Advocacy & Action

Tentative Deal to Save GAMC

Lawmakers hammered out a deal with Governor Pawlenty on Friday after months of negotiations about the state-funded medical care program for Minnesota’s poorest residents.

General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) was scheduled to end April 1st after Governor Pawlenty’s decision to unallot funding for the program last year. Since that time, legislators and advocates has worked tirelessly to save GAMC. The new agreement will allow GAMC to continue unchanged until June 1, then transition to a new program that requires hospital and counties to manage and provide medical care. The measure must be approved by the Legislature and signed by Pawlenty. Click here to learn more.

Future of GAMC Still Undecided

GAMC is a state funded program which provides comprehensive coverage to adults with income at or below 75 percent of the federal poverty guidelines who have less than $1,000 in assets. Due to Governor Pawlenty’s unalloment, GAMC is scheduled to end on March 31. Eligible participants in the program will be automatically enrolled in MinnesotaCare, which places a heavy burden on many enrollees with co-payments and extensive paperwork. People may still apply for GAMC now

With the Legislature still in session and the state facing a serious budget deficit, talks between the Governor and supporters of GAMC continue. Although the Governor vetoed a House and Senate backed bill that would have allowed GAMC to continued, and the House was unable to convince its Republican members to override the veto, there is still hope that an alternative to ending GAMC is possible. Learn more here.

Here is a great example of how different scenarios for GAMC coverage would look. Scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the PDF to download it.

Keep checking back often for new information and updates.

Call to Action!

The Governor’s proposed budget calls for devastating cuts to mental health care funding including:

• Complete elimination of General Assistance. This program, along with GAMC, is a lifeline for Minnesota’s poorest citizens. We know that mental illness is a major factor in homelessness and unemployment, especially in this economic downturn. Hospitals are also at risk: uncompensated care will likely mean reduced services and longer waits for emergency treatment.
• Reductions in aid to counties, which are a primary source of mental health services in the state.
• Cuts to supportive housing and group homes, personal care assistance, and aids that keep people living independently.
• Reductions in the public defender’s office, chemical dependency treatment, and re-entry planning. The result will likely be more incarceration, and less diversion and treatment for persons with psychiatric disorders who are caught up in the justice system.

The fight is not over yet! There is still time to contact the Governor and your Legislators and let them know that mental health care is a priority! Let them know that the cuts to GAMC and GA are unacceptable and ask them to come up with a real solution to the budget crisis.

Please join us and contact your elected officials today!

Governor’s Supplemental Budget Released

The Governor’s supplemental budget calls for over $2 million in reductions for mental health care funding this year and even more through fiscal year 2013. Here are some of the preliminary details. Stay tuned for more details.
• Reduces aid to local governments by $250 million per year
• Reduces by 3% many of the licensing boards and councils (behavioral health, state council on disabilities, etc.)
• Reduces funds to federally qualified health centers by $1 million
• Reduces adult mental health treatment hours to what is allowed under MA ($500,000 each year)
• Eliminates unspent money to counties for community support services for people with mental illnesses (housing, etc.) totally $3.3 million
• Eliminates adults mental health specialty care grants of $200,000 each of the four fiscal years.
• Reduces CD treatment fund by $5.3, $5.6 and $6 million.
• Calls for State Operated Services to close a building resulting in savings of $2.2 million in three fiscal years.
• Eliminates the General Assistance monthly grant of $205 a month and creates a short term assistance program for adults without children in a crisis.
• Eliminates the MSA special needs payment.
• Counts SSI income for families trying to qualify for MFIP and child care
• Eliminates enhanced funding for Group Residential Housing
• Reduces continuing care payment rates by 2.5% except for mental health services
• Places another cap on the CADI waiver at 60 per month.
• Reduces inpatient hospital rates by 3%
• Eliminates OT, PT and speech therapy under MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance
• Reduces eligibility for MinnesotaCare to those at 75% of the federal poverty guidline
• Increases MinnesotaCare premiums to 8.8% of household income
• Extends the $5 million unallottment under State Extends the $5 million unallottment under State Operated Services to FY 2012 and 2013
• Eliminates emergency general assistance
• Extends the unallotment for PCA hours, 1.5% reduction to primary care and MSA special diet funding into the next two years.

“Nothing About Us, Without Us”

The Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Network of Minnesota is a grassroots membership-based organization of consumers/survivors of mental health services. All of CSN’s advocacy work is by and for people who have personal experiences with psychiatric disorders and the mental health care system.

Through our advocacy work we strive to build a healthcare system that:

• Combats the stigmatization of those with mental health issues.
• Offers quality services accessible to all, regardless of income and county of residence.
• Is culturally appropriate to the needs of diverse populations.
• Respects the contributions of people who themselves have experienced mental health issues.
• Integrates a model of recovery into all treatments.

CSN began organizing and advocacy work in order to combat the stigma frequently associated with psychiatric labels. The advocacy work that we have done so far has not only helped ensure a meaningful legislative victory — the Certified Peer Specialist Law — but it has also changed the level of engagement in politics.

A recent survey of CSN active members provided a snapshot of an engaged and excited base of members:

• 43% attended Mental Health Day on the Hill
• 46% have participated on their local mental health advisory group
• 52% have met with their elected officials
• 84% are aware of the Americans with Disabilities Act and 74% feel their rights are protected under the ADA
• 94% of respondents believe that the CSN has helped to reduce the stigma of those with mental illness

During the 2007 Minnesota Legislative session, CSN’s first sponsored legislation was introduced and passed. The Mental Health Certified Peer Specialist Bill recognizes the value of peer specialists within the mental health field and provides a way to ensure that peer specialists obtain training and credentials to offer reimbursable services.

CSN is a member of the Mental Health Legislative Network. We devote significant effort to direct public advocacy and indirect challenging of the pervasive discrimination present in health care services, popular culture, and within our own communities. CSN is also involved on the national level, working with other Consumer Organizations across the country to:

• Protect the rights of consumers in the workplace, healthcare system and elsewhere in their daily lives.
• Ensure fair and accurate representations of mental illness in order to combat legislation based on damaging misconceptions.
• Increase funding and investment in peer-led and recovery based treatment options for those with mental illness.