
Category
3
130
14
3
29
5
54
25
Category Grand
4
Total
2381
1686
64
2
331
1083
3
1907
626
191
365
2499
252
10
72
97
20
3
54
33
3
1
10569
750
353
7
1
205
491
2630
275
11679
Individuals living with a mental illness have the highest
unemployment rate, yet access to stable employment is an
evidence-based practice that is proven to help people recover. We
need you to reach out to your legislator if he or she is on the jobs
conference committee and call on them to match the Governor's
funding request for VRS.
Find your legislator here and make your voice heard.
Updates from NAMI Minnesota
NAMI Legislative Committee
Meetings are generally held the second Tuesday of every month. To be added to the email
list contact [email protected]
NAMI Spring Gala
Come celebrate NAMI Minnesota's 40th Anniversary on May 6th at the Minneapolis Hilton.
It's a fun time to celebrate NAMI's work and to raise funds for its important mission. There
is a silent and live auction, dinner and dancing. Click here for more information and to
reserve your tickets! There is an after party if you cannot afford the dinner - only $15 and
includes dancing!
Stay Connected
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