Accessibility menu
State Representative Tina Liebling
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0573
For more information contact: Joel Johnson 651-297-1934
Press/News Releases
Representative Liebling Joins Bipartisan Caucus To Address Mental Health Issues
In an effort to improve the delivery of mental health treatment and encourage innovation and efficiency, State Representative Tina Liebling, of Rochester, became one of the charter members of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, a first-in-the-nation effort to draw attention to mental health issues as they affect criminal justice, employment, education, health care and legislative policy.
"The group was formed because there is a growing concern here at the Capitol that mental health has taken the brunt of the state's budget cuts over the past two years, cuts that have damaged our mental health care system," Liebling said. "We believe that some of those cuts have cost us more in prison costs, court costs and health care. With our current budget situation, that's having a disastrous effect. We need to make sure we're spending every dollar as wisely as we can, and better and earlier mental health treatment can help to do that."
Liebling said the group, which is made up of 16 Senators and 40 Representatives from both the DFL and Republican parties, is interested in uncovering innovative programs and treatments, as well as improving the delivery of proven mental health services. She added the group would focus on four key areas: the criminal justice system, employment, children's health and the results of a Minnesota Mental Health Action Group study initiated by the Governor and the Citizens League.
"Mental health issues affect so many other issues," Liebling said. "For example, our criminal justice system has become the defacto system for dealing with the mentally ill. Not only is that incredibly inefficient and costly, it's also cruel. This group will help provide a needed perspective and focus on these kind of issues and eventually help strengthen and improve our mental health system here in Minnesota."
News Items
- Rep. Tina Liebling Named Chair of House Health and Human Services Policy Committee - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Statement on DEED Bonding Project Announcement - (Posted: 2012-09-13 00:00:00)
- Local Legislators to Hold Town Hall Meeting - (Posted: 2012-07-19 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.