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State Representative John Ward
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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WARD BILL TO PREVENT STATE DEPARTMENT FROM CLOSING DOWN PROGRAMS WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL MOVES TO GOVERNOR
St. Paul, MN – Legislation authored by Rep. John Ward to prevent state departments from arbitrarily shutting down state programs moved to the Governor on Saturday for his signature. Ward initiated this legislation in response to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and State Operated Services (SOS) abrupt closing of the Brainerd Children and Adolescent Behavioral Health Systems (CABHS) program. Under this new legislation, programs such as CABHS cannot be shut down without legislative input.
"The sudden and unjustified closing of this program left many families in our region without resources for their children who are struggling with mental health issues," said Ward. "The passage of this bill tonight is bittersweet – too late to save the program in Brainerd, but maybe in time to prevent other communities from losing similar programs."
The CABHS program served young people with severe and major mental illness issues. Despite numerous efforts by Rep. Ward and others to set up a meeting to discuss the future of CABHS, as well as the future of the children the program served, no open discussion or valid reasons were ever provided by DHS and SOS.
"I believe the decision to close CABHS was based on misleading and inaccurate information, and as a result, our community and our children lost a program that literally saved lives," said Ward. "No community should have to lose a program as important as this without serious and open consideration by local officials, legislators and community members.
I'm very pleased this bill received the support of both legislative bodies and I hope the Governor will sign it into law."
News Items
- 2013 Legislative Session Preview - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 8:39AM)
- Assistant Majority Leader Rep. John Ward Sworn-In as Legislative Session Starts - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 2:39PM)
- Rep. John Ward Elected Assistant Majority Leader and Selected to Serve as Vice Chair of Capital Investment Committee - (Posted: 2012-12-19 00:00:00)
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