[Pacg] Contact IA legislators concerning mental health funding

[Carolina 1961]

>From Lori Elam at Scott County...mental health issues and Iowa state
funding....
LElam at scottcountyiowa.com
Contact your House reps and Senators re the "risk pool" ---- see below for
details
Info on how to contact:
 http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Legislators/LegislatorInfo.aspx

Phone:    (515) 281-3221

*Scott County Iowa Senators:
*

*David Hartsuch*
E-mail: david.hartsuch at legis.state.ia.us

*Dr. Joe M. Seng*
Email: joe.seng at legis.state.ia.us

*Frank Wood*
E-mail: Frank.Wood at legis.state.ia.us

* Scott County Iowa** House Reps:*

*Elesha Gayman - Please thank Rep Gayman for her amendment*
E-mail: Elesha.Gayman at legis.state.ia.us

*Jim Lykam*
E-mail: Jim.Lykam at legis.state.ia.us

*Linda Miller*
E-mail: Linda.Miller at legis.state.ia.us
**

*Jamie Van Fossen*
E-mail: Jamie.Van.Fossen at legis.state.ia.us

*Cindy Winckler*
E-mail: Cindy.Winckler at legis.state.ia.us

Steve Olson
E-mail: Steven.Olson at legis.state.ia.us <Steven.Olsen at legis.state.ia.us>

The Legislative session is coming to a close.  We have made significant
gains this session.

Additional money (12 million) was allocated and put into the Health and
Human Services budget on Friday.  This is a great success and I want to
thank everyone who helped advocate for new money !!

*Now the Legislators are working on creating a "Risk Pool".*  This pool of
money can be applied for by a county in financial crisis.  Scott County will
be applying for this as the 12 million new money is simply not enough to get
us through FY08.  Currently the amount of money in the risk pool is
1.3million.  We need to make sure that money does not get scooped out
when the
Senate debates the bill to day or tomorrow.  Ideally we need more money to
be put in the risk pool.  Representative Gayman was able to amend the risk
pool language so counties could access up to 40% of the grand total, rather
than 20%.  It would be wonderful if Legislators could put 2.5 million in the
risk pool as then Scott County would be eligible for one million !  I am
very concerned that risk pool money will be scooped out.  We need to fight
for it !

The risk pool money is vital to Scott County as this would allow the county
to avoid major cuts in services and programs.  Please contact local
Legislators and express the dire need for the risk pool money.  Please refer
to Amendment 1850 as it addresses the risk pool and the new language.

Thank you,

Lori Elam   LElam at scottcountyiowa.com


<LElam at scottcountyiowa.com>
If you are further interested in working on mental health issues through
PACG, email me.  There is some landmark legislation happening in other
states.

Thanks,

Cathy Bolkcom
Progressive Action for the Common Good
hm 563-289-4155

www.qcprogressiveaction.org
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