Accessibility menu
State Representative John Ward
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
Press/News Releases
WARD SUPPORTS PLAN TO PROTECT JOBS AND SERVICES AT STATE OPERATED SERVICES FACILITIES
St. Paul, MN – St. Paul, MN – State Representative John Ward joined Rep. Paul Thissen and other lawmakers today in announcing a plan to protect vulnerable Minnesotans and save jobs by slowing down policy redesign efforts by State Operated Services (SOS). Also in attendance were members of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Rep. Thissen, Chair of the House Health and Human Services Policy Committee, said the Department of Human Services (DHS) has overstepped its authority in proposing sweeping plans to close dental clinics, reduce mental health services, and lay-off workers.
“Last session, the state legislature gave the Anoka – Metro Regional Treatment Center and Minnesota Extended Treatment Options (METO) the go-ahead for redesign," said Thissen. “Included in that legislation was the stipulation that these changes could not result in lay-offs. Despite that provision, well over 200 lay-offs are planned for May 1st at facilities around the state, including many at Anoka and METO – a clear indication the DHS is side-stepping the state legislature and going it alone.”
Thissen plans to offer an amendment to the House Budget Bill that will prohibit the SOS redesign from proceeding without explicit legislative approval.
Rep. Ward supports this call for increased oversight of the DHS and SOS, and said the city of Brainerd is a good example of what happens without legislative input.
“Despite our best efforts to be involved and have a say, the DHS and SOS closed the Children and Adolescent Behavioral Health Systems (CABHS) in Brainerd two years ago,” said Ward. “I authored legislation at that time to prohibit actions such as this in the future, but that bill was vetoed by Governor Pawlenty.”
Becky Romosz, an RN in State Operated Services, was at the press conference to represent the nurses who will lose jobs, have their hours reduced, and workload increased as a result of the said proposed changes. She said she is concerned about the shift from “patient centered care" to that of "fiscal centered care”.
“The Governor's plan will decimate services for people with mental illness and result in the loss of many jobs for state employees, including RNs,” said Romosz. “These cuts, on top of the cuts to the General Assistance Medical Care Program are troubling, indeed. We are losing focus in this state, and our clients and our workers are paying the price.”
“My district lost jobs and important services for mentally ill youth as a result of the single-handed actions of the DHS,” said Ward. “The state legislature, as well as the people who work in these facilities, need to have a say in how these decisions are made.”
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)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.